The outcomes of late permanent placements: the adolescent years

Abstract

Using interview and questionnaire data based on a sample of 133 late-placed adoption and permanent foster care placements, Alan Rushton and Cherilyn Dance report on the outcomes of their prospective study as the children arrive at their teenage years (range 11-16). After a year, the young people remained with their new families in 92 per cent of cases and six years later 71 per cent of families were still together, a rate which is largely consistent with similar research samples. The disruptions took place at all points, but on average occurred at 34 months after placement. The reasons for placement endings were examined and differences between the disrupted and the 'continuing but unhappy' placements were explored. In the continuing placements, the parents' views of their experiences fell into three groups: the happy throughout, the happy now but not always so, and the largely negative responses. Most of the parents in the latter group were still being severely tested by developmental and behavioural problems, including aggression, destructiveness and over-activity.