Post- Adoption Support for Children and Young People in Educational Settings

Abstract

Background: Effective post-adoption support services can enhance adopted children’s experiences and achievement at school. Adoption services are undergoing significant changes, led by the introduction and embedding of Regional Adoption Authorities (RAAs); Local Authorities have an enhanced statutory duty to support adopted children in school, through the Children and Social Work Act (2017). Young people should participate in planning and evaluating services that are for them, however, research which considers the views of adopted children and young people is limited. Methods/ participants: The first paper describes a systematic literature review (SLR) to evaluate research regarding post adoption support in educational settings. Eleven studies, published between 1997 and 2017, were identified and evaluated for methodological quality and relevance of focus. The second paper reports a thematic analysis of an exploratory in-depth survey. Semi-structured interviews were used to gain the views of five adopted students, aged 16-19, about the support that they received in school. The third paper provides an account of the dissemination of the research to professional practice. Analysis/ findings: The SLR found relevant studies to be limited in number and methodological quality. Aspects of effective support identified across the studies were classified under four themes: Strategies for support: Shared understanding; Communication and Monitoring. The empirical investigation identified adopted young people’s views on how school experience can be enhanced by supportive approaches, supportive systems, supportive people and a positive self-identity. Adopted students’ ideas about what school staff should know about adopted children and how the information should be delivered, are explored. Conclusion/ implications: High-quality co-ordinated research, involving adopted young people, is needed to inform planning of post-adoption support within educational settings and make use of funding at an organisational, school and individual level. In order to increase the impact of this research, the findings will be disseminated using strategies relevant to Virtual School (VS) staff and others who may have a role in putting the findings into practice.

Date of Award	31 Dec 2019
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Kevin Woods (Supervisor) & Cathy Atkinson (Supervisor)