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Abstract
The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or to be permanently placed in a stable home. Federal and state legislation directs increased efforts by the social welfare and judicial systems in the United States to act in the best interests of the child and to identify and reduce barriers to permanency. Records from two county dependency courts in Florida were examined and caregivers surveyed to identify issues that prevented them from adopting the child in their care, and to identify services that would have enhanced the likelihood of adoption. The findings and their implications suggest that more integration of the two systems and support for concrete assistance to caregivers are paramount to facilitating adoption of children in foster care.
Notes
*p < .01.
As the 2000 U.S. Census fit the period of this study (2000–2009), the researchers utilized the data for comparison of both counties.
The researchers attempted to locate the phone numbers for the participants as an alternative method of contact. However, only few of the numbers were identified while most of them were either disconnected or invalid.