Although most adoptions are successful, there are still times where an adoption ends in disruption or dissolution. “Disruption” refers to the circumstances that occur when an adoption process is stopped after the child is placed in an adoptive home but before being finalized legally. “Dissolution” occurs when an adoption ends after it has been finalized legally. Even with different meanings, the result is the same with the child reentering foster care or being placed with a new potential adoptive family. This section provides resources to help families navigate an adoption that is disrupted or ends in dissolution.

Discontinuity and Disruption in Adoptions and Guardianships

Series Title
Numbers and Trends
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Year Published
2021
Reviews the incidence and contributing factors for adoptions and guardianships that terminate prior to finalization (disruptions) or may terminate or be temporarily interrupted after finalization (discontinuity). This brief also discusses discontinuity and disruptions in intercountry adoptions as well as related topics, such as the effects of discontinuity and disruptions and unregulated custody transfers.

Adoption Disruption and Dissolution
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Offers information on ways to prevent an adoption disruption/dissolution; what types of supports are to be considered when adoption disruption/dissolution does occur; and how it impacts all parties involved with the adoption process, including the child, family, and workforce.

Adoption Dissolution From A Mother's View: Part 1
Chapman (2016)
Adoption.com
Answers questions that adoptive parents may ask before, during, and after adoption disruptions or dissolutions.

How to Explain Adoption Dissolution to Adopted Kids
Creating a Family (2019)
Presents the testimony of a family who experienced adoption dissolution and shares tips on how to manage its impact. This blog also includes advice from adopted people and an adoption therapist for families involved in adoption dissolution.

Failed Adoption Was Not the End of My Story!
Vaughn (2018) 
FosterClub
Tells the story of a young person who experienced a disrupted adoption and was placed back into foster care. This account discusses how she overcame the challenges this presented and provides advice to others experiencing similar situations.

Unregulated Custody Transfers of Adopted Children

Series Title
State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Download (PDF - 350KB)
Year Published
2022
Provides an overview of State laws related to efforts to curtail the practice of some adoptive parents placing their adopted children into the custody of unrelated persons without the oversight of a child welfare agency or court. Such transfers put a child at risk of abuse, neglect, emotional trauma, and placement instability. States are utilizing a variety of approaches to curb the practice, including criminalizing the act, placing limits on the use of a power of attorney for delegating parental authority, and restricting the use of advertising to find placements for a child.

When Adoptions Fail 
Johnson, Hamilton, & Hanlon (2020)
National Council for Adoption
Discusses the topic of adoption dissolution, the unique challenges that families deal with when an adoption disruption/dissolution occurs, and the importance for the use of a best-practice model that serves the best interest of the child who has been adopted. 

When a Forever Home Isn’t Forever: The Reality of Adoption Dissolution
Mabrey (2014)
Foster Care Newsletter
Explains the frequency of and factors influencing adoption disruption. This newsletter also provides resources to help families struggling following adoption.

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