Press Reviews

• Adoption Quarterly

  This is a much-needed book about the supports that are essential to adoptive families, especially those raising children who are placed at an older age out of the public systems... This book has good and clear directives for many of the people working with the family. It is a well thought-out approach, and covers a great deal of what is needed to provide the best services to the adoptive parents... Ms. Hart and Mr. Luckock have given us a gem of an instruction book for child welfare workers all over... The authors have presented us with a comprehensive, and sometimes hands-on book that will make a world of difference in the training of professionals who work with adoptive families and I would recommend that adoptive parents and families read this book as well to understand how the professionals are thinking about them, and what they are calculating as their needs.

• CAFCASS

  I found this book extremely informative. In my view it takes the reader back to basics when considering the implications adoption has for a child.

• Child and Family Social Work

  I feel this book provides food for thought for all those involved in developing adoption support services, and may be of particular use for practitioners involved in supporting adoptive parents in finding ways of helping their children to develop their full potential.

• Adoption and Fostering

  This book offers excellent guidelines for professionals who are involved in developing a comprehensive adoption support service, including a helpful analysis of the role of the Adoption Support Services Advisor, with suggestions for different models. There is an explanatory section about what may be expected from different kinds of therapy, an outline of the legal and organisational frame- work, a stimulating discussion about open communication in `adoptive kinship' and timely examination of the real purpose, meaning and value of life-story work'.

• Adoption and Fostering

  The authors are not afraid to analyse or question the wisdom receiving from `adoption gurus' and they offer many examples of good practice to take into all aspects of family placement work. They remind us constantly that receiving support is not exactly the same as feeling supported.

• British Journal of Social Work

  Hart and Luckock offer a committed, informed and expansive view of the opportunities which unfolding post-adoption services hold, while being realistic about the constraints which technical-rational social work casts over their future. As adoption support embraces more adoptive families and diverse practitioners, the book may find an audience which shares its passion and is eager to develop the `adoption competence' that it advocates as central to meeting adoptive families' needs.

• BAAF

  A well-argued, substantial, intelligent text, which will take thoughtful readers on in their appreciation of the complexity of adoption support. It deserves to be widely read.

• Family Futures

  A welcome breath of fresh air and common sense to the often complex issues surrounding the permanent placement of children in substitute families.