FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE MOTHERS ASSESSMENT OF PERMANENT FAMILY PLACEMENTS

Objectives-To obtain the new carers' evaluation of the success of perm anent placement of children within their families and any special need s in the children, and to determine the adequacy of support after plac ement. Design-A postal questionnaire was sent to the foster or adoptiv e mothers of a five year cohort of 234 children placed for permanence, three to eight years previously, by one local authority. Setting-Newc astle upon Tyne Social Services Adoption and Fostering Unit. Subjects- All 234 permanent family placements recommended by the family placemen t panel from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1990. Main outcome measure- The adoptive or foster mothers) evaluation of the placement. Results-T here was a 54% response rate, but the respondents did not differ signi ficantly from the non-respondents in the variables tested. Only 33% of the children were placed when less than 2 years old with no special n eeds. Twenty per cent of the school age children had statements of spe cial educational needs at placement. Ninety seven per cent of infant p lacements were rated 'very successful' for the child by the new mother s, as were 90% of 1-6 year olds, but only 31% of children who were pla ced when older than 6 years were rated in this way. A third of the ado ptive and foster mothers had experienced major difficulties in the pla cement and six carers said that more medical/psychiatric input would h ave prevented breakdown. Conclusions-There is a role for health care p rofessionals to provide ongoing support, especially for older children with special needs.