PEAR conducted a Observational Survey on Adoptive Parents Success, Satisfaction and Types of Post-Adoption Services (POSitive study) from January to August 2009. One entry was completed per child with a potential 129 questions covering the areas of adoption professionals, financial advice, international adoption clinics, early intervention (US only), mental health services, faith-based services, school-based services, testing and other interventions. Articles and statistical analyses will be available in early 2010.On each Monday during National Adoption Month, we will share a segment of the results. This week we will be sharing some demographics and adoption professional results.
Demographics
The survey had 538 fully-completed entries. Ninety percent of entries were about international adoptions and ten percent were about domestic adoptions.
Fifty-nine percent of completed surveys were about female adoptees.
The top six countries of origin of the adoptees in the sample were Russia (32%), China (15%), Guatemala (10%), US (9%), Vietnam (8%), and Kazakhstan (6%). Ethiopia, India, South Korea and Ukraine each represented two percent of the sample. Thirty-one other countries were also represented.
Only 11 percent of families have moved to a different major city since completing the adoption. Thirty-seven percent had other children living in their home at the time of the adoption.
Twenty-four percent of adoptees had been labeled as "special needs" by the agency, attorney or sending country. Fifty-four percent had their homestudy conducted by a separate entity than their placing agency/attorney practice.
Adoption Professionals
Only 57 percent of those surveyed live in states or localities which require follow-up by adoption professionals. Sixty-seven percent had agencies or attorneys require adoption professional follow-up. Sixty-eight percent of those who had inter-country adoptions had a requirement from the country of origin to have follow-up from adoption professionals. Seventy-eight percent of those who had inter-country adoptions had post-placement reporting requirements.
Seventy-six percent of agencies assist in some way with post-adoption reports with the main help being mailing forms (57 percent). Forty-five percent were provided forms and thirty-five percent had assistance with social worker meetings. A small number were provided with translations, phone consults or reminders. The comment section showed that there was displeasure that some agencies did not assist.
Our questions about adoption professionals giving contact information to adoptive parents for post adoption support for health, education, financial and emotional/peer support showed that this is not a service that is well-provided to adoptive parents. Peer adoption support group contact information was the most likely category of information given (51% ). Only 32 percent received contact information about early intervention resources, 17 percent received general pediatrician contact information, 16 percent received contact information about legal assistance, 14 percent received contact information about mental health professionals or financial assistance and 13 percent received contact information about educational interventions. A small percent received international adoption doctor contact information or re-adoption information.
Next week we will be sharing financial, International Adoption Clinic and Early Intervention results.
Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/
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