National Adoption Service report on Adoption Support in Wales

National Adoption Service report on Adoption Support in Wales

We are pleased to publish this report on research completed for NAS by the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brooks University.

The findings are drawn from activity undertaken in October and November 2020.  Overall, the study heard from over 430 individuals concerned with adoption support in Wales, including 313 adoptive parents.

The report provides a reassuring picture of improvements in the availability of adoption support in Wales, increased positivity amongst adoptive families in asking for and receiving support as well as describing additional and innovative new services. The study also provides significant insight into the current needs of adoptive families alongside noting the further work needed to create consistent and sustainable services.

The report will continue to act as a blueprint for maintaining the improved arrangements and future development. The findings align with a growing body of research that indicates how the needs of adopted children are more akin to children who are ‘looked after’ than other children in relation to their higher emotional, health and wellbeing needs. The full report can be read here.

The main results include:

• The children had much greater difficulties, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and including specific diagnoses, than a comparative sample of other children
• Children’s need for support after adoption often happens at times of transition such as moving from primary to secondary schools, and for some this can also be at times of disruption to everyday life such as an unplanned change of routine
• A high proportion of parents reported confidence in feeling it was ‘Ok to ask for help’ and knowing how to do so; this was higher for new adoptive families
• More than half of parents, and more than 70% of professionals, felt that more needed to be done to make education settings supportive to adopted children needs and ‘adoption aware’ while noting that this was an improving picture.
• A significant number of adopters believe their children are thriving at home and reported high levels of confidence in parenting their children, particularly those in the younger age groups and despite impact on their own wellbeing, but they also indicated that they had made changes in order to ‘make things work for them and their family’
• Almost 50% of adopters who participated commented that the Covid 19 pandemic had impacted on their need for support.Many indicated that whilst not having some of the outside pressures had eased some things, the loss of interactions with other children/adults and returns to work / school had created additional stresses and challenges