A recent study conducted through the University of Minnesota has found that adopted children are more likely to be diagnosed with a behavioral disorder or have contact with mental health professionals than non-adopted children. The results were compiled after researchers assessed over 600 adopted children and 540 who were not adopted.

"Children who had been adopted scored higher than non-adoptees on continuous measures of behavioral and emotional problems, the team found. Adoptees were about twice as likely to have had contact with a mental health professional and of having a disruptive behavior disorder..."

The study's lead author, Margaret Keyes, was quick to say that this information shouldn't deter people from adopting. It is instead meant to make adoptive-parents aware of potential problems so they can be looking for signs and preparing to handle any of these issues, should they arise. Source: MedicineNet.

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Labels: adoptees, mental_health, troubled_children

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Two years ago, Indiana introduced a new adoption marketing program that resulted in a dramatic increase in adoptions of troubled children. Now the state intends to add another $4 million program to its existing efforts.

"The new project, focused on finding permanent homes for thousands of Hoosier children taken from their parents by the department and left adrift in foster care, emphasizes reaching out to minority parents through churches and community groups. It is part of an effort to speed up the process of finding safe, permanent homes for children who have been taken from their parents due to neglect or abuse and who cannot return home."

One of the goals of this new campaign is to decrease the number of foster care children who, when they turn 18, "age out" of the system without having a permanent home. Read more at IndyStart.com.

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Labels: awareness, troubled_children, permanent_adoptive_homes

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