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.