| Abstract: | This paper briefly reports some of the findings from the first major adoption study involving transracial and transcultural transplantations of children into Australian families. The historical development of inter-country adodption; the world growth of orphan populations; and the controversy and oppostion to adoption across racial arid cultural lines is briefly reviewed. Australian involvement in the adoption of nearly 300 Vietnamese children, of whom 111 were placed in 101 New South Wales families; the outcome of these adoptions; the development and adjustment of the children; and implications of the research are discussed. Positive early outcomes, as well as favourable development and behavioural adjustments, appear to have overcome deprivation, malnutrition and other traumatic ‘early experience’. |
