DfES funded study based on a complete sample of 130 children for whom an adoption in best interests decision was made within on e UK authority during a defined period. An accurate assessment of the success of adoption as a placement choice is made, as the study records not just those placements that thrived but also those intended adoptions that fell by the wayside and those that broke down. As a result, significant assessments can be made about the cost of the adoption process - both emotional and financial - for all involved.
