Outcomes of Open Adoption from Care : : An Australian Contribution to an International Debate.

• Author: Ward, Harriet.
• TeilnehmendeR: Moggach, Lynne.; Tregeagle, Susan.; Trivedi, Helen.
• Place / Publishing House: Cham : : Springer International Publishing AG,, 2021.; ©2022.
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (340 pages)

Table of Contents

Outcomes of Open Adoption from Care -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- Executive Summary -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- 1: Introduction: International Issues and Debates Concerning Adoption -- Introduction -- Domestic Adoptions from Care -- Characteristics and Vulnerabilities of Children Adopted from Care -- Long-Term Consequences of Abuse and Neglect -- Adverse Childhood Experiences -- Parents' Problems -- Outcomes of Out-of-Home Care -- Outcomes of Adoption from Care Versus Long-Term Foster Care -- Stability -- 'Belonging' and the Transition to Adulthood -- Developmental Outcomes -- Transparency -- Adoption in Australia -- Barnardos Find-a-Family Programme -- Key Features of the Find-a-Family Programme -- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children -- Post-adoption Support -- Open Adoption from Care Research Project -- Methodology -- Potential Bias of Core Follow-Up Sample -- Strengths and Weaknesses of the Research -- Theoretical Framework -- Conclusion -- References -- Part I: Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents and Children When They Entered Their Adoptive Homes -- 2: Issues Facing the Birth Parents and Their Implications for Open Adoption -- Introduction -- Birth Parents -- Birth Parents' Relationships -- Factors That Affected Parenting Capacity -- Parents' Previous Experiences -- Birth Parents' Problems at Time of Adoption Order -- Consent to Adoption -- Contested Adoptions -- Implications for Open Adoption -- Changes over Time -- Conclusion -- References -- 3: The Children -- Introduction -- Children's Characteristics -- Ethnicity -- Health Conditions and Disabilities Prior to Adoption -- Additional Support Needs -- Comparisons with Other Populations -- Children's Experiences Before Separation from Birth Families -- Reasons for Separation -- Adverse Childhood Experiences -- Age at Notification.

Months Between Notification and Separation -- Age at Separation from Birth Families -- Months Between First Separation and Permanent Placement with Adoptive Parents -- Age at Reaching Final Placement -- Children's Experiences Between First Separation from Birth Parents and Permanent Placement with an Adoptive Family -- Children's Vulnerability at Entry to Adoptive Homes -- Experiences of Loss -- Changes over Time -- Identifying Children with Different Levels of Vulnerability -- Conclusion -- References -- 4: The Adoptive Parents -- Introduction -- Adoptive Parents -- Age and Experience -- Relationships -- Informal Support -- Material Circumstances -- Employment -- Children in the Home -- Sibling Groups -- Motivation -- Conclusion -- References -- Part II: Outcomes of Open Adoption from Care -- 5: Permanence -- Introduction -- Legal and Residential Permanence -- Adoptees No Longer Living at Home -- Comparison with Normative Australian Population -- Disrupted, Interrupted and Unstable Placements -- Legal Permanence -- Disruption Rate -- Unstable and Interrupted Adoptions -- Psychological Permanence -- Continuing Support from Adoptive Parents -- Failed and Fragile Relationships -- Comparisons with Normative Australian Population -- Commitment of Adoptive Parents -- Integration into the Adoptive Family -- Belonging -- Conclusion -- Key Points -- References -- 6: Post-adoption Contact and Relationships with Birth Family Members -- Introduction -- Interpreting the Data -- Post-adoption Contact -- Birth Parents -- Siblings -- Other Relatives -- What Was Contact Like? -- Uncomplicated Contact -- Problems Concerning Contact with Birth Parents -- Parents' Problems and Their Impact on Contact -- Lack of Engagement -- Children's Difficulties Around Contact -- Why Contact Ceased -- Impact of Contact on Birth Parents and Adoptive Parents.

Why Did Contact Persist? -- Contact with Grandparents, Siblings and Other Relatives -- Grandparents -- Siblings: Placed Together -- Siblings: Placed Apart -- Long-Term Consequences of Contact -- Developing a Sense of Identity -- Coming to Terms with Separation and Loss -- Closure -- Coming to Terms with Birth Parents' Limitations -- Achieving Closure Group (9/24 Adoptees) -- Far from Closure Group (6/24 Adoptees) -- Accepting the Reasons for the Adoption -- Moving On -- The Impact of Contact on the Adoptive Parents' Roles -- Conclusion -- References -- 7: Progress After Placement -- Introduction -- Developmental Status of the Adoptees When They Joined Their Adoptive Families -- Physical Health -- Developmental Delay -- Mental Health and Manifestations of Distress -- Externalising Problems -- School Performance -- Stigma -- Issues Facing Adoptive Parents -- Progress -- Changes in Physical Health -- Changes in Mental Health -- Academic Progress After Joining the Adoptive Family -- Contact with Birth Parents and Progress -- Conclusion -- References -- 8: Adult Outcomes -- Introduction -- Education and Training -- Qualifications -- Higher Education -- Employment -- NEET Status -- Criminal Behaviour -- Alcohol Consumption and Substance Misuse -- Mental Health -- Relationships -- Partners -- Domestic Abuse -- Friends -- Isolation -- Outcomes for the Barnardos Adoptees, Australian Care Leavers and the Wider Australian Population -- Comparison with the Australian Population -- Comparison with Care Leavers -- Successful Adult Functioning -- Key Factors Contributing to Success -- Contact with Birth Parents and Adult Functioning -- Differences Between Care Leavers and Adoptees' Experiences: Understanding Disparate Outcomes -- Living Arrangements -- Support with Education and Employment -- Education -- Employment -- Mental Health.

Risk Factors and Protective Factors in the Relationship Between Adoptive Parents and Children -- Commitment -- Conclusion -- References -- 9: Conclusion: Implications for Policy and Practice -- Introduction -- The Study -- Implications for Child Protection Policy and Practice -- Children Who Cannot Remain with Birth Parents -- Delays in Professional Decision-Making -- Quality of Out-of-Home Care -- Implications for Permanency Planning -- Implications for Adoption Policy and Practice -- Recruitment of Adoptive Parents -- Contact -- Training -- Post-adoption Support -- Conclusion -- References -- Appendices -- Appendix 1: Methodology -- Aims and Objectives -- Sample -- Stage One: Baseline Data on Full Cohort -- Stage Two: Follow-Up Survey -- The Stage Two Follow-Up Sample -- Potential Bias of Core Follow-Up Sample -- Stage Three: Interviews with Adoptees and Adoptive Parents -- Interview Selection -- Interview Process -- Ethical Procedures -- Analysis -- Appendix 2: Technical Notes on Stage One and Stage Two Sample Comparison -- Gender Characteristics of Sample -- Types of Abuse -- Total Number of Adverse Childhood Experiences -- Behavioural Problems -- Age (Months) at First Notification -- Age (Months) of First Separation -- Age at Permanent Placement -- Number of Restoration Attempts and Care Placements -- Age at Follow-Up -- Appendix 3: Studies Identifying Risk Factor Thresholds -- References -- Index.