Promoting Adoptions by Foster Parents Through an Inner-City Organization

Abstract

This study evaluated changes in the number of foster parent adoptions during a multilevel behavioral intervention. Staff and management of an inner-city community organization providing foster care services to African American children and families were taught how to (a) make permanency planning decisions, (b) train foster parents, (c) prepare biological and adoptive foster families for foster parent adoptions, and (d) implement foster care services. Foster parent adoptions increased as the number of consultation and training hours increased incrementally each year during the life of the study. The consultant's recommendations were followed by qualitative changes in the organization. There was a reduction in administrative staff turnover, an increase in administrative support, an increase in the number of new foster homes, and an increase in foster parent attendance at training meetings. Future research is needed to explore the effectiveness of this approach on direct care staff retention and performance variables.