Social Work Commons^™

Post-Adoptive Services' Impact On Adoption Outcomes, Sarah E. Cantino

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adoption is a common occurrence within the field of social work, yet adoptees and their adoptive parents grapple with a multitude of challenges unique to this population. The needs of these children and families are continually scrutinized by social service professionals prior to adoption, but less is known of the needs and services available to this population after adoption is finalized. This study addressed the question: Does adoptive families’ use of post-adoptive resources increase positive adoption outcomes? Ten adoptive parents participated in semi-structured interviews as part of this study. Most participants felt they had access to adequate services, and struggled …

Social Workers' Attitudes Towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Adoptions, Christina Nicole Kemper, Natalie Jazmin Reynaga

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the attitudes of social workers in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adoptions. Race, gender, generation, position and prior LGBT training are factors that can positively or negatively impact social workers’ biases towards LGBT adoptions. Researchers contacted adoption agencies whom agreed to partake in the 26-question survey, including eight demographic questions and an 18 item scale. The current study used an adapted version of the Attitude Toward Gay Men and Lesbians as Adoptive Parent Scale (APS) (α = .95). There were 28 survey respondents, however two surveys were discontinued due to incomplete informed consents. A …

Effects Of Attachment Styles Of Foster And Adoptive Parents On The Relational Interactions Of Their Foster And Adoptive Children, Taylor Paige Mountjoy, Elyssa Noel Vanlandingham

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children enter the Child Welfare System for a variety of complex reasons.

These reasons often point towards parents’ inability to provide appropriate

protection and safety for their children. After removal, many children are placed in

foster homes of relatives, non-related extended family members, group homes,

and county or private foster homes. A child who is removed from their original

home is likely to experience difficulties in the areas of attachment with caregivers

and other adults throughout their development.

This study examined the attachment styles of 37 foster and adoptive parents in

three separate private Foster Family Agencies in both San …

The Effect Of Neglect In Infancy On The Ability To Attach To Adoptive Caregivers, Lisa Marie Christoffer

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between neglect in infancy and the child's ability to form attachments in an adoption context. Most of the current research assesses the effect of all forms of maltreatment on attachment behavior. However this study aimed to investigate one type of maltreatment, neglect, on attachment behavior.

Social Workers Perceptions Of Concurrent Planning, Kelsey Marie Karr, Summer Renee Randall

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine how social workers perceive concurrent planning at Children and Families Services of San Bernardino County. Concurrent planning is the practice of working with families to reunify while also pursuing alternative plans for permanency should reunification fail, is an integral part of child welfare.

Hispanic Attitudes Towards Adoption, Adriana Ventura-Ramirez

Theses Digitization Project

This study was conducted to assess what factors influence Hispanic attitudes toward adoption. the study suggests that Hispanic cultural beliefs and concerns will affect decisions about adoption. Understanding these factors may facilitate adoption on Hispanic children into Hispanic families.

Transition From Foster Care To Adoption: Services Needed For Building Adoption Permanency For Children, Colleen O'Neill Duggin

Theses Digitization Project

A questionaire was developed and given to post-adoptive parents with the results to be used as a guide to examine what services need to be provided in the pre-adoptive process for parents who are adopting children that are coming from foster homes. The results of the study could be utilized by adoption social workers as a means of targeting typical areas of need or resources for families during the adoption process.

Child Welfare Workers' Perceptions Of Reunification Services: Are Timeframes Feasible?, Nancy Razo Calderon, Elisa Adriana Hernandez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of current child welfare policy, specifically the Adoption Assistance and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA), on the perceptions of child welfare workers about their decisions.