Adoption & Fostering
Abstracts

Autumn 2000 - Vol 24 (3)

Searching, reunion and transracial adoption
Derek Kirton, Julia Feast and David Howe

Reports on findings from qualitative interviews with transracially adopted adults, carried out as part of a research project entitled 'Adopted People's Search for Identity and Reunion' undertaken by The Children's Society. Implications of the research for family placement work and post-adoption services are considered.

The rights and wrongs of post-adoption intermediary services for birth relatives
Liz Trinder

Examines the ethics of post-adoption intermediary services on behalf of the birth relatives of adults who were adopted as children. Although a recent study indicates that a majority of adopted people find the intermediary services to be acceptable, this article argues that the rights of minorities must be respected and upheld.

Infant adoption in England: a longitudinal account of social and cognitive progress
Jenny Castle

In many ways, within-country infant adoptions are a thing of the past. However, several factors arising from this study of social and cognitive progress in children adopted as babies may be equally salient for older-placed children, especially in middle childhood and early adolescence.

Male foster carers: What do we mean by 'role models'?
Simon Newstone

In the last issue of Adoption & Fostering Robbie Gilligan set out the need to focus on the roles of male foster carers. Newstone continues the debate with an examination of how male foster carers perceive their responsibility, often referred to as providing a 'positive male role model' to children.

Safeguarding children: placement choice and creating a vision for looked after children in Northern Ireland
Colette McCauley

Three-and-a-half years into the Children (NI) Order 1995, government reports have confirmed that there are serious concerns about the sufficiency of placement within both residential and foster care services. McAuley argues that the ensuing issue of placement choice and its impact upon care planning and child safety needs to be urgently addressed.

Partnership reviewed: words of caution, words of encouragement
Malcolm Hill

This article focuses on the research evidence in the UK to examine in what ways and to what extent child welfare agencies, particularly local authorities, have worked towards co-operation with parents in relation to family placements.

Research for practice
Gary Clapton

Summarises the author's recent study of birth fathers and their adoption experiences

Book reviews

Titles reviewed include

Triseliotis J, Borland M and Hill M, Delivering Foster Care (BAAF, 2000)
Kelly G and Gilligan R, Issues in Foster care: Policy, practice and research (Jessica Kingsley, 2000)
Clarke A and Clarke A, Early Experiences and the Life Path (Jessica Kingsley, 2000)
Kirton D, 'Race', Ethnicity and Adoption (Open University Press, 2000)