From Stereotypes to Diversity

Alla Yaroshenko

From Stereotypes to Diversity

Číslo: 6/2020
Periodikum: Path of Science
DOI: 10.22178/pos.59-8

Klíčová slova: gender stereotypes; gender expertise; surrogate families; educational materials; PRIDE program; social work

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Anotace: Deinstitutionalization of the support system for orphans and children deprived of parental care in Ukraine provides for a gradual transition to the professionalization of surrogate parenting. The content and methods of educating and raising children in the family form of placement are currently not considered a private matter. Parents who have adopted a child join a cohort of social workers and play the role of parasocial workers: in addition to performing parental functions, they themselves become providers of social services. Care and upbringing in a foster family as an important institution for the socialization of children should be based on ethical principles of social work, which include, in particular, non-discrimination, equality and respect for diversity. The surrogate family has to become the leader of the position of equality in intergender relations and ensure the upbringing of children, free from the restrictions imposed on them by gender stereotypes. Given this, it is especially important for parents to master gender competencies. Therefore, the challenge is to develop gender-sensitive materials for use in the education of candidates for surrogate parents. Given the urgency of the problem, the purpose of the investigation was to carry out a gender analysis of the PRIDE's program for training surrogate parents, adapted by Ukrainian specialists. In the study with the help of qualitative and quantitative content analysis through gender «lenses» the following components of the program were considered: general content, explicit and implicit elements, language design, compositional structure, illustrations. Based on the analysis, the educational impact of the materials is highlighted. Open-ended observation of the work of trainers allowed to reveal a hidden curriculum. The author concludes that the program corresponds to a gender-neutral position, but contains imprints of a stereotypical approach that can strengthen gender-harmful norms, mostly in the content of the program and in the coaches’ interpretations. In order to disseminate the guidelines, adequate to modern ideas about the egalitarian model of the family, the author provides additional recommendations for making changes to the text of the program.