Abstract
The purpose of this interpretive study was to explore adoptive parents’ experiences with accessing and utilizing post-adoption services in rural areas of Minnesota. The study sought to answer three research questions: What are the experiences of adoptive families when accessing and utilizing post-adoption support in rural areas of Minnesota? What is the role of the social worker in facilitating post-adoption support and services? How can the social work profession adapt to help meet the needs of adoptive families and improve permanency outcomes for children? Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from seven (n=7) participants, and grounded theory methodology was used to analyze the data. Themes from the study include discussion about formal and informal post-adoption support, qualities and characteristics that are desirable in professionals who provide post-adoption support, benefits of post-adoption support for family relationships, experiences and views on pre-adoption training, and similarities and variances in the data. Implications from the study include the need for basic standards of education for adoption professionals, the need for expansion of services in rural communities, and the need to provide adoption support over the life-span.