This presentation was done in 2010 at the Child welfare Tshwane Adoption Conderence. it focus on the concerns and experiences of adoptive placements that are not doing well and are at risk of collapsing. Suggestions are made about how to render services to families that are going through the desision to dissolve the adoption.

1. The crisis of adoption
disruption and dissolution
Pamela S. Bruning

2. Definitions
 Disruption: after placement before adoption is
finalised
 Dissolution: adoption that ends after it has
been legally finalised
 Interchangeable use – basic description of a
failed placement
 Context: adoption aims to bring permanency
to the life of a child and an exit from the state
care system

3. Disruption: how often and why
 Dissolution between 1-10% of time but stats are not
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perceived as accurate
10-25 % depending on some population and
demographic variables Hispanic males are higher risk
Age: how older the child the risk increases
Number of placements: more placements more risk
Behavioural & emotion needs: more= more risk
Agency staff turn over= significant
Services: (After) less risk if services are provided

4. USA probability stats (older children)
6-10 years= 8%
11<= 16%
5.6 % when placed with siblings= lower
10.7% when placed alone
20.6% when placed apart
86% risk of placement in case of sexual abuse
Of all disruptions any abuse abandonment or neglect
is present in 90% of cases
 Teenage girls’ placements are most difficult
 Previous disruptions increase risk
 More probable when in conflict with previously placed
or biological children
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5. Swift case study
 3 siblings 6-10 years from Russia
 Behavioural problems, sexual acting out,
highly manipulative
 Little services were rendered – permanent
placement failed- residential and psychiatric
care
 WAR ZONE for well intending parents faced
with Attachment disordered children
 ? Handout- I’ll RUN- FC & POS implications

6. Challenges in Adoption
 Inability to develop trust/engage with adoptive
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parents- resentment, unsafe, cant parent
Lack of history and background info: misinformationNB HIV status developmental delays- court action
disclose all even in utero
Denial or disbelief by ad par of the warnings: desire
to parent overwhelming- present the material and
risks but not believed? –writing?
Insufficient post placement support: medical dental
psych care? How we place & how we support
Lack of skilled sw or therapists: trauma on brain edc
attachment theory placement dynamics, stages of
adjustment grief/loss and “normal” development

7. Challenges in Adoption
 Limited community resources: judgemental
service providers, community cultural taboos
 Resistance to seek help: screening process
expectation admitting there is something
wrong- look for help too late
 Lack of support from family/ friends: don’t
know or don’t agree, slowly retracting support
confirms isolation

8. Risk factors associated to the child
 Failed adoption in an older child can be catastrophic
 Genetic heritage: traits personality abilities aptitudes
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can clash with AP- get a history & collateral info
In utero: substance-contaminated inadequate diet,
unwanted failure to thrive- get a history from the mom
Early nurturing: pos quality of care, our responsibility
Puzzle of missing pieces
Seems that support staff is essential
abroad most of the adoption service focus is after
placement

9. Attachment loss and trauma
 Infant bonding process to develop basic trust
nb- how long we take to place what support
we give afterwards
 Discomfort without care is very negative for a
baby- all the attachment issues comes into
play
 Movements even in POS is to be avoided
 Critical that we do our screening intensively
but also quicker--------

10. RAD= reactive attachment disorder
 Not able to form basic trust and cant replicate care
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and engagement in placement
Big big trouble: prognosis not good needs assistance
on many levels
Individual counselling, bonding therapy, school
support likely to be delayed
The body remembers
Responsibility lies on us to look at the quality of care
of placements and to actively monitor it not just in
terms of basic care but love warmth and contactMust train our pos parents in attachment soon

11. Impact of early abuse and neglect
 Spend energy to transform adoptive home to something that is
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familiar to them
Children need to control test test test everything
Milieu deprived children- under stimulated slow academic non
performer emotionally poor and prone to acting out, at risk of
anti or a social behaviour with limited conscience development
and difficulty with abstractions
Template for life is already established – good luck chuck to
change it without many confrontations
Love is not enough- adequate parenting will entail long term
therapeutic skilled interventions on all levels- school in family
amongst peers and in child self
huge emotional and monetary cost to the adoptive parents

12. How to help children and families
through disruption and dissolution
 Emotional hurt & disappointment
 child may loos all that is known and familiar- place
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yourself in their shoes
A parents guide to adoption disruption and dissolution
Laws & Ashe 2006
Therapy nondirective approaches has limitationsavoidance
RAD= diagnosis difficult for us but get to know the
signs
Not only apply to adoption but to long term FC and
children’s homes

13. Therapeutic approaches
 Adoption- after care NB nurse or EDC specialist
 Attachment therapies: Theraplay, holding therapy, re-parenting /
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regression therapies
Multi pronged approach when parents are still interested
Individual therapy: play therapy sand therapy EMDR
Conjoint therapy: mother child dyad attachment based therapy
Family sessions focus on incorporating child in family: family
sculpting?
Non verbal expressive play nondirectively directive no body ever
asked
End of a chapter not the end of the book
life story life map work is functional to use, scrap booking

14. Going bust
 Very threatening time for all involved- all their defences is
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working
Need a velvet glove and gritted teeth to work with a family at this
time
Respectful sensitive approach: best interest of the child is
guiding principle
Child may fantasise for biological parents misunderstandings
are frequent- explain over and over- draw pictures
Always a very emotional charged time with the child and parent
walking out of the situation with a loss
Parents feel devalued emotionally spent and at times cold/
detached after they reached their decision
In some cases contact can be maintained but should be
packaged realistically as it can lead to delayed or compound
losses- no false promises

15. Case study
 Teenager- used a lot of reality testing
 Prospective adoptive mother was well prepared
 They stuck to their guns and kept respect in tact
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while delivering some very difficult news.
Acknowledging the cost of a disrupted placement is
difficult and is laden with feelings of failure guilt and
disappointment
Not a lot of good feelings for the girl either
Therapist acknowledge her own emotions
Debriefing after you have spent a lot of time on a
case and deposited your own hope and emotions into
a child/ placement is very important for remaining in
the field