Exploring the educational experiences of children and young people adopted from care: Using the voices of children and parents to inform practice
Researchers interviewed 11 secondary-school-aged adoptees and held a focus group with six adopters about school. Themes described emotional struggles, social disconnection, unsupportive school environments, helpful relationships and prejudice or misunderstanding. Findings were then discussed with 20 designated teachers, whose responses concerned awareness, relationships and emotional support.
Limitations: Small qualitative samples cannot establish how common these experiences are. Children, adopters and teachers contributed different kinds of evidence. The paper derives from Rebecca Best’s 2019 UCL thesis; the thesis is not added as a second independent study in this batch. Publication relationship: this research was published by BAAF or in its Adoption & Fostering journal, now associated with CoramBAAF, an adoption-sector organisation. Publication does not establish that the organisation conducted the research; readers may take the institutional relationship into account.
- Research type
- Qualitative study
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Adolescents
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: adolescents
Adoption context: Domestic adoption / adoption from care
Programme: Best adopted children education study
Institutional context: Adoption-sector advocacy/service organisation
Publication relationship: this research was published by BAAF or in its Adoption & Fostering journal, now associated with CoramBAAF, an adoption-sector organisation. Publication does not establish that the organisation conducted the research; readers may take the institutional relationship into account.
Relationship identified. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: adolescents, adoptee voice, adopter perspectives, discrimination, education, peer relationships, professional perspectives
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: England
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_ec4cff0278c7528c