Policy and practice implications of permanent placement disruption

Abstract

This paper is based on research undertaken as part of a Master of Social Work at the University of Melbourne, looking at the experience of placement disruption for parents and social workers. Adoption and permanent placement disruption statistics are presented for Victoria for the decade of the 1980s. One complete disruption ‘episode’ has been costed at over $25,000.00 for the first seven months after the disruption. The policy and practice implications of placement disruptions are examined in the light of this information.