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Support for adoption placements: the first six months

  • Eva-Maria Bonin
    ,
  • Jennifer Beecham
    ,
  • Cherilyn Dance
    ,
  • Elaine Farmer
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well

Abstract

Adoption can provide stability and improved outcomes for looked after children, but the support needs of adoptive families range from financial support to managing difficult behaviours and attachment problems. This study looks at the use of services and associated costs over a six-month period through data collected from nineteen adoptive parents six months after a child (average age twenty-three months) had been placed with them for adoption and at the patterns of service needs, usefulness of services and satisfaction with services, supplemented with data from twenty-seven families who were interviewed about their experience of post-adoption support. In line with previous research findings, the core element of support was provided by social workers and over a third of families received financial support from social service departments. Involvement of specialist services such as mental health professionals and educational support was low, probably because of the children's young age. Satisfaction with the support provided by social workers varied and depended on their relationship with the parents. The mean public sector cost of services was £2,842 (range £980–£6,270) and most costs were borne by children's social services. These support costs compare favourably with other placement options such as children's homes or foster-care.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 1508-1525

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

British Journal of Social Work (Volume 44, Issue 6)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/01/2013

Publication status

Published - 01/01/2013

ISSN

0045-3102

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/302071

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