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The Future of Adoption: Concluding Thoughts About Research, Practice, and Policy.
Future of Adoption 2019
Grotevant, Harold D.
Dolan, Jen.
Deater-Deckard, Kirby.
Mutén, Jennifer.
University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Rudd Adoption Research Program.
Technical Report
6 p.
Copyright
Published: 2019
University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Rudd Adoption Research Program
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
135 Hicks Way
Tobin Hall
Amherst, MA 01003
Tel: (413) 545-0547
adoption@psych.umass.edu
Available From:https://www.umass.edu/ruddchair/
View: https://www.umass.edu/ruddchair/future-adoption-publication-series-0
Download: https://www.umass.edu/ruddchair/sites/default/files/rudd.final.pdf
This paper is the last in a series of reports on the future of adoption drawn from participants in the 2018 Future of Adoption conference. The paper reviews how the adoption model has changed in recent years to a transformational experience in which the child is at the center of a new adoptive kinship network, linking his or her families of origin and adoption. It notes the impact for the future of adoption can be maximized when the reciprocal links between research, practice, and policy are clearly articulated. The ways research informs practice and policy, practice informs policy, and policy influences research are explained, and adoption research best practices in research design and the interpretation of studies are described. Following sections emphasize that effective practice requires adoption-competent professionals and explain the first priority is to educate, empower, and support adoptive parents, and the second priority is to educate professionals about the distinctive needs of adopted children and adoptive families. Finally, the paper clarifies effective policy requires national standards and commitment. 16 references.
Keywords:
adoption; open adoption; child welfare training; adoption triads; policy formation; child welfare reform; evidence based practice; knowledge dissemination