TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Children after adoption: exploring their psychological needs
JO  - Clinical child psychology and psychiatry
A1  - Dejong, Margaret
A1  - Hodges, Jill
A1  - Malik, Osman
SP  - 536
EP  - 550
VL  - 21
IS  - 4
N2  - Children adopted from care are known to be at increased risk for mental health difficulties although relatively little research has been carried out to explore this question. This study assessed the mental health and psychological development of children placed for adoption by one UK Local Authority. We compared the pattern and prevalence of difficulties to existing data including that on Looked-After Children (LAC) children. Totally, 106 families were initially approached and parent interviews and at least partial questionnaire data were gathered on 47 children, 72.3% of whom were known to have been maltreated prior to adoption. Of the 34 children with a complete data set including Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), 76.4% met full criteria for at least one neurodevelopmental or mental health diagnosis, a markedly higher rate than comparison data on LAC or community samples. Less than half of those identified with a mental health diagnosis had received any prior diagnosis, and only a minority had received appropriate services. Despite the children's difficulties, the great majority of parents reported high enjoyment of bringing up their child.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1359-1045
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359104515617519
ID  - ref1
ER  -