Qualitative exploration of lesbian parents’ experiences of accessing healthcare for their adopted children in England

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of lesbian parents accessing healthcare for their adopted children in England. DESIGN: A qualitative inductive design, using narrative inquiry with a critical incident recall interview approach. Interviews were analysed using merged tools of critical event analysis and broadening, burrowing, storying and restorying. SETTING: Participants were recruited from a British lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender fostering and adoption charity. PARTICIPANTS: Six lesbian adoptive parents with experience of accessing healthcare for their adopted children in England. RESULTS: Following data analysis, five themes were identified: navigating heteronormativity, navigating healthcare settings and professionals and having an ‘adopted’ status, intersectional identity of lesbian-parented adoptive families accessing healthcare, reflective imagery of lesbian parents and adoptive families and professional expectations. Self-imposed strategies instigated by the parents to strengthen and protect their familial identities were also discovered. CONCLUSIONS: The needs and challenges of lesbian adoptive families may be different to those of heterosexual and biological families when accessing healthcare. There was an undercurrent of discriminatory practice, shown by various healthcare professionals, and a lack of understanding of the adoption process, knowledge surrounding the child’s history and legal stance with regards to parental responsibility. Further training is needed for healthcare professionals.