Exploring the path from foster care to stable and lasting adoption: Perceptions of foster care alumni

This qualitative study explored perceptions of youth with foster care experiences, regarding successful adoption. A purposive sample of 16 participants was recruited and convened in two groups. Semi-structured focus groups were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis. Emergent themes were organized within a theoretical framework consisting of child, family, and system facilitators and barriers to successful adoption. Themes that strongly emerged redounded to a more youth-centered adoption process and to significant changes in practices and policies regarding parent-child matching, adoptive parent preparation, youths' supports, service quality and effectiveness, and overall systems' understanding and response to trauma. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.