Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Volume 20,Issue 1,pages 34–40,February 2015
DOI:10.1111/camh.12052
Attachment disorders versus more common problems in looked after and adopted children: comparing community and expert assesents
Matt Woolgar Emma Baldock
Abstract
Background
Attachment disorders in adopted and fostered children may be overdiagnosed and could obscure more common disorders.
Methods
A case note review of 100 referrals to a specialist adoption and fostering service compared community referrals with the specialist assesents of attachment disorders.
Results
Attachment disorders were identified four times more often in community referrals versus the specialist service, but this only partly explained the significant under-identification of more common disorders in the community, especially for neurodevelopmental factors and conduct disorder by up to 10-fold.
Conclusions
The relevant practice parameters are discussed and implications for service models for adopted and fostered children reviewed.
