Resources

3 page summary of key findings from Stage 1

Neil, E. (2003). Understanding other people's perspectives: tasks for adopters in open adoptions, Adoption Quarterly, 6 (3), 3-30. Understanding other people's perspectives abstract.

Neil, E. (2003). Accepting the reality of adoption: birth relative's experiences of face-to-face contact, Adoption and Fostering, 27 (2), 32-43.Accepting the reality of adoption abstract.

Neil, E. (2003). 'Contact after Adoption: A Research Review' in M. Bainham, B. Lindley, M. Richards, and L. Trinder (Eds.) Children and their families: Contact, rights and welfare. Oxford: Richard Hart. Contact after Adoption: A Research Review abstract.

Neil, E., Beek, M. and Schofield, G. (2003). Thinking about and managing contact in permanent placements: the differences and similarities between adoptive parents and foster carers, Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 8 (3), 401-418. Thinking about and managing contact abstract.

Neil, E. (2002a). Contact after Adoption: The role of agencies in making and supporting plans, Adoption and Fostering, 26 (1), 25-38. Contact after Adoption: Role of agencies abstract.

Neil, E. (2002b). 'Managing face to face contact for young adopted children' in H. Argent (Ed.) Staying Connected: Managing Contact Arrangements in Adoption, London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Managing face-to-face contact book chapter.

Neil, E. (2000). The reasons why young children are placed for adoption: findings from a recently placed sample and implications for future identity issues, Child and Family Social Work, 5 (4), 303-316. The reasons for adoption abstract.

Neil, E. (1999). ‘The sibling relationships of adopted children and patterns of contact after adoption' in Mullender, M. (Ed.) We are Family: Sibling Relationships in Placement and Beyond, London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Sibling relationships of adopted children book chapter.

Download the 2 page research briefing

Or the longer 13 page research summary

Neil, E. (2013). The mental distress of the birth relatives of adopted children: ‘disease' or ‘unease'. Health and Social care in the Community, 21/2, 191-199

Neil, E. (2012). Making sense of adoption: integration and differentiation from the perspectives of adopted children in middle childhood, Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 409-416. Making sense of adoption abstract.

Neil, E. (2009). ‘The corresponding experiences of adoptive parents and birth relatives in open adoptions'. In Wrobel, G. and Neil, E. (Eds.) International advances in adoption research for practice. Chichester: Wiley.

Young, J. and Neil, E. (2009). ‘Contact after adoption'. In G. Schofield and J. Simmonds (Eds.) The Child Placement Handbook: Research, Policy and Practice. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.

Neil, E. (2007). Post adoption contact and openness in adoptive parents' minds: consequences for children's development. London: British Journal of Social Work- Advance Access: doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcm087.

Neil, E. (2007). Coming to Terms with the Loss of a Child: The Feelings of Birth Parents and Grandparents about Adoption and Post-Adoption Contact, Adoption Quarterly, 10 (1), pp. 1-23. Coming to Terms with the Loss of a Child abstract.

Neil, E. (2004). The "Contact after Adoption" Study: indirect contact and adoptive parents' communication about adoption. In E. Neil and D. Howe (Eds.) Contact in Adoption and Permanent Foster Care: Research, Theory and Practice. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.

Neil, E. (2004). The "Contact after Adoption" study: face-to-face contact. In E. Neil and D. Howe (Eds.) Contact in Adoption and Permanent Foster Care: Research, Theory and Practice. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.

Young, J. and Neil, E. (2004). The ‘Contact after Adoption' study: The perspective of Birth Relatives after non-voluntary adoption. In E. Neil and D. Howe (Eds). Contact in Adoption and Permanent Foster Care: Research, Theory and Practice. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.

Neil, E. and Howe, D. (2004). Conclusions: a transactional model for thinking about contact. In E. Neil and D. Howe (Eds.). Contact in Adoption and Permanent Foster Care: Research, Theory and Practice. London: British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.

Neil, E., Beek, M. & Ward, E. (2013) Contact after adoption: a follow up in late adolescence. (research report), Norwich, UEA. This report on the research was completed in December 2013 – click HERE to access the full report.

Download the 8 page research briefing

Download the following summary leaflets:

> A summary of key findings for adopted young people

> A summary of key findings for adoptive parents

> A summary of key findings for birth relatives

> A summary of key findings for practitioners

In 2014 we launched the study at the CRCF annual conference on 15th July. Conference presentations are available to download here:

> session 1: Introduction to the study and its key findings
> session 2: Young people's views of contact
> session 3: Openness in adoption and its impact on adoptive identity
> session 4: Adoptive parents' and birth relatives' views of contact
> session 5: Physical and psychological presence and boundary ambiguity for all parties to adoption
 

A summary version of the report aimed at practitioners has been published by BAAF:
Neil, E., Beek, M. & Ward, E. (2014) Contact after adoption: a longitudinal study of adopted young people and their adoptive parents and birth relatives. London: Coram BAAF.

Coram BAAF have also published a full report, which can be accessed here.

Here is an article about the project: Neil, B. (2018). Rethinking adoption and birth family contact: is there a role for the law?, Family Law