Adoptee Rights
Research

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  • Pathways to adoption for minority ethnic children in England – reasons for entry to care

    2011 · England

    This study examined why 120 minority ethnic children recommended for adoption entered care in England. It found differences between ethnic groups in children’s and mothers’ characteristics, reasons for entry and age at referral. The authors reported no evidence of discriminatory removal in this sample. That finding concerns the cases and evidence studied, rather than establishing the absence of discrimination throughout the system.

  • Pathways to Permanence for Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity Children

    2010 · England

    This study examined minority ethnic children’s care pathways in three English local authorities, comparing decisions and outcomes with those of white children, particularly around permanent placements. The publisher description verifies a comparative research study. Detailed findings and numerical estimates from the book have not been reviewed for this record.

  • Patterns of adversity and post-traumatic stress among children adopted from care

    2022 · United Kingdom

    Researchers classified early adversity using records for 374 children adopted from care and examined later post-traumatic stress symptoms in a longitudinal questionnaire sample of 58 children. Multiple complex perinatal and postnatal adversity was associated with higher avoidance and arousal symptoms four years after placement.

  • Patterns of Early Permanence in London: a research report

    2024 · England

    Researchers analysed adoption data and interviewed 41 professionals about early permanence in London. London had relatively few early-permanence placements, but their share of all adoptions in 2021–22 was close to the England average: 17% compared with 18%. The research examined differences in local practice and the characteristics of children’s placement routes.

  • Paved with Good Intentions: The Pathway to Adoption and the Costs of Delay

    2006 · England

    This study followed 130 older children for whom adoption had been recommended, including children who were never placed for adoption. It examined factors associated with reaching an adoptive placement and the costs of delays. The authors reported adverse associations between poor assessment or delayed planning and placement outcomes, alongside additional financial costs.

  • Permanent Family Placement for Children of Minority Ethnic Origin

    2000 · United Kingdom

    This book reports a long-term study of minority ethnic children placed with adoptive or foster families during the 1980s. It examines placement stability, ethnic identity and birth-family contact, and includes accounts from young people and carers. The publisher description establishes the research topics but does not support detailed outcome estimates here.

  • Piecing together the patchwork: How a therapeutic school can help adopted children with their sense of identity.

    2023 · United Kingdom

    Eight clinical and education staff at one therapeutic school were interviewed about supporting adopted children’s identity. Thematic analysis identified perceived roles for the therapeutic environment, parent work and coordination of professional networks.

  • Post adoption support needs and implications for future practice – a systematic review

    2026 · International (UK-led review)

    A systematic review examined 76 English-language primary studies published during 2002–2025 about adoptees’ and families’ post-adoption support needs. Recurring subjects included attachment, identity, neurodevelopment, mental health, trauma, education, loss and birth-family contact. The synthesis described barriers to obtaining support and understanding adoptees’ earlier adversity and neurodevelopmental needs.

  • Post-adoption contact and openness in adoptive parents' minds: consequences for children's development

    2009 · England, UK

    The study examined post-adoption contact alongside adoptive parents' communicative openness and children's development. It considered how family communication about adoption and the presence or absence of contact with birth relatives related to children's adjustment.

  • Post-adoption support and interventions for adoptive families: Best practice approaches

    2017 · England; international evidence

    This review searched research databases and evidence registries for adoption support and interventions, including services and studies in England. It examined adopted children’s developmental needs and assessed the evidence behind therapeutic programmes. It found that intervention evidence varied and often depended on small evaluations or research with other populations.

  • Post-Adoption Support for Children and Young People in Educational Settings

    2019 · United Kingdom (regional recruitment not established)

    This doctorate combines an eleven-study review with interviews with five adopted students aged 16–19. The interviews explored support received at school. Young people described supportive people, approaches and systems, alongside positive self-identity, as features of more positive school experiences.

  • Practice and outcomes for special guardianship and adoptive families with safeguarding issues: A mixed methods study

    2025 · England and Wales

    Researchers reviewed files for 115 children receiving statutory safeguarding interventions after adoption or special guardianship in five local authorities, with follow-up to 2024. Thirty-seven were adopted. The study also interviewed professionals and carers. Case analysis identified overlapping risks, complex developmental and mental-health needs, and differing subsequent outcomes. This entry focuses on safeguarding and child outcomes.

  • Pre-Adoption Order Disruptions in England: Learning from disruption reports 2017-2024

    2025 · England

    Researchers analysed 77 regional adoption agency disruption reports concerning 184 children in England, held professional focus groups and discussed recommendations with practitioners and adopters. They examined why placements ended before an adoption order. Themes concerned concerns left unspoken, missing information, information not understood and problems not addressed. Communication between adults and the understanding of children’s needs featured throughout.

  • Predictors of attachment in early- and late-placed adoptees

    2024 · United Kingdom

    Researchers compared 35 early-placed adoptees and 35 children adopted at ages 4–9 after maltreatment. Childhood story-stem assessments and adolescent attachment interviews were examined using regression models. IQ explained much of the variation in several adolescent attachment measures; defensive avoidance and abuse-related childhood narratives also contributed among late-placed children.

  • Predictors of outcome for unrelated adoptive placements made during middle childhood

    2005 · United Kingdom research context (sample geography not specified in abstract)

    Researchers followed 99 children placed for unrelated adoption at ages 5–11 into adolescence. Social workers reported early histories and adopters were interviewed over time. Placements were classified as disrupted, continuing positively, or continuing with difficulties. Age, behaviour, care history, rejection and attachment-related measures were associated with disruption.

  • Preferentially rejected children and their development in permanent family placements

    2003 · United Kingdom

    This study examined children placed individually in adoptive or long-term foster families during middle childhood. It considered whether being rejected by birth parents while siblings remained accepted was associated with subsequent development. Such preferential rejection was associated with poorer progress in permanent family placements.

  • Processes and Outputs of an Adoption Panel: A Case Study

    2005 · United Kingdom

    This second report from an observational adoption-panel case study examined participation, attendance, scrutiny and conclusions. Panel scrutiny involved identifying issues in social work permanence proposals, asking questions, seeking reassurance, reaching conclusions and giving feedback.

  • Professionals' accounts of genetic testing in adoption: a qualitative study

    2020 · United Kingdom

    Interviews with 12 social workers and eight medical advisers explored retrospective genetic-testing cases in adoption. Social workers tended to describe testing as giving definitive answers, while medical advisers emphasised uncertainty and potential misunderstanding. Medical advisers also reported requests for testing they considered inappropriate.

  • Psychological Adjustment in Adult Adoptees: A Meta-Analysis

    2021 · International

    Eighteen studies from 1993–2019 were combined to examine adult adoptees' psychological adjustment. Across most outcomes adoptees showed poorer average adjustment than non-adoptees.

  • Putting Programme into Practice: The Introduction of Concurrent Planning into Mainstream Adoption and Fostering Services

    2006 · England

    An evaluation of three concurrent-planning pilots examined why the approach was slow to become established. Interviews with social workers identified limited understanding of the model, unclear responsibilities and missed preparation and training opportunities. The paper focuses on organisational implementation rather than estimating children’s long-term wellbeing.