OUTCOME IN PLACEMENTS FOR ADOPTION OR LONG-TERM FOSTERING

Objectives-To describe a five year cohort of children whose placements for adoption or long term (permanent) fostering were recommended by N ewcastle upon Tyne Family Placement Panel and to determine the outcome of these placements. Design-Retrospective total five year cohort stud y. Outcome data were extracted from records three to five years after placement. Setting-Newcastle upon Tyne Social Services Adoption and Fo stering Unit. Subjects-All 234 permanent family placements recommended by the Family Placement Panel from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1990 . Main outcome measure-Disruption of the placement. Results-A total of 20% of the placements had disrupted (2% of adoptive placements and 51 % of long term fostering placements). Disruption was generally associa ted with increased age at placement. Disruption was not associated wit h special needs, the sex of the child, previous disruption, or being p laced with siblings. Forty four per cent of children from disrupted pl acements returned to live with their birth families. Conclusions-In vi ew of the poor outcome for older children, there is a case for more pr eventative work and also for more support after placement.