This volume reports the results of a large-scale survey of families who adopted children with special needs: older children, minority children, handicapped children, or sibling groups. In contrast to much of the current literature which focuses on adoption disruption, this study shifts the focus of inquiry to intact families. It assesses perceptions of social work services, parent-child relationships, family functioning, child behavior, school performance, and other aspects of adoptive family life. Rosenthal and Groze compare outcomes for different types of adoptions, including adoptions...

This study, done over a four-year period, focuses on children who are older than infants when placed for adoption, children who are members of a sibling group, and children with physical, emotional, or behavioral difficulties. There are an estimated 35,000 such children each year who need assistance in placement. The book explores issues of separation from siblings, adoption experiences of children who had been physically or sexually abused, and social support. The purpose of this book is to provide empirically grounded knowledge and information that will help social workers practice more...