Policy Press

Adoption from Care

International Perspectives on Children’s Rights, Family Preservation and State Intervention

Edited by Tarja Pösö, Marit Skivenes and June Thoburn

Published

May 5, 2021

Page count

286 pages

Browse the series

Research in Social Work

ISBN

978-1447351030

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

May 5, 2021

Page count

286 pages

Browse the series

Research in Social Work

ISBN

978-1447351054

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Policy Press
Adoption from Care
Download via OAPEN

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND.

This book explores how children’s rights are practised and weighed against birth and adoptive parents’ rights and examines how governments and professionals balance rights when it is decided that children cannot return to parental care.

From different socio-political and legal contexts in Europe and the United States, it provides an in-depth analysis of concepts of family, contact, the child’s best-interest principle and human rights when children are adopted from care.

Taking an international comparative approach to these issues, this book provides detailed information on adoption processes and shares learning from best practice and research across country boundaries to help improve outcomes for all children in care for whom adoption may be the placement of choice.

"This book takes the reader beyond national boundaries by analysing how adoption from care is conceived and practised in different Western countries. More importantly, the book helps to overcome mental boundaries around adoption, a child protection alternative that is as complex as it is necessary." Jesús Palacios, University of Seville

Tarja Pösö is Professor of Social Work at Tampere University.

Marit Skivenes is Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, at the University of Bergen

June Thoburn is Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of East Anglia.

Introducing the field of adoption from care ~ Tarja Pösö, Marit Skivenes and June Thoburn

Part I: Adoption from care in risk-oriented child protection systems

Adoption from care in England: learning from experience ~ June Thoburn

Overcoming the Soviet legacy? Adoption from care in Estonia ~ Katre Luhamaa and Judit Strömpl

Adoption of children from state care in Ireland: in whose best interests? ~ Kenneth Burns and Simone McCaughren

Adoption from care: policy and practice in the United States ~ Jill Duerr Berrick

Part II: Adoption from care in family service-oriented child protection systems

Adoption from care in Austria ~ Jenny Krutzinna and Katrin Križ

Adoption from care in Finland: currently an uncommon alternative to foster care ~ Pia Eriksson and Tarja Pösö

Adoption from care in Germany: inconclusive policy and poorly coordinated practice ~ Thomas Meysen and Ina Bovenschen

Adoption from care in Norway ~ Hege Stein Helland and Marit Skivenes

Adoption from care in Spain ~ Sagrario Segado, Ana Cristina Gomez Aparicio and Esther Abad Guerra

Part III: Human rights platform and ways of belonging

International human rights law governing national adoption from care ~ Katre Luhamaa and Conor O’Mahony

Creating ‘family’ in adoption from care ~ Jenny Krutzinna

Understanding attachment in decisions on adoption from care in Norway ~ Hege Stein Helland and Sveinung Hellesen Nygård

The adoptive kinship network: issues around birth family contact in adoption ~ June Thoburn

Making sense of adoption from care in very different contexts ~ Tarja Pösö, Marit Skivenes and June Thoburn