ABSTRACT
Social workers reported that more than one-third of placements required a great deal of effort to maintain, 18% required moderate effort, 16% required slight effort, and only 18% required very little effort. The change in workers between pre- and post-placement services may undo careful planning and relationship building. Group home studies may have the greatest chance of generating helpful relationships that last beyond the change in workers. Social workers made significant efforts to save endangered placements, but had few or no adequate resources to call on. When agency social workers made referrals to post-placement therapy, families report that it was usually too little and too late—agreeing with those in Hornby's study. The purpose of post-placement services should be to offer help as needed and desired by the family and child, in both development of the parent-child relationship and in the resolution of problems inherent in adoption.
