Collation of information on all things adoption etc

Collation of information on all things adoption etc.

📚 UK Research, Voices & Perspectives on Adoption

Adoption UK – Adoption Barometer (annual)
UK-wide survey of adopters (and sometimes adoptees). Covers wellbeing, school, mental health, support, crisis rates.
👉 [Adoption Barometer](https://www.adoptionuk.org)

Adoption UK news (2023) – “Adopted teens and young adults often at ‘crisis point’.” Nearly half of families with 13–25s report crisis.
👉 [Adopted teens at crisis point](https://www.adoptionuk.org)

Walk Together Adoption (blog)– How media portrayal distorts perceptions of adoption.
👉 [Media’s perception of adoption](https://www.walktogetheradoption.com)

CoramBAAF– Adoption stats for England – who adopts: 87% couples, 13% single, ~20% same-sex.
👉 [Adoption stats, England](https://www.corambaaf.org.uk)

UEA research (Neil, 2016–17) – Survey of 300 adopters: ~80% coping/going well, ~17% struggling, ~3% breakdown or likely.
👉 [Judiciary speech citing UEA research](https://www.uea.ac.uk)

Forced adoptions (historic)– Campaigners want a UK apology for 1950s–70s forced adoptions (185,000+ cases).
👉 [Guardian coverage](https://www.theguardian.com)

The Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board (ASGLB) – Regular reports and insights on the effectiveness of adoption and special guardianship policies in the UK.
👉 [ASGLB Reports](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/adoption-and-special-guardianship-leadership-board)

The Children’s Commissioner for England– Reports on the experiences of children in care, including those who are adopted, focusing on their rights and wellbeing.
👉 [Children’s Commissioner Reports](https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk)

The Adoption Support Fund – Research on the impact of financial support for adoptive families and its role in preventing breakdowns.
👉 [ASF Evaluation Reports](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/adoption-support-fund)

Parker et al. (2024) – “Making sense of adoption disruption” – Interviews with six parents; themes like “parenting as a losing battle.”
👉 [Edinburgh research page](https://www.ed.ac.uk)

Barrett (2023, Cardiff PhD) – Review + interviews, finds breakdown tied to cumulative loss and feeling unsupported.
👉 [Cardiff University repository](https://www.cardiff.ac.uk)

Lyttle (2021/24, NI) – Northern Ireland parents whose adoptions disrupted. Honest accounts of devastation.
👉 [Taylor & Francis abstract](https://www.tandfonline.com)

Cowan (2023, Scotland PhD) – 122 disrupted adoptions + interviews. Finds poor transitions, grief, and isolation.
👉 [Edinburgh thesis PDF](https://www.ed.ac.uk)

Patch – “The Jarring Reality of Adoption” – Grassroots adopters saying breakdown ≠ lack of love, it’s lack of support.
👉 [PDF report](https://www.ourpatch.org)

The Guardian (May 2025)– “‘It broke my heart’: adopters forced to return their child to care…” Real-life cases, 170 children back in care in one year.
👉 [Guardian feature](https://www.theguardian.com)

Adoption UK’s Family Support Service – Case studies and testimonials from families who have experienced crises, highlighting the need for tailored support.
👉 [Adoption UK Family Support](https://www.adoptionuk.org)

The Adoption Exchange – Research and narratives from families who have navigated the adoption process, including those who faced breakdowns.
👉 [Adoption Exchange Insights](https://www.adoptionexchange.co.uk)

Pre-Adoption Order Disruptions (Adoption England, 2025) – 77 cases, 2017–24. Shows where placements collapse before order: poor matching, late support, info gaps.
👉 [Full report (PDF)](https://www.adoptionengland.org.uk)

Beyond the Adoption Order (2014) – Landmark DfE study. Found ~3.2% breakdown rate post-order over 12 years; risk linked to older placement age, prior moves, adolescence.
👉 [Final Report (PDF)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications)

Family Routes Study (DfE, June 2025) – 74 adoptive & SGO families reflecting on decisions, crises, when/why they asked for help, sometimes why a child returned to care. Longitudinal & very human.
👉 [Family Routes Study](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications)

The Rees Centre (University of Oxford) – Ongoing research on adoption stability and the factors influencing successful placements, including the role of post-adoption support.
👉 [Rees Centre Publications](https://www.reescentre.org)

The National Adoption Service for Wales – Reports on adoption trends and outcomes in Wales, including data on disruptions and support services.
👉 [National Adoption Service Reports](https://www.adoption.wales)

The Adoption Research Initiative (ARI) – A collaborative project that focuses on the long-term outcomes of adopted children, including studies on stability and breakdown.
👉 [ARI Publications](https://www.adoptionresearchinitiative.org)

Other resources –
👉 Adoption Voices Resources – (https://www.adoptionvoices.org)

Cultural Perspectives on Adoption – Research that explores how different cultural backgrounds influence perceptions and experiences of adoption, including studies on transracial adoption.
👉 [Cultural Adoption Studies](https://www.culturaladoption.org)

Impact of COVID-19 on Adoption– Research examining how the pandemic has affected adoption processes, support systems, and the wellbeing of adoptive families.
👉 [COVID-19 Adoption Impact Studies](https://www.adoptionimpact.org)

RAD Advocates profile – profile page describing advocacy and perspectives on reactive attachment disorder.
👉 https://www.radadvocates.org/profile/acefe7e3-6b1a-415b-81ca-8e55b2f20f90/profile

What it feels like to be a nurturing enemy to a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder – article.
👉 https://www.radadvocates.org/post/what-it-feels-like-to-be-a-nurturing-enemy-to-a-child-with-reactive-attachment-disorder

How Reactive Attachment Disorder Impacts the Whole Family, Not Just the Child – article by Micaela Myers (URL needed).
👉 https://www.radadvocates.org/post/how-reactive-attachment-disorder-impacts-the-whole-family-not-just-the-child#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20RAD%20diagnosis%20really%20impacts,parents%20to%20siblings%20and%20pets.

Al Coates – Adoption and Fostering Podcast – https://alcoates.co.uk/
Potato Group – https://www.thepotatogroup.org.uk/