Search results for ‘Publisher:"british association for adoption and fostering"’ Sort:
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Contact after adoption: a longitudinal study of adopted young people and their adoptive parents and birth relatives
- Authors:
- NEIL Elsbeth, BEEK Mary, WARD Emma
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 42
- Place of publication:
- London
This report presents the findings of a longitudinal study that followed up a group of adopted children, their adoptive parents and birth relatives, where some form of post-adoption contact was planned. The findings are of particular importance due to the study’s duration – the children, all placed under the age of four, have been followed through preschool, middle childhood and into late adolescence. The key aims of the study were to explore people’s experiences of contact and its impact on children and adults. By following these children and families over an extended time period, and when experimentation with more open adoption arrangements was taking place, a strong body of evidence has been collected about the impact of open adoption on all those involved, and on how children’s experiences of and need for contact change as they grow and develop. This study offers practice recommendations for those involved in making or managing contact with children and families. (Edited publisher abstract)
Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007: the Act and Regulations
- Authors:
- SMITH Fergus, STEWART Roy, STOBIE Alistair
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 117p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This pocketbook provides a quick reference guide to the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 and its associated regulations. Part A summarises the principles and concepts underpinning the legislation, as well as the main principles of the new law. Coverage includes: principles and concepts, adoption service, adoption process, status of adopted children, adoption support plans, registration, adoptions with a foreign element, and permanence orders. Part B covers a summary of relevant regulations. It covers: The Adoption Agencies (Scotland) Regulations 2009; The Adoption (Disclosure of Information & Medical Information about Natural Parents) (Scotland) Regulations 2009; and The Adoption Support Services and Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2009.
Supporting direct contact after adoption
- Authors:
- NEIL Elsbeth, et al
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 336p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
A significant minority of adopted children have direct contact with members of their birth family. The UK Adoption and Children Act 2002 recognises that both birth and adoptive families may need help to manage these contact arrangements, and the legislation specifies that support for contact should be available. This study is part of the larger Researching Adoption Support project, which began by mapping services. This early work concluded that agencies have a strong focus on the child’s needs but may not always meet the needs of birth relatives or adoptive parents when managing the psychological complexities of contact. The aim of the current study was to explore services provided to support post-adoption contact in complex cases; complex being defined as direct contact where agencies have an ongoing role. Conducted in collaboration with eight agencies, it draws on the experiences of 51 adoptive parents, four long-term foster carers and 39 birth relatives. Individuals’ experiences of the challenges and benefits involved in having direct contact are described. Four different models of contact support are identified and discussed in terms of both their relative costs and how they can be matched to the differing needs of adoptive and birth families. Implications for practice are offered.
Helping birth families: services, costs and outcomes
- Authors:
- NEIL Elsbeth, et al
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 239p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This study, part of the Adoption Research Initiative, set out to learn more about the practice of supporting the birth relatives of adopted children. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 requires that the birth parents of children adopted through the care system are offered support by an independent worker. As a result a number of independent support services have been developed but this new area of practice has received little research attention to date. Helping Birth Families aims to provide a voice for birth relatives involved in compulsory adoption proceedings. The findings are drawn from data collected from eight UK agencies as well as from interviews with 73 birth relatives (44 mothers, 19 fathers and 10 grandparents) with recent experience of losing a child to adoption. Referral and take-up rates of birth relative support services are described, as are birth relatives’ views on the adoption process, independent support services and the factors associated with satisfaction with these services. The research also outlines the costs of providing support services. The impact of these services on birth relatives’ psychological wellbeing and their ability to cope with the adoption, and accept and support the child’s placement in the adoptive family are discussed and implications for practice offered. The book is expected to be of particular interest to childcare and family practitioners, adoption social workers, managers and students, CAFCASS workers, lawyers and children’s guardians.
10 top tips for supporting adopters
- Author:
- KANIUK Jeanne
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 129p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
However much commitment, emotional strength and resilience adopters demonstrate, the process of adoption is demanding and can be daunting. This concise book is written to help social workers support these families in a way that is likely to help the placement thrive. It begins by describing the statutory framework for adoption support services. Further chapters (arranged around each of the “top ten tips”) offer practical accessible advice for helping social workers to; remain aware of the varying needs and strengths of different families, respect adopters and children; keep positive and hopeful; have the courage to face sad and distressing feelings; be resourceful and flexible in seeking appropriate support services for adoptive families; and remain child-centred, remembering that the child’s needs are paramount. There are sections on financial support, the wider family, contact and managing difficult behaviour. The book is intended for any of the wide range of social workers who become involved in supporting adoptive placements, including children’s team social workers, adoption workers, Adoption Support Service Advisors, and children’s Guardians.
Linking and matching: a survey of adoption agency practice in England and Wales
- Authors:
- DANCE Cherilyn, et al
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 198p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Placing children with an unrelated adoptive family is one of the most important decisions in child care. The first part of the problem is how best to judge which family may be most compatible for the child. There has been little research to date which considers how decisions are made when choosing the right family, whether particular approaches reduce delay ad have better outcomes. This in-depth book, outlining a survey of adoption agencies in England and Wales, comprises of twelve chapters including: assessment and preparation of children; recruiting, assessing and preparing prospective adopters; family finding; key factors in making a match; priorities and issues in matching; the matching process in practice; the adoption panel; estimated costs of adoption activities; and summary and conclusions.
Enhancing adoptive parenting: a test of effectiveness
- Authors:
- RUSHTON Alan, MONCK Elizabeth
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 260p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This adoption support study aimed to discover whether the addition of one-to-one parenting advice made a difference with a comparison group receiving routine support services. Thirty-seven families with children suffering from serious behaviour problems were recruited to the study. The participants were randomly allocated to one of two interventions consisting of 10, weekly sessions of home-based parenting advice or a control group. None of the control group received a services that were similar. Appendices include a summary of two intervention manuals and assessment tools. The findings suggested that home-based parenting programme for adopters resulted in positive changes in parenting satisfaction, but did not prove more effective than 'usual services' in reducing child behaviour problems within the timescale of the evaluation. The study was part of the Department for Children, Schools and Families Adoption Research Initiative.
Staying connected: managing contact arrangements in adoption
- Editor:
- ARGENT Heidi
- Publisher:
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 246.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Managing contact arrangements is a primary task for those making adoption plans for children. It is a hugely complex task and requires creativity, committment and above all, an understanding of children's attachments, wishes and feelings. Contents include: managing face to face contact fir young adopted children; managing post adoption contact through mediation; managing contct in black kinship care; making contact between siblings; managing and valuing contact with contesting birth families; does the legal framework facilitate contact?; protection and supervision; orders or agreements?.