Belonging and Permanence: Outcomes in long-term foster care and adoption

Belonging and Permanence: Outcomes in long-term foster care and adoption

Nina Biehal, Sarah Ellison, Claire Baker, Ian Sinclair · British Association for Adoption and Fostering

Researchers compared adoption and long-term foster care across seven English local authorities. The research included a census of 374 children, a survey covering 196 children, an earlier longitudinal subsample and interviews with 37 children and their carers. Just over one-third of adopted children and children in stable foster care had clinically significant emotional or behavioural difficulties on the questionnaire measure, with no significant difference between these groups. Children in unstable care had poorer emotional, behavioural and educational outcomes. Interviews also explored children’s belonging and relationships.

Limitations: Placement groups were not randomly assigned and differed in their histories. Questionnaire outcomes included carer reports; these differ from children’s interview accounts. Associations between placement stability and outcomes do not establish causation. Publications from this programme may overlap. DCSF-sponsored Adoption Research Initiative research, published by BAAF, an adoption-sector organisation. Commissioning and publication relationships should be considered.

Research type

Comparative longitudinal research / book

Source reviewed

Full text

Peer reviewed

Unclear

Age group

Mixed