Adoption breakdown in Wales

Currently, there is no robust and definitive data on the number of families that face an adoption breakdown after making of an adoption order. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to address this knowledge gap in relation to the rate of, and reasons for, adoption breakdowns that occur after an adoption order has been granted in Wales.

The specific objectives of the study are to :

• Establish the rate of adoption breakdown (post order) and investigate how long after an adoption order this occurs.
• Explore whether there is a difference in breakdown rates for children adopted by a families found by a local authorities, compared with those adopted by a families found by a voluntary adoption agency.
• Establish the characteristics of the children whose adoptions break down (eg, ethnicity, gender, age at time of removal from birth family, placement.
• To explore the critical time points during an adopted child’s life when the likelihood of breakdown increase.
• Investigate how adoption breakdowns compare with breakdown in other forms of permanence (eg, long term fostering, special guardianship and children who are subject to residence orders).

The study will use a quantitative design to meet the objectives.