Infant Adoption in England: Policy and Practice at Placement

Abstract

Following on from their article, ‘Infant adoption in England: a longitudinal account of social and cognitive progress' ( Adoption & Fostering 24:3, 2000), Jenny Castle, Celia Beckett, Christine Groothues and the English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study team focus attention on the same group in relation to the policies and practices of social services and voluntary adoption agencies at placement. From interviews with adoptive mothers of a sample of 52 infants, placed between 1989 and 1991, they examine differences between the two sectors regarding issues such as contact, links with family background, openness and post-placement support. The authors also report on adoptive parents' opinions about the provision of pre- and post-adoption services. They conclude that co-operation between social services and voluntary adoption agencies could improve both services.