Factors associated with adoption breakdown following implementation of the Fostering Connections Act: A systematic review

Abstract

• Systematic review examining the impact of recent U.S. legislation on post-adoption. • Financial strain not identified, indicating a potential positive impact of federal initiatives. • Future research must examine the post-adoption needs of kinship adopters. • Future federal initiatives should increase access to adoption competency training. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 was one of several United States federal initiatives meant to encourage adoptions from child welfare and support parents in post-adoption. The majority of these policies provide financial assistance in the form of subsidies and tax breaks. This systematic review explores the effect of these federal initiatives on adoption by examining recent studies ( n = 6) of adoption breakdown in the United States. Several of the previously identified factors associated with adoption breakdown appear to remain a challenge for children and families in post-adoption. Child characteristics that remained significant are 1) age of child at adoption, 2) number of placements while in foster care, and 3) emotional and behavior challenges. Some parent and agency characteristics also continued to be observed in situations of adoption breakdown. Yet, this review indicated a potential positive impact of the Fostering Connections Act and previous legislation aimed at strengthening families in post-adoption. Implications for practice include a call for future federal initiatives to continue efforts to support adoptive families by expanding the adoption competency trainings to reach adoptive parents as well as professionals. Future research needs include exploring the post-adoption needs of kinship adopters and expanding the examination of parent and agency factors currently associated with adoption breakdown in the United States.