Abstract
Families who adopt special needs children require substantial preparation and support, due to their increased risk of adoption difficulties and disruption. Studies of special needs adoptive families indicate that large proportions of parents are dissatisfied with the preparation they receive. Present forms of preparatory and supportive services by adoption agencies are reviewed, followed by descriptions of needed additions to and reemphasis in adoption services. These enhancements, such as more child-specific information, identification of problem areas, behavioral training, information on the impact of sexual abuse, identification of community resources, and availability of services over the life of the family, will help to better recruit and serve adoptive families.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Achenbach, T.M., & Edelbrock, C.S. (1983).Manual for the child behavior checklist and revised child behavior profile. Burlington, Vermont: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.
Anderson, H.W., & Kaufman, S.J. (1973). The group method in adoption of children with special needs.Child Welfare, 52, 45–51.
Bachrach, C.A., Adams, P.F., Sambrano, S., & London, K.A. (1990). Adoption in the 1980's.Advance data from vital and health statistics, no. 181. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.
Backhaus, K.A. (1989). Training mental health practitioners to work with adoptive families who seek help.Child Welfare, 68, 61–68.
Barth, R.P., & Berry, M. (1988).Adoption and disruption: Rates, risks and responses. Hawthorne, New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
Barth, R.P., & Berry, M. (1989). Child abuse and child welfare services. In M. Kirst (Ed.),The conditions of children in California. Palo Alto, California: Stanford University, Policy Analysis for California Education.
Barth, R.P., Berry, M., Goodfield, R.K., & Carson, M.L. (1987).Older child adoption and disruption. Final report of a study conducted under the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Belkin, L. (1988a). Adoptive parents ask states for help with abused young.New York Times, Monday, August 22, 1988.
Belkin, L. (1988b). Adoptive parents lose a court case.New York Times, Sunday, November 13, 1988.
Belluci, M.T. (1975). Treatment of latency-age adopted children and parents.Social Casework, 56, 297–301.
Bernstein, P. (1985). Couples caught in adoption maze.New York Times, Sunday, October 13, 1985.
Berry, M. (1987). A review of parent training programs in child welfare.Social Service Review, 62, 402–423.
Berry, M., & Barth, R.P. (1989). Behavior problems of children adopted when older.Children and Youth Services Review, 11, 221–238.
Boatman, B., Borkan, E.L., & Schetky, D.H. (1981). Treatment of child victims of incest.The American Journal of Family Therapy, 9, 43–51.
Boyd, L.H., & Remy, L.L. (1978). Is foster parent training worthwhile?Social Service Review, 52, 275–296.
Bradbury, S.A., & Marsh, M.R. (1988). Linking families in preadoption counseling: A family systems model.Child Welfare, 67, 327–335.
Brinich, P.M., & Brinich, E.B. (1982). Adoption and adaptation.The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 170, 489–493.
Brodzinsky, D.M. (1987). Adjustment to adoption: A psychosocial perspective.Clinical Psychology Review, 7, 25–47.
Brown, E. (1988). Recruiting adoptive parents for children with developmental disabilities.Child Welfare, 67, 123–135.
Conklin, L.T., Vielbig, A.J., & Blakely, T.C. (1962). Use of groups during the adoptive postplacement period.Social Work, 7, 46–52.
Cordell, A.S., Nathan, C., & Krymow, V.P. (1985). Group counseling for children adopted at older ages.Child Welfare, 64, 113–124.
Friedrich, W.N., & Reams, R.A. (1987). Course of psychological symptoms in sexually abused young children.Psychotherapy, 24, 160–170.
Friedrich, W.N., Urquiza, A.J., & Beilke, R.L. (1986). Behavior problems in sexually abused young children.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 11, 47–57.
Gill, M.M. (1978). Adoption of older children: The problems faced.Social Casework, 59, 272–278.
Jarboe, J. (1988). Full of woeTexas Monthly, (August, 1988), pp. 87–91, 146–150, 159.
Kellman-Pringle, M.L. (1961). The incidents of some supposedly adverse family conditions and of lefthandedness in schools for maladjusted children.British Journal of Education Psychology, 31, 183–193.
Kroll, J. (1986). Adoption: A look at NACAC, 1986.Permanency Report, 4(1), 6.
Lawder, E.A. (1970). Postadoption counseling: A professional obligation.Child Welfare, 49, 435–442.
Mech, E.V. (1973). Adoption: A policy perspective. In B. Caldwell & H. Riccuiti (Eds.),Review of child development research. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
Meezan, W., & Shireman, J.F. (1985).Care and commitment: Foster parent adoption decisions. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.
Miall, C.E. (1987). The stigma of adoptive parent status: Perceptions of community attitudes toward adoption and the experience of informal social sanctioning.Family Relations, 36, 34–39.
Nelson, K.A. (1985).On the frontier of adoption: A study of special-needs adoptive families. New York: Child Welfare League of America.
Partridge, S., Hornby, H., & McDonald, T. (1986a).Legacies of loss, visions of gain: An inside look at adoption disruption. Portland, Maine: University of Southern Maine.
Partridge, S., Hornby, H., & McDonald, T. (1986b).Learning from adoption disruption: Insights for practice. Portland, Maine: University of Southern Maine.
Pasztor, E.M., & Burgess, E.M. (1982). Finding and keeping more foster parents.Children Today, 11, 2–5, 36.
Penn, J.V. (1978). A model for training foster parents in behavior modification techniques.Child Welfare, 57, 175–180.
Senior, N., & Himadi, E. (1985). Emotionally disturbed, adopted, inpatient adolescents.Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 15, 189–197.
Slowik, M.G. (1988). Combined training for professionals and foster/adoptive parents: Data from a one-day conference.Child Welfare, 67, 445–451.
Spencer, M. (1985). Meeting the need for comprehensive post-legal adoption services.Permanency Report, 3(4), 5.
State of California Auditor General (1983).Adoption program needs improvement. Sacramento, California: Author.
Trimitiere, B. (1979). Adoption of children with special needs: The client-centered approach.Child Welfare, 58, 681–685.
Urban Systems Research & Engineering, Inc. (1985).Evaluation of state activities with regard to adoption disruption. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Valentine, D., Conway, P., & Randolph, J. (1988). Placement disruptions. Perspectives of adoptive parents.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality, 6, 133–153.
Whitley, G. (1988). When a family doesn't work.Dallas Life Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Sunday, August 28, 1988, pp. 10–20.
Work, H.H., & Anderson, H. (1971). Studies in adoption: Requests for psychiatric treatment.American Journal of Psychiatry, 127, 948–950.
Zill, N. (1985).Behavior and learning problems among adopted children. Findings from a U.S. national survey of child health. Paper presented at the meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development, Toronto, Canada, April, 1985.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The author thanks Rick Barth for his help.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berry, M. Preparing and supporting special needs adoptive families: A review of the literature. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 7, 403–418 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00756379
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00756379