Abstract
Purpose: This research strives to understand challenges of parents adopting foster children. Design and Methods: A qualitative, semi-structured interview was used to collect data from 11 social workers on their experiences working with adoptive parents. Findings: Findings indicate clear challenges/needs for these adoptive parents pursuing. Identified needs include quality training/education, desirable parental qualities, adoption-competent professionals, support, and resources to help with challenges brought by adoptive parents, the child and system. Implications: Findings enforce the importance of best practices though continuing research and the need for improvements to policy and practice. Several policy suggestions are made include ensuring timely delivery of information to adoptive parents, listing of all available children on the state adoption exchange, and to eliminate adoption disincentives.