Ian Sinclair is Co-director of the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York, where he has been responsible for a large programme of work on children's homes and foster care. His research interests include attachment theory and the evaluation of social work and social work services. Claire Baker is a Researcher at the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York. Her research interests include disabled children, children in foster care and stability and permanence issues for looked after children. Kate Wilson is Professor of Social Work at the Centre for Social Work, University of Nottingham. She has researched and published widely in the fields of therapeutic work and child welfare, including books on social work with couples, social work in a legal context, non-directive play therapy, and adoption and fostering. Ian Gibbs is a Researcher at the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York. His main area of research is looked after children, particularly those in residential care and foster care.

This is a book that should be read by policy makers, social services managers, social workers and students. If reading the whole book seems too daunting, they can benefit from the insights of particular chapters and should certainly read the concluding chapter in full.

• Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. Movements and Destinations: An overview. 3. Going home: Who returns and how do they do? 4. Going home: What makes a difference? 5. Adoption: Who is adopted and how do they do? 6. Adoption: What makes a difference? 7. Foster care: Can it offer permanence? 8. Foster care: Does it feel like a family? 9. Leaving care: What makes a difference? 10. Living independently: What makes a difference? 11. Tara's story: A case study 12. Alistair's story: A case study. 13. A common explanation? 14. Conclusion. References. Appendix 1. Sampling Bias in Sweeps 1 and 2. Appendix 2. Sampling Bias in Sweep 3. Appendix 3. Some Key Variables. Appendix 4. Adoption Parents' Views and Advice. Subject Index. Author Index.

Ian Sinclair is Co-director of the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York, where he has been responsible for a large programme of work on children's homes and foster care. His research interests include attachment theory and the evaluation of social work and social work services. Claire Baker is a Researcher at the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York. Her research interests include disabled children, children in foster care and stability and permanence issues for looked after children. Kate Wilson is Professor of Social Work at the Centre for Social Work, University of Nottingham. She has researched and published widely in the fields of therapeutic work and child welfare, including books on social work with couples, social work in a legal context, non-directive play therapy, and adoption and fostering. Ian Gibbs is a Researcher at the Social Work Research and Development Unit at The University of York. His main area of research is looked after children, particularly those in residential care and foster care.

This is a book that should be read by policy makers, social services managers, social workers and students. If reading the whole book seems too daunting, they can benefit from the insights of particular chapters and should certainly read the concluding chapter in full.

• Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. Movements and Destinations: An overview. 3. Going home: Who returns and how do they do? 4. Going home: What makes a difference? 5. Adoption: Who is adopted and how do they do? 6. Adoption: What makes a difference? 7. Foster care: Can it offer permanence? 8. Foster care: Does it feel like a family? 9. Leaving care: What makes a difference? 10. Living independently: What makes a difference? 11. Tara's story: A case study 12. Alistair's story: A case study. 13. A common explanation? 14. Conclusion. References. Appendix 1. Sampling Bias in Sweeps 1 and 2. Appendix 2. Sampling Bias in Sweep 3. Appendix 3. Some Key Variables. Appendix 4. Adoption Parents' Views and Advice. Subject Index. Author Index.