Post-Adoption Services

Transcription

1 July 2003 Post-Adoption Services R2P compiles, on an ongoing basis, annotated bibliographies on various child welfare topics and related fields. The bibliographies are as inclusive and detailed as possible. Most entries include the following sections: : describes the project or program, location, number served, and purpose of the program. The Methods: details how the study was conducted, who was involved, what instruments were used, and the rates of and reasons for attrition. : lists outcomes of the study and possible implications for the field. : helps the reader to evaluate the usefulness of the full publication. This section highlights, for instance, readability, the significance for practice, and the applicability of the results. Not every article, book, or other publication in the annotated bibliography fits the above format. Some publications are not research driven but are nonetheless useful to the field. These entries may have only two sections: and.

2 Allphin, S., Simmons, B., & Barth, R. P. (2001). Adoption of foster children: How much does it cost public agencies? Children and Youth Services Review, 23, The purpose of this study was to estimate how much time and money were required to complete an adoption, including postadoption services, of a child in foster care in California. Federal foster care legislation has placed an emphasis on adoption. Federal and state initiatives to increase adoptions exist. Limited information relates to the difference in the public cost of raising a child in longterm foster care versus an adoptive home. The Methods The authors conducted four preliminary phases to determine the necessary background information for the study: o Review of a pilot study conducted by the County Welfare Directors Association to determine how much time workers spent on different aspects of the adoption process, o Analysis of focus groups with adoption staff to create a list of tasks and services that define all adoption-related work needed to finalize an adoption, o Work with focus groups and adoption staff to estimate how much time is required to complete each task in an average adoption case, and o Completion of a time-study instrument by workers in two counties. The researchers selected participants from social service agencies in five counties in California (n = 345) and completed a time-study survey. Of the participants, 325 were supervisors or social workers who provided direct services related to adoption and 20 were social workers who worked in a nonadoption position but performed some adoption activities. In total, 215 supervisors and workers participated in focus groups (115 adoption workers and 100 child welfare workers). Response rate of the time survey was 98.76%. The number of hours required to complete the family component of the adoption process ranged from to The number of hours required to complete the child component of the adoption process ranged from to The total number of hours spent on an adoption ranged from to The researchers calculated the cost per adoption by multiplying the amount of time each county required to complete the adoption by the cost of a full-time social worker. The cost per adoption ranged from $6,000 to $28,539. The total cost of all the adoptions in these five counties cost $25,314,571. The average cost of an adoption across these five counties was $19,141. This study had a strong methodology for determining the cost of adoption in California and a high response rate to the time-study survey. The study only compared five counties in California. Post-Adoption Services Page 2 Research to Practice Initiative

3 Barth, R. P. (1994). Adoption research: Building blocks for the next decade. Child Welfare, 73, This article proposed new research directions for adoption practice and policy. Adoption indicators: o How many children are in need of adoption? How many children are adopted each year? What is the timing of those adoptions? How do client and service characteristics affect the adoption process? o Case-level adoption research requires that each child have a specific identifier that remains with the child even if the child s name changes as a result of adoption. This is necessary for long-range research studies. Adoptive placements: o Research should be conducted to gather information on how to increase the number of adoptive placements. o The greatest problem facing the child welfare community is that too many children who would benefit from adoption are not adopted. Agencies need more information regarding the characteristics of adoptive families. Recruitment and retention: o No systematic efforts have been undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment programs. o Recruitment should be evaluated with different areas and populations. Selection of placements: Research should focus on development of a decisionmaking matrix that properly weights factors in placement delays. Reasons for placement delays: delays in procedures for identifying children who might need adoption, difficulties transferring children between units, legal and procedural constraints regarding termination of parental rights, and restrictive placement procedures. The majority of adoptions start as family foster care placements, and many have the expectation of adoption rather than reunification. Research is needed on why kin adopt and the outcomes of these adoptions. Research on independent adoption should focus on strengths and shortcomings. Do postplacement services preserve adoptions and promote well-being of adopted children and is evaluation necessary to test the components of postadoption services? Research should assess the contribution of subsidies to adoption. Research on group care placements should examine adopted children placed in group care. Intensive adoption preservation services should develop new treatment strategies. Research on open adoption should focus on its advantages and disadvantages. Comparative outcomes research should compare the outcomes of adopted children, children in foster care, and children remaining in troubled birthfamilies, and evaluate how adoption is similar to and different from other family arrangements. This article provided a detailed outline of the future direction of adoption research, why this type of research is necessary, and the type of information needed from research on postadoption services. Post-Adoption Services Page 3 Research to Practice Initiative

4 Barth, R. P., Gibbs, D. A., & Siebenaler, K. (2001). Assessing the field of post-adoption services: Family needs, program models, and evaluation issues. Chapel Hill, NC: Research Triangle Institute and the University of North Carolina School of Social Work. This report was a literature review of postadoption services and supports that help families who have adopted a special-needs child. Postadoption services and supports typically include subsidies but may also include information, peer support, therapy, and case management. Although families need postadoption services, many do not have access to these services. The Method The authors conducted a literature review that described the available information from reports and professional literature on postadoption services and supports. Adoptions in general have been stable and successful despite the lack of postadoption services, which suggests that many families will not need postadoption services and supports. On average, 10% to 16% of adoptions result in disruption. Some studies have suggested that adoption subsidies were associated with low incidence of adoption disruption however, other studies have shown that available funds were not adequate. More than 50% of states reported providing postadoption residential treatment. Adoptive family characteristics that are risk factors for disruption included families who have no prior adoptive or foster care experience, families with younger parents, and parents who have higher levels of education. Child characteristics that are risk factors for disruption include older age at time of adoption and behavioral or emotional problems. Postadoption services depend on the special needs of the adoptive child and whether these needs can be met by existing approaches to service delivery. Categories of postadoption services and support: o Educational and informational services: information about the child (medical, social, and genetic history) and materials to help parents. o Clinical services: child, couple, and family therapy. o Material services: adoption subsidies, medical care, and special education. o Support networks: parent support groups or experienced adoptive mentors. Evaluations of postadoption service programs have been based on a few projects, and each evaluation lacks a formal review of overall program effectiveness. It is difficult to determine which programs are successful. This study provided a comprehensive review of the literature on postadoption services and supports. It cited examples of postadoption service programs that have attempted a systematic evaluation and outlined the direction of future research and program development for postadoption services. Post-Adoption Services Page 4 Research to Practice Initiative

5 Barth, R. P., & Miller, J. M. (2000). Building effective post-adoption services: What is the empirical foundation? Family Relations, 49, This study explored the lack of empirical research on postadoption services, characteristics of disrupted adoptions, failure of preadoption services, projects that have assessed their postadoption services, and alternative approaches that may work better for these families. Postadoption services may reduce disappointment and disruption. Few demonstration projects have evaluated their own effectiveness; examples that have are the Adoption Preservation Project, Post Adoption Family Therapy, HOMEBUILDERS, and PARTNERS. The extent and nature of postadoption services depends on whether the adopted child has any special needs and whether these needs can be met by existing service delivery. The most predominant factor influencing disruption is the child s age the older the child, the more likely the risk of disruption. Families in which children display behavioral problems, such as violation of family norms, sexual acting out, defiance, cruelty, and aggressiveness, are more likely to disrupt. Adoption by families with no adoptive or foster care experience increases risk for disruption. Lack of services provided by the agency prior to and during placement may increase the risk for disruption. Disruption may also occur when no detailed communication with the adoptive parents regarding assessment of the child exists. Most states have some form of postadoption services. Self-help groups or contact with other adoptive parents are helpful. Family-focused approaches seem to work best. Adoptive parents want educational and informational services (literature, seminars, support groups about the adoption process), clinical services (individual, marital, and family counseling, respite care, and crisis counseling), and material services (adoption subsidies, health benefits, respite care, and support). Post-adoption services have evolved into three types of services including intensive family preservation, family therapy, and attachment therapies. Approaches based on familial, social, and adoptive parent and child dimensions might be more effective. Adaptation of multisystemic therapy and assertive community treatment programs to postadoption services may be helpful. This study was a comprehensive review of the literature regarding postadoption services that provided examples of four empirically evaluated postadoption programs. The authors proposed alternative theories for the development of postadoption services and outlined what postadoption services are desired by the adoptive parents. Post-Adoption Services Page 5 Research to Practice Initiative

6 Berry, M. (1997). Adoption disruption. In R. J. Avery (Ed.), Adoption policy and special needs children (pp ). Westport, CT: Greenwood. This chapter reviewed the literature on factors that can cause adoption disruption. Factors associated with adoption disruption: o Child characteristics: Older children, history of previous disruptions, physical and emotional handicaps, neglect, and physical and emotional abuse. Behaviors associated with disruption: eating problems, sexual acting out, physical aggression, stealing, suicide attempts, and lying. o Family characteristics: Younger parents, no previous adoption history, higher levels of parental education, non foster parent adoptions, few social supports. No relationship has been found between disruptions and single-parent homes. o Service characteristics: Multiple agency involvement, multiple caseworkers, and time lag between referral and adoption placement. Availability of assistance: Supervisory visits from the adoption worker during the trial period before the adoption is finalized are viewed as intrusive and useless by adoptive parents. Educational tutoring, special education, or special schooling are associated with adoption stability. Strategies and policies to prevent disruption: o Recruitment and matching: Continued loosening of eligibility requirements for adoptive parents. Stability of single parents, foster parents, and low-income or lesseducated parents. o Detailed communication with the adoptive parents regarding assessment of child. o Parents need better information to assess a child s special needs. o Community resources are important to adoption stability. o Postplacement services: Casework services, parent groups, subsidies, community resources, and other social networks. Casework services are the most common and least documented service. This review of the research on adoption disruption suggested that overall, adoptions of special-needs children are positive and stable. Adopting families continue to need support after the adoption is finalized, and postplacement support is currently lacking. Post-Adoption Services Page 6 Research to Practice Initiative

7 Bird, G. W., Peterson, R., & Miller, S. H. (2002). Factors associated with distress among support-seeking adoptive parents. Family Relations, 51, This study investigated the effects of background factors, adoptive strains, and coping resources on emotional distress levels of adoptive parents. The intent of this study was to better understand the factors associated with higher distress levels among adoptive parents seeking support. The authors attempted to apply the stress and coping theory to adoption based on adoption being a life event that can trigger stress responses and protective coping mechanisms. Background factors: age of child at adoption, length of time since the adoption, and number of adopted children living in the home. Adoptive strains are chronic problems that adoptive parents encounter on a routine basis. Coping resources for parents included self-esteem, mastery, family support, and problemfocused coping strategies. The Methods The researchers mailed surveys to randomly selected support group coordinators in 15 states. The coordinator then distributed the survey to interested parents during the next group meeting. The sample was composed of 99 adoptive parents who were predominantly married, female, white, and middle class. Adopted children can from various places: international, private agency, or foster care. Measurements included 20 items on adoptive strains formulated from literature reviews and an adoption electronic bulletin board, Rosenberg s 10-item Self-Esteem Scale, Pearlin and Schooler s Mastery Scale, Lazarus and Folkman s Coping Checklist, the Mental Health Inventory, and one question assessing family support. Adoptive strains (finances, agency evaluation process, and adoptee adjustment) were more often associated with greater feeling of distress. Adoptee s age at adoption and the number of adopted children in the family significantly contributed to higher levels of parental distress. Emotion-focused coping strategies contributed to parental distress. Parents who reported higher levels of distress had older and more adoptive children; the majority of these children came from foster homes and were international adoptions. Implications: Postadoption services should focus on educational programs directed at adoptive strains on parents. This sample of adoptive parents was already receiving support services, and demographic characteristics of the sample do not represent the entire population of adoptive parents. Although the survey incorporated several standardized measures, all data were based on self-reports. Post-Adoption Services Page 7 Research to Practice Initiative

8 Brooks, D., Allen, J., & Barth, R. P. (2002). Adoption services use, helpfulness, and need: A comparison of public and private agency and independent adoptive families. Children and Youth Services Review, 24, This study considered how adoption service providers could better meet the needs of adoptive families. Children who are available for adoption often have characteristics that place them at risk for developing psychosocial and academic problems. Deficient and inadequate adoption services can lead to placement of children with parents who are unable to meet their children s special needs. Child welfare professionals and researchers are realizing the importance of postadoption services. This descriptive study asked adoptive parents about use of adoption services, helpfulness, and their recommendations for pre- and postadoption services. The Methods The authors selected adoptive parents (n = 873) in California from a larger study. Of that sample, 368 parents adopted from public agencies, 168 adopted from private agencies, and 337 independently adopted. The authors mailed each parent a questionnaire on his or her background, aspects of adoptions (including use, helpfulness, and recommendations for pre- and postadoption services), and the characteristics and development of their adopted children. Less than 30% of the adoptive families used most of the postadoption services, except for the high percentage that read books and articles about adoption (82%) and those who attended seminars (43%). More parents who adopted through a public agency used child counseling, family therapy, and intensive crisis counseling, which may be due to the higher number of special-needs children who were adopted through public agencies. Private agency adopters read more books and articles and participated in support groups. Independent adopters were the least like to use any postadoption service. Public agency adopters were more likely to be single, less educated, and have lower incomes, which may imply a greater need for services. Most of the adoptive parents who did receive services found them helpful. Adoptive parents recommendations for adoption services included material health and background information regarding their adoptive child, reading material about adoption, legal advice, information on the financial cost of adoption, and classes and workshops on understanding adopted children. This was a large, descriptive study on postadoption services that provided good information on the services most desired by adoptive parents and direction for the future development of postadoption services. This study did not have a representative sample. Post-Adoption Services Page 8 Research to Practice Initiative

9 Christian, S. (2002). Healing the hole in the heart. State Legislatures, 28(10), This article reviewed the increase in the number of adoptions and the lack of adequate postadoption support services. The number of public agency adoptions increased from 25,644 in 1995 to 51,000 in Although states have focused on changing laws and policies to increase the number of adoptions, they have paid little attention to what happens to families after they adopt. Many families report feeling abandoned after the adoption is finalized. Once foster parents adopt, they often see a reduction in the array of services and supports available to them. Postadoption services encourage people to adopt children from foster care, keep adoptive families together, and prevent children from re-entering foster care. Postadoption services are cost-effective because they keep children out of the juvenile justice system. The leading factor in adoption failure is the child s age. Older children have a difficult time adjusting to their new families due to lengthy histories of abuse, neglect, and multiple placements. Essential postadoption services include: o Mental health services, including training therapists to handle the unique circumstances surrounding adoption. o Respite care provides adoptive parents and children time away from each other and a break from the difficult work of forming a family. o Peer support from other adoptive parents is an important resource. o Information and referrals, such as providing families with information about legal and psychological aspects of adoption, available community resources, and links to other adoptive families. Limited government funding for postadoption services exists. Experts state that adoptive families need ongoing support so that problems do not become crises. This article stressed the importance of postadoption services for new families. It outlined the most essential services, the lack of government funding, and why postadoption services are necessary. Post-Adoption Services Page 9 Research to Practice Initiative

10 Daly, K. J. (1994). Public and private adoption: A comparison of service and accessibility. Family Relations, 43, 86+. This study compared public, private, and independent adoption agencies in terms of clients served, issues associated with adoption accessibility, and postadoption services. Adoption as an option among pregnant adolescents in Canada and the United States has dramatically declined. There has been a shift from the use of public agencies to private agencies for adoption. This shift has received little attention from the research community. Potential problems with private adoption agencies include inadequate preparation, minimal information about the child s background, limited support, and high fees. Private adoptions are considered to be less time consuming, have more children available with shorter waiting times, and allow all parties to avoid invasions of privacy. This study focuses on the similarities and difference between public and private adoptions in terms of the adoptive parents, birthparents, and adoptable children; comparisons of costs, waiting times, eligibility requirements, and selection procedures; and postadoption services. The Methods Questionnaires were returned from 209 public agencies and 108 independent adoption practitioners. The questionnaire attempted to gather information on who was providing services, the nature of these services, the kinds of clients being served, and key trends in the provision of services. Adoptive parents who used a private agency were more likely to be older, better educated, and have no prior parenting experience. Birthmothers in private adoptions were more likely to be employed prior to the pregnancy and have approached the agency later in the pregnancy. Public agencies primarily placed special-needs children, whereas private agencies almost exclusively placed healthy children. Both private and public agencies focused on an adoptive parents marital status and parenting qualities. A majority of private agencies do not offer postadoption services. Public agencies offered a wider range of services to meet the needs of all parties involved in the adoption process. The study highlighted in this article used the terms independent practitioner and private agency interchangeably. In reality the two are very different. Independent practitioners are usually lawyers in private practice whereas a private agency has been licensed by the state as a not-for-profit. The interchange of terms in the article was very concerning and decreased the credibility of the study. Post-Adoption Services Page 10 Research to Practice Initiative

11 Groze, V. (1994). Clinical and nonclinical adoptive families of special needs children. Families in Society, 75, 90+. This article explored applying a model of family functioning to adoptive families. Family integration is one of the primary tasks of a new adoptive family. Applying the Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response Model (FAAR) to adoptive families includes: o Adjustment phase: A period of transition when the adopted child is not overly challenging to the family system. o Crisis: This occurs when adopted children and the family are faced with the task of integration. Successful resolution of each crisis makes it more likely that the family will be successful in the future. Adoptive families deal with usual family developmental stages, coupled with issues that are unique to the adoptive family and to adoption. Postplacement services that support and assist the adoptive family result in more positive adoption outcomes. This study examined whether the FAAR model facilitates the understanding of the differences between adoptive families that seek services and those that do not. The Methods The author selected 24 families involved in clinical services (clinical families) and 24 families not involved in clinical services (nonclinical families) for the study. The author administered each family a questionnaire for adoptive families, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales. Clinical families had parented the children longer. Clinical parents had more education and higher incomes. More children in the clinical sample were known or suspected to have been physically or sexually abused. Parents in the clinical sample viewed their children as less attached and having more behavior problems. More nonclinical families reported having adequate social worker visits, background information on the child, accurate information on the child, and helpful services overall. Clinical adoptive families were more involved with parent support groups. Postplacement, adoption-sensitive therapy and mental health services are needed, should be family based, and should focus on the child s integration into the family. Federal support for postadoption services needs to be increased. This study provided interesting findings comparing families receiving clinical services versus those families not receiving services as well as what services are significant resources to adoptive families. The sample was small (n = 48) and nonrandom. Post-Adoption Services Page 11 Research to Practice Initiative

12 Kramer, L., & Houston, D. (1998). Supporting families as they adopt children with special needs. Family Relations, 47, This study evaluated adoptive parents experiences with the Hope for the Children (HFTC) program. Agencies pay insufficient attention to ensuring that adoptions are sustained over time. Workers need to understand the conditions in which adoptive families are best able to sustain a stable home environment. Providing service on a preventive basis may enhance the stability of adoptive placements. Involvement in support and mental health services should become a normal aspect of an adoptive family s experience. Services that incorporate both formal and informal resources may be most effective in helping adoptive families through a transition process. The Methods The evaluation included 17 parents currently enrolled in the HFTC program. The authors administered the Special Needs Adoption Parent Support Questionnaire. Adoptive parents greatest concerns centered on their child s development and education, health and medical problems, behavior problems, birth family history, and services. Parents turned to formal agency support for problems with their child s birth family and history, health and medical issues, and services. Parents relied on informal services for their child s behavior and family adjustment. HFTC parents reported more frequent contact with their spouse and HFTC family advocate. Parents reported that their informal support networks were most helpful to them. Parents reported needing help to access nonagency services, agency staff, their child s background information, and counseling services. Participating parents believed that the HFTC model was effective in meeting their needs. This article provided a good descriptive summary from adoptive parents on the HFTC program and could be a model for other community-based service programs. Post-Adoption Services Page 12 Research to Practice Initiative

13 Kramer, L., & Houston, D. (1999). Hope for the children: A community-based approach to supporting families who adopt children with special needs. Child Welfare, 78, This study identified the types of formal and informal supports used and desired by adoptive families of special-needs children. Older children and children with special needs may wait for years until an appropriate adoptive placement is available. Families who adopt these children face serious challenges that can threaten the stability of the adoptive home. One factor that may enable parents to maintain the stability of their home is access to supportive resources. Stressors to adoptive families include the child s medical, developmental, educational, and mental health problems; a need for information about the child s background information; and the need to adjust family roles and relationships. Families work to manage stress by drawing on available resources such as emotional support, informational support, and concrete aid. The Methods Participants were 40 parents from six counties in a Midwestern state who were preparing to adopt a special-needs child. Each participant completed the Special Needs Adoption Parent Support Questionnaire to assess the parents perceived needs for support as well as the types of support and services they receive. The researchers randomly selected two parents to complete a two-hour, semistructured interview. The authors found no differences between mothers and fathers in terms of the types of problems they experienced or the types of support with which they had contact. The parents largest areas of concern were children s health and medical issues, children s development and education, and children s behavior problems. Parents were more likely to turn to a formal support system for health and medical issues. Parents received help from both formal and informal resources not connected to the agency when addressing child behavior problems. Parents relied heavily on informal, nonagency sources for family adjustment issues. Parents who had difficulty accessing services turned to agency staff for support. Adoptive parents indicated that they seek support from their spouse most often. Parents considered their informal support network as most helpful to them. Parents indicated difficulties accessing their caseworkers, delays of adoption finalization, problems obtaining counseling services, and difficulties with financial assistance. This study contained a small sample from one state, but did analyze important services that adoptive families feel are necessary prior to, during, and after adoption finalization. Post-Adoption Services Page 13 Research to Practice Initiative

14 Lashua, B. T., Widmer, M. A., & Munson, W. W. (2000). Some well deserved R&R. Parks & Recreation, 35(5), This article described the Respite and Recreation Project for adoptive families. Special-needs adoptions place unique demands and stress on families. Respite services can help families promote their development and enhance the success of the adoption process. Special-needs children may never have experienced a consistent, caring, or trusting family relationship. Support services for adoptive families are vital to family preservation. Postadoption services have remained underdeveloped. The primary goal of the Respite and Recreation Project is to reduce adoption disruptions by providing respite for the parents through safe recreation services for the children. Objectives of the program are to: o Develop three respite models to support adoptive families, o Design respite to meet the needs of each child and increase family stability, o Provide training to college students, and o Provide educational programs for families. Models for recreational respite care included facility-based, daylong activities; weekend and overnight respite; and weeklong respite. Parents receive a break from the stress of caring for adopted special-needs children. Children participate in activities that promote independence and the advancement of their leisure knowledge and skills. This article did not provide a formal evaluation of the Respite and Recreation Project, but did provide a model of respite services that can be beneficial to adoptive parents. Post-Adoption Services Page 14 Research to Practice Initiative

15 McDonald, T. P., Propp, J. R., & Murphy, K. C. (2001). The postadoption experience: Child, parent, and family predictors of family adjustment to adoption. Child Welfare, 80, The article examined the current level of support adoptive families are receiving. Attention in the child welfare community often focuses on the urgency of the placement rather than on the maintenance of the children in their new families. Agencies need to focus on the importance of preserving and supporting new adoptive families once they are formed. Also, it is important to determine what postadoption supports these families need. The major obstacle to obtaining postadoption services has been lack of funding. Identifying the characteristics of children and parents who experience difficulty during the adoption process can also be used to target adoptive families who need more pre- and postadoption services. Negative child characteristics: older age at time of placement, behavior problems, psychological difficulties, history of abuse and neglect, and multiple placements. Negative parent characteristics: high parental expectations, lack of experience with adopted children or children with special needs, strong religious beliefs, and negative attitudes about the child and the adoption process. Negative family characteristics: higher socioeconomic status. The Methods The authors selected families from the Kansas adoption ledger (n = 309). The mailed each family a survey packet, which contained one survey, a cover letter explaining the project s purpose, and information on available family support services. After follow-up phone calls, 52% of the families completed the survey. Adoptive placements appeared to be extremely stable. Adoptive families perceived their caregiving experiences to be more smooth than stressful. Parents experienced few surprises between their expectations and their actual experience. On average, parents agreed that their adopted child had made a positive contribution to their lives overall, however they felt the child did not contribute to the their social growth. Three-quarters of the adoptive parents were satisfied with the adoptive process. Services most often needed included a regular classroom setting for the child, primary care physician, financial assistance, and a lawyer. A majority of parents felt that their service needs were being met. Unmet needs included support groups/self-help groups, advocacy services, emergency assistance, and crisis intervention. Three-quarters of the parents reported no barriers to getting the services they needed. Of the parents, 69% indicated that more services and supports should be available to adoptive families and more consistency is needed from caseworkers. Researchers only selected adoptive parents from one Midwestern state, but the study provided valuable information on the types of postadoption services adoptive parents receive and what additional services they need. Post-Adoption Services Page 15 Research to Practice Initiative

16 Rosenthal, J. A., & Groze, V. K. (1994). A longitudinal study of special-needs adoptive families. Child Welfare, 73, This study examined changes in child and family functioning in special-needs adoptive families. As special-needs adoptions have increased, so has the percentage of all adoptions ending in disruption. Predictors of adoption disruption: older age of child at placement, inadequate background information, rigid family functioning patterns, low levels of support, history of abuse and neglect, behavior problems, and new adoptive parents rather than foster parents. This study examined the following areas: effect of adoption on the family, parent-child relationships, family interaction, school, and child behavior. The analysis compared these areas in relation to various child, family, and service characteristics. The Methods Adoptive families (n = 302) from Oklahoma, Iowa, and Illinois completed two surveys. The researchers conducted a second administration of the surveys four years later to measure any changes over time. The study found a significant decrease in the type of effect the child s adoption had on the family. In the first administration, 50% of the parents reported a very positive effect, whereas on the second administration, this percentage decreased to 43%. The study also found a significant negative change in terms of the relationship between parents and child. School attendance remained consistent across both administrations, but the children s average grades and level of enjoyment with school significantly decreased during the second survey. The authors found an increase from first to second administration on the CBCL Total Problems subscale, indicating that behavioral problems for many special-needs children did not gradually disappear over time. The level of cohesion (emotional bonding) decreased at the second administration. The average level of adaptability (ability of family to change) did not change significantly but was higher when compared with a normative sample indicating the importance of flexibility in successful adoptions. Negative outcomes at second administration may be attributable to the older age of children. Findings suggest a need for an increased effort to develop postadoption services because special-needs children s behavior problems do not disappear over time. Despite poor sampling procedures, this study provided useful information pertaining to the persistent problems in special-needs adoption once the adoption is finalized and provided a solid argument for the need of postadoption resources. Post-Adoption Services Page 16 Research to Practice Initiative

17 Shireman, J. F. (1995). Adoption by single parents. Marriage and Family Review, 20, This article reviewed and highlighted findings from the literature on single-parent adoption, the process of adoption for single parents, their characteristics, and the characteristics of the children they adopt. The article also discussed additional special issues, including postadoption services. In general, child welfare adoption services have preferred two-parent families over single parents. Typically, the children who have been available to single parents through child welfare agencies have been special-needs children. Single adults who wish to adopt a child without a special need have turned to international adoptions or independent adoptions. Most single parents are women who adopt a child of the same gender. A majority have a graduate education and hold stable jobs. An accurate number of single-parent adoptions is difficult to determine, but the best estimate is that 25% of special-needs children adopted are adopted by single parents. Single parents often adopt for the same reasons as couples: fulfillment of their own needs to nurture, and enjoyment of children. Single parents are more likely to adopt older, nonwhite, or mentally handicapped children. Adoption agencies have begun to recognize the need for continued services to families that adopt special-needs children. Both parents and children will have lifelong issues related to the adoption. Issues include loss and identity, memories of abuse and neglect, and feeling different from other children. Single parents must adapt to economic stress, social isolation, and role strain. Indicators of successful adoptions include the following: open discussion of the adoption, handling issues about the identity and loss of birthparents, and building of a family (role definition). Special-needs children fare the same or better when placed in single-parent homes. Single adoptive parents, because they lack the support of a partner, need and seek support services more than adoptive couples. Supportive extended family and friends are helpful, and their presence has been associated with few difficulties among children. Contact with support groups was more helpful than contact with therapists. Adoptive families continually rely on informal support networks and community mental health services. Adoption agencies should incorporate support groups into their adoption services program. This article provided a comprehensive review of the existing research on single-parent adoption and discusses the need for further research and the development of postadoption services. Post-Adoption Services Page 17 Research to Practice Initiative

18 Watson, K. W. (1992). Providing services after adoption. Public Welfare, 50(1), This article examines the need for child welfare agencies to meet the lifelong needs of adoptive families. Most adoption agencies now view postadoption services as essential for adoption to succeed. Adoption does not end once the legal act is finalized, but is a lifelong experience. Agencies recognized the need for postadoption services when those who had participated in earlier adoptions returned to agencies in search of information or further services. One of the surest factors in preventing adoption disruption was the provision of continuing services. Four categories of postadoption services: o Continuation of agency service to a family, o Agency intervention when adoptive family experiences a crisis, o Agency services based on response to developmental needs, and o Information and search assistance. To develop effective postadoption services, service providers must: o Accept that although adoptive families are similar to other families, they have fundamental differences; o Adoption always includes a painful loss of the birth family; and o This loss can damage self-esteem. Agencies must develop services to meet real needs of adoptive families and become an integrated component of the adoption process. Educational systems must become deeply involved if special-needs adoptions are to succeed. Child welfare agencies must be concerned with the following postadoption services issues: o Leadership and vision, o Planning and coordination, o Standard setting and licensing, o Training, o Funding, and o Provision of some direct services. This article outlined why child welfare agencies need to provide postadoption services and methods to identify the proper services for adoptive families. Post-Adoption Services Page 18 Research to Practice Initiative

19 Watson, K. W. (1996). Family centered adoption practice. Families in Society, 77, This article discussed the application of a family-centered approach to providing adoption services. The author gave three hypotheses for defining and conceptualizing adoption services: o Adoption has lifelong complications: It makes families more vulnerable to stress. Critical areas include the challenges of adoption; sense of belonging, loss, boundaries, and attachment; and self-esteem. o Adoption always begins with a traumatic loss. o Adoption will never sever the existence of genetic or psychological connections to the birth family. A family-centered approach to adoption recognizes that adoption creates a new network that includes the child, adoptive parents, and the birth parents. Each component of this triad must integrate themselves to form this new adoption-kinship network. Adoption workers should assess families, place children, and provide postplacement services in the context of this new family network. That is, they should offer services to the adoptive parents, the child, and the birth parents. Birth families are typically not included in family counseling, but they should be present in concept if not in person. Services or interventions vary according to the person s role in the adoption process; the nature of the service requested; developmental issues; and the nature of the individuals, their family, and community system. Five goals practice should include: o Assist in resolving the crisis, o Help clients face the lifelong issues of adoption, o Support the new family network, o Respond to recurring adoption themes, and o Integrate adoption into the lives of those involved. Adoption workers and therapists need to validate the decision of the birth parent as their best option. Postadoption services need to value the positive aspects of adoption while recognizing the potential stress and pain it also can cause. Adoptive families usually seek help due to a crisis, and workers should try to preserve the adoptive family. This article provided a strong argument for using a family-centered approach for adoption services, particularly therapy, and outlined a brief historical perspective of adoption laws and policies. Post-Adoption Services Page 19 Research to Practice Initiative