Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

PURPOSE: This study explored the preparation for adoption of school age foster children from the perspective of 55 adoptive parents and 26 caseworkers. Many models of child preparation have been presented (Chestang & Heymann, 1976; Jones, 1979; McInturf, 1986; Fahlberg, 1991; Henry, 2005); however, very little is known about the actual child preparation practices of adoption professionals. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding as to how school age foster children are prepared for adoption in the United States. METHODS: As part of a larger in-depth semi-structured telephone interview, participants were asked to recall how the identified adopted child was prepared for adoption. Participants were asked specifically about the following preparation activities; pre-placement visits, completion of a life book, discussion about adoption, adoption preparation groups, and pre or post placement therapy. Content analysis of the transcribed interviews was conducted utilizing a list of start codes developed from a review of the conceptual literature (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Interviews were coded for absence or presence of six identified preparation activities (Boyatis, 1998) by 12 trained coders. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore factors that might explain the variation in the preparation received. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the differences in probability that a child might participate in individual preparation activities. RESULTS: Qualitative results indicate that there is great variability in the amount and quality of adoption preparation of foster children. Adoptive parents often supplemented the preparation work completed by the caseworker or therapist with ongoing discussion with the child about adoption and the adoption process. Quantitative analysis of the individual preparation activities supported these findings. While all of the adoptive parents reported someone discussing adoption with the child; only 60% reported the completion of a life book, 60% reported the child received pre-placement therapy focusing on loss and grief and 61.8% reported post-placement therapy focusing on loss and grief. Only 50.9% reported that the child received post-placement therapy with a focus on adoption. The child's experience and history with the child welfare system was also found to be a factor in the preparation received. Children with more prior placements in foster care were more likely to have a life book. Children with more removals from the birth family were found to be less likely to have a life book and less likely to have pre-placement therapy with a focus on loss and grief. IMPLICATIONS: The study has important implications for how caseworkers and other adoption professionals define preparation for adoption. From the adoptive parents' perspective, preparation does not end at placement into the adoptive home but rather there is a continuum of preparation up to and including post finalization. The variation in preparation found warrants further research on the effectiveness of preparation activities to provide practitioners with more systemic guidance as to how to best prepare children for adoption.