Attachment disruption and RAD in adopted children

For tens of thousands of children in the U.S., their ‘forever family’ doesn’t last long. USA TODAY investigates: Why do adoptions fail? USAToday May 19, 2022

In a first of its kind investigation USAToday investigates how many adoptions are disrupted and why. Usually the focus of these conversations is on lack of access to mental health treatment. Indeed this is “a” problem, but it isn’t the only problem. This conclusion misses the underlying issue of childhood trauma and fails to recognize that even with access, effective treatments do not exist.

USAToday’s comprehensive study has taken a more nuanced view and discovered what many adoptive families already know. The mental health system does not have effective treatments for complex mental health treatments for many of the problems children suffering from early childhood trauma have. This leads to thousands of disrupted adoptions every year. This is a pivotal study and article because it brings to light this hidden crisis in the adoptive community.

Read the series here.

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