Study paints stark picture of adoption disruption in Wales
A new report from the University of Bristol into adoption disruption in Wales reveals adoptive parents were unable to access support for their children, spoke of their isolation and gave many examples of being attacked, threatened and intimidated.
The study Beyond the Adoption Order in Wales, conducted by the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies at the university, examined ten adoptive parents experiencing some type of adoption disruption (when an adoption ends) and ten parents who were finding parenting difficult.
An analysis of national data on 37,335 adoptions over a 12-year period found that 3.2 per cent of children — around three in 100 — moved out of their adoptive home prematurely. The report confirmed that the rate of breakdown was lower than anticipated, but it also revealed a stark picture of the problems faced by families.
Professor Julie Selwyn, Director of the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies and the report’s author said: “There is an urgent need for Children’s Services to develop support services for adopted teenagers and their parents and for mental health services for young people to be improved. Although disruptions were rare, the impact of a disruption was enormous. The recently launched National Adoption Service (NAS), aims to transform the way in which adoption services are provided in Wales. Much has been made of the way in which the NAS intends to better serve prospective adopters, speed up the adoption process and leave fewer children drifting in care. However, similar levels of interest and investment are needed post placement. There is an urgent need for investment in support services.
“Our research has shown that adolescence is the period where families struggle and are most at risk of disruption. Yet services are sadly lacking. Struggling adoptive families deserve timely, informed and compassionate support. The new NAS needs to: recognise the complex histories of the children who are placed for adoption, enable adoptive parents to be active participants in the process supported by skilled social workers, provide services that recognise the long?term impacts of abuse and neglect, and build an adoption service that is fit for the 21st Century.”
Responding to the study, Wendy Keidan, Director of the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) Cymru said: “Although the numbers of adoption disruption are relatively small, the research evidences that many more families are struggling or are in crisis. This is not good enough. One adoption disruption is one too many – it is a tragedy for the child that will impact throughout life and a tragedy for their family.
“BAAF Cymru together with all partners working in the National Adoption service is committed to building on the good practice that does exist and improving services where required to give children that secure base to grow and thrive”.
Chief Executive of St David’s Children Society, Gerry Cooney said: “This is influential and commanding research. Dr Selwyn finds that while our adoption system has its strengths, inherent weaknesses remain. Her core message is that a considerable number of children placed for adoption continue to be deeply affected by their early life experiences.
“The report emphasises just how crucial adoption support is to ensure each individual child’s life-chances and their continued emotional development. We are clear – to place children with adoptive families without the ongoing support that meets these deepest needs, is an injustice for our most vulnerable children and the families who parent them.”
“We are confident that the National Adoption Service in Wales can reform structures and achieve the innovations needed.”
Download Beyond the Adoption Order in Wales.
