Vulnerability to Foster Care Drift After the Termination of Parental Rights

Objectives: After the termination of parental rights (TPR), there is no guarantee that youth will achieve legal permanence through adoption either quickly or at all. This study identifies obstacles in reaching adoption after TPR. Methods: Data are extracted via brief case reviews of 640 children and in-depth case reviews of 145 children to identify potential barriers to adoption. Results: Obstacles in reaching adoption post-TPR include characteristics of youth, foster families, and case practice. Conclusions: Results indicate that improvements in practice such as concurrent planning efforts, continuity of case workers, and addressing foster parent ambivalence about adopting youth with special needs can make a difference for youth in reaching more timely permanence through adoption.