Permanency planning for children with Down's Syndrome: the adolescent years

The recognition that ‘no child is unadoptable’ (Churchill et al, 1979) has been one of the most successful features of special needs adoption. This has led to a growing number of placements involving mentally disabled children (BAAF, 1983). Kathy Mason, Peter Selman and Mike Hughes report on the third stage of a longitudinal study of 12 children with Down's Syndrome placed for adoption by Barnardo's North East (Mason, Hughes and Selman, 1998). The children are now aged 12 to 16 years and this article focuses on new issues arising for the children and their families, including the onset of puberty and the dilemmas over what to tell the children about their adoption. Overall the placements continue to prove successful with no breakdowns and a majority of the adoptive parents have subsequently adopted at least one more child with Down's Syndrome.