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This study forms part of a major longitudinal research project collaboration between the Anna Freud Centre, Coram and Great Ormond Street Hospital, which set out to explore adopted children's and adoptive parents' outcomes and experiences from middle childhood through to adolescence. In this paper, 17 adoptive mothers of late adopted children, currently in early adolescence (aged 12 to 15 years), were interviewed. The focus of the study draws upon their worries and fears regarding their children during adolescence and as they approach adulthood. The Parent Development Interviews (PDI) were analysed using thematic analysis and generated five overarching themes: Vulnerability, Violence, Derailing opportunities, Autonomy and Anxieties about the birth family. This qualitative exploration provides strong evidence for how these parents reflected upon very concrete challenges and anxieties about their child's journey, including both their current context and anticipated outcomes. The overwhelming majority of research to date on this population examines negative outcomes quantitatively; this study adds an important qualitative layer of the parents' own perspectives. Plain Language Summary: This study draws upon the experiences of adoptive parents, all of whom were mothers, of late-adopted children, currently in early adolescence (aged 12 to 15 years). The study focused on their worries and fears regarding their children during adolescence and as they approach adulthood. Seventeen adoptive parents were interviewed using the Parent Development Interview (PDI) and the data were analysed using thematic analysis and generated five overarching themes: Vulnerability, Violence, Derailing opportunities, Autonomy and Anxieties about the birth family. This study provides strong evidence for how these parents identified and reflected upon very real challenges and anxieties about their child's journey including both their current lives and anticipated futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which editor discusses articles in issue on topics including impact of neurobiological science on family placement policy; domestic violence as a risk factor for children and adults; and the planning and decision-making for children whose parents faces challenges.

The article discusses highlights of the sixth International Conference on Adoption Research held in Montreal, Quebec in July 2018. The conference set out the continuing significance of adoption as a policy and practice framework. The ambivalence that exists in most countries to the use of adoption for children in care has been identified. A keynote talk on a study about adoption disruption was given by Jesus Palacios from the University of Seville.

The pathway from adverse early experience to adulthood for internationally adopted children is complex in identifying key influences, impacts, and outcomes. This review arose from the authors' involvement in the British Chinese Adoption Study, a recent outcomes study that explored the links between early orphanage care, adoptive experiences, and midadulthood. It differs from previous reviews in focusing on a greater length of time since adoption. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included to allow for examination of a fuller range of adult-related outcomes rather than mental health scores alone. The sampling, methods, and results of reviewed articles are summarised and a critical commentary is provided. Despite methodological differences and identified strengths and weaknesses, conclusions are drawn on the basis of the evidence available. Special attention is paid to the interpretation of negative outcomes. Findings identify areas that should be explored further in order to gain a fuller understanding of midlife outcomes of people who experienced a poor start in life followed by international adoption. Such studies help in refining lifespan developmental theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental health of children in public care has received considerable attention in recent years. There are significant differences in the prevalence rates compared to children living at home and not in public care and these are added to by other adverse lifestyle issues. Considerable attention has been focused on the importance of stable and secure placements supported by access to a range of services including education, health and mental health. Identifying and classifying mental health needs proves to be challenging as the child’s genetic inheritance, pre- and post-birth experiences, including maltreatment, interact with the uncertainty and delays commonly associated with child protection processes, action in the legal system and the difficulty in establishing secure and permanent placements. Clinical need is also related to the age of the child and the reasons they came into care and the length of time they remain. A case illustrating many of these issues, publicly reported in the court’s judgement, is used as the basis for exploring the complexity for the identified child in understanding and making sense of their experiences as placement plans are made for them. These are used to explore the difficulties in establishing clinical protocols such as those recently published in the USA. Particular emphasis is given to the issues faced by children and their carers in establishing new family relationships which address the child’s inheritance from their family of origin especially where these are traumatic and conflicted in origin. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]