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Joining a new family: the views and experiences of young people placed with permanent families during middle childhood

  • Cherilyn Dance
    ,
  • Alan Rushton
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

Cherilyn Dance and Alan Rushton report on the views of a group of young people who had joined adoptive or foster families some six years previously when they were between five and 11 years old (the Maudsley Follow-Up Study). The report focuses on the experience of joining a new family, family relationships and feelings of belonging. It was striking that it could take some young people a considerable length of time to feel settled; however, by the follow-up stage the great majority felt very much a part of their family. Several described their placement as an opportunity for a 'new start'. A small minority was less settled and expressed continued discomfort with their adoptive status. The authors discuss the direction of current practice and policy developments with reference to these findings.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 18-28

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Adoption and Fostering (Volume 29, Issue 1)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/03/2005

Publication status

Published - 01/03/2005

ISSN

0308-5759

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/302077
  • Scopus: 33846938900

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