“As recently as 10-15 years ago, the purpose of foster care was considered to be “substitute care” where a child remained until returned home or placed for adoption. Foster parents were rarely considered appropriate to adopt and little thought was given to maintaining a child’s attachment to previous caretakers. The 1990s have seen a change in philosophy. It is now accepted practice for foster children to be adopted by foster parents; this happens either by default, because a child unable to return home is attached to his/her foster family, or by design through the utilization of foster/adopt homes.”
“A parallel revolution, the growth of open adoption, has developed during this same period.” Kristina Cordes and Laurie Colacurcio, Authors