# Petrovic Couple Assessment - CSR Kragujevac (1983-1984)

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### Findings and Opinion of the Pedagogue

For the married couple Periša Petrović and Georgina Petrović from Kragujevac, Kraljevački bataljon Street 110, in the matter of the submitted request for the adoption of a child, which matter was registered under our number 1304/1 of 22 December 1983.

The marriage between Periša and Georgina was concluded in 1956, after a short acquaintance of two months. This marriage was concluded out of love. They had no children in the marriage. Periša is now retired, while his wife Georgina has never worked and is now a housewife. The spouses are in a fairly good material position owing to their own work and efforts. They respect one another and get along very well.

In Georgina, there is visible psychological strain caused by the absence of children. They approached the proposal to adopt a child voluntarily and by mutual agreement, although they themselves conclude that they did so somewhat later than they had intended.

The reason for this lay in the constant expectation that a child would nevertheless come. However, a few years earlier it was established, as both spouses state, that during a surgical intervention an error had occurred; she had been tied without knowing it. This was noticed later, but by then both spouses had come to the conclusion that they should adopt a child, and for that purpose they addressed this Centre.

Periša was born in 1925 in the village of Pajsijević. By occupation he was a qualified butcher, and is now retired. He completed four grades of primary school and a butcher’s course. He is a warm and kind person, calm in communication, willing to listen to everyone and to think carefully before making any decision.

Georgina was born in 1935 in the village of Toponica, where she completed four grades of primary school. She was not employed. She is a sensitive and temperamental person, very emotional and sensitive. The absence of children affects her deeply, and this is clearly visible in her behaviour and speech.

Both spouses are fully capable of performing the function of parents or guardians, with the reservation that I consider their age to be nevertheless advanced, which shifts the natural boundary between parents and children. I propose that, if possible, this family be given an older male child for incomplete adoption, although there is no legal obstacle to giving them a younger child for full adoption.

In Kragujevac,  
22.II 1983

Pedagogue:  
M. Vujadinović, Prof.

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### Findings and Opinion of the Psychologist

For the married couple Periša and Gorgina Petrović from Kragujevac, residing at Kraljevački bataljon Street 110, who wish to adopt one male child.

Interview conducted on 10 January 1984.

Periša was born in 1925 in the village of Pajsijević near Kragujevac. He completed four grades of primary school. He worked as a butcher in “Zvezda”. He retired in 1981. He has been married since 1956. He and his wife could not have children, so he tried to compensate for this by taking part in raising the children of his sisters and the children of his brother-in-law. He tried to persuade his sisters to give him a child for adoption, but they did not agree. For that reason, he has now decided, in advanced age, to adopt one male child aged one to three years.

Periša is direct, composed, and establishes contact with people quickly and easily. He shows understanding for the various needs of children and has solid experience in contact with small children, who accept him quickly.

Periša’s wife Gorgina was born in 1935. She completed four grades of primary school and is a housewife. She grew up in the village of Toponica near Kragujevac. She is the second child by order of birth. Her parents are alive. Her father was born in 1911 and her mother in 1914. They always got along well with each other, and Gorgina was attached to both parents with equal love.

There were no deviations from normal development in her psychophysical development. Considering her age, she is now in good health. She is very hardworking, obedient, and brought up in a patriarchal manner. She wishes to adopt a male child who, when grown, would help her and her husband more easily bear the burden of later years in old age.

I am of the opinion that the request of this married couple, although of adequate behaviour and motivation for adopting a child, should not be accepted, because they are at an age which does not promise what is necessary for an adopted child. I recommend that it be proposed to this noble family without children to accept a child as a foster family.

Psychologist:  
[signature]

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### Report of the Social Worker with Opinion

For the married couple Periša Petrović and Gorgina Petrović from Kragujevac.

The married couple Periša Petrović and Gorgina Petrović from Kragujevac, residing at Kraljevački bataljon Street 110, submitted a written request asking to be assessed for the purpose of obtaining an opinion on their suitability for adopting a child. In the request, they state that they wish to fully adopt an older male child and request assistance in finding a child matching their request.

Petrović, née Miljković, Gorgina was born on 22 July 1935 in the village of Toponica, Municipality of Knić, to father Dragutin and mother Nada. She is a citizen of the SFRY, of Serbian nationality. Gorgina has four grades of primary school education. She has never entered into employment and is a housewife. She grew up in a complete, moderately well-off farming family, alongside two brothers. Her parents did not have an orientation toward schooling her, so from an early age she was prepared for work in the household and in agriculture.

Petrović Periša was born on 14 November 1925 in Pajsijević, Municipality of Knić, to father Radovan and mother Borika. He is a citizen of the SFRY, of Serbian nationality. In terms of education, Periša has secondary vocational qualification as a butcher, and during his active working life he worked as a merchant. He is now a disability pensioner.

Periša was born into a complete farming family, moderately well-off, and grew up alongside four sisters. Within the family, as the only male child, he was quite spoiled and overprotected. His parents expected him to live in the village and from agriculture, so after completing the fourth grade of primary school he had no orientation toward further schooling. However, after completing military service, he wanted to live in the city, so he found employment without any qualification, and later obtained further training through work.

The marriage between Periša and Gorgina was concluded out of love. They had known each other from early childhood. The marriage was officially concluded in 1956, and for a time they lived in Pajsijević in a household community with Periša’s parents. Since Periša was already working in Kragujevac at that time, by agreement they left his parents’ household and moved to Kragujevac. However, they never broke ties with his parents; they even actively helped them cultivate the land.

They support themselves from the disability pension that Periša now receives in the monthly amount of 7,700.00 dinars, and from income from agriculture. In Periša’s name there are 2 hectares and 80 ares of land in the village of Pajsijević, which they cultivate on time and properly, so that they practically secure everything needed for food: fruit, vegetables, fattened pigs, chickens, and similar.

In Kragujevac they own their own house, built on a plot of slightly less than 7 ares. The house consists of a comfortable three-room apartment with 70 square metres of usable floor area.

In Pajsijević they have a house and all auxiliary agricultural facilities, and they maintain everything. All premises are equipped, and everything is in impeccable order and hygiene.

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This household is marked by mutual respect and trust. They have had no children so far. In the first years of the marriage, Gorgina had a surgical procedure on her genitals during which she was tied, without knowing it until recently. Otherwise, for a long period they were oriented toward adopting a child from among relatives; however, this did not happen. With considerable delay, they now appear with a request to adopt a male child up to five years of age.

The motives for adoption are entirely clear: the desire for children, so that in this way they would also give meaning to their own life.

On the basis of the conversations conducted, inspection of living conditions, and field checks, I am of the opinion that the married couple Periša Petrović and Gorgina Petrović from Kragujevac have the housing, material, and family conditions, as well as the personal qualities, to successfully perform the function of parents, with the reservation that, due to their age, they should be given an older child.

1 March 1984  
Kragujevac

Social worker:  
Živana Janićijević