Relationship between foster care and adoption units serving developmentally disabled children

There were few differences between developmentally disabled foster children and those who were adopted. The foster children as a group were slightly older and more likely to have intact biological families who continued to maintain contact with them. More differences were found in the agencies' structures and practices. The major problem areas identified during the site visits appeared to be within the child welfare system itself, specifically at the interface between foster care and adoption. Bridging mechanisms were needed between units to temper the differences in perception, values, role expectations, and decision-making criteria used by the specialized staffs. When bridging mechanisms were in place, specialization of function was related to increased effectiveness in placing developmentally disabled children for adoption.