Evaluation of Multidisciplinary Approaches to Adoption Support
We’re pleased to publish the final report of the Evaluation of Multidisciplinary Approaches to Adoption Support. Funded by Adoption England, the evaluation was carried out by the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University, in partnership with the University of East Anglia and Cardiff University.
Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England said:
This evaluation provides encouraging evidence that a multidisciplinary approach to adoption support is both practical and well received, with early signs that it can make a positive difference within Regional Adoption Agencies.
It supports our ambition to develop a national model of adoption support that gives families timely access to the right help and expertise, based on their individual needs. By bringing together specialist expertise to provide consultation, formulation and direct support to social workers and families, we can ensure support is tailored to individual need and delivered at the earliest opportunity.
By offering support that is timely and responsive to each family’s needs, we can help parents feel more confident, improve children's wellbeing, strengthen family relationships, support family stability and connect families to wider support across health, education and other services.
Professor Katy Burch, Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University said:
It has been a real privilege to work on this evaluation with colleagues from Cardiff University and the University of East Anglia, Adoption England and the regional adoption agencies across England who have been bravely innovating in this space. We think the findings are important and we hope they will lead to further evidence-informed investment in multidisciplinary support for adopted children and families across the United Kingdom.
Professor Katherine Shelton, Cardiff University said:
These findings reinforce the value of getting the right support to families at the right time. Timely, personalised assistance can empower parents, improve outcomes for children and strengthen the long-term stability of adoptive placements.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to and supported this evaluation, including adoptive parents, professionals working in multidisciplinary support and Regional Adoption Agencies, the research team and advisory group. We are grateful for the time, expertise and commitment everyone has shared throughout this work.
Above all, we want to thank the parents who generously shared their experiences and insights, sometimes during challenging or uncertain times. Their contributions have been invaluable in helping us understand how adoption support can better meet the needs of families.
Download the full report
