Challenges in Transracial Adoption and racial Identity - Essay Example

Challenges in Transracial Adoption and racial Identity Introduction, Transracial adoption has grown significantly in different parts of the world, although it is considered a recent event, because of the increase of inter-country adoption. In transracial adoption, social workers perform several services to assist adoptive parents and children through the adoption as well as post-adoption process. These services include assessing the appropriateness of families and homes that aspire to adopt children. They also entail evaluating the cognitive, cultural, social, and developmental requirements of children available for adoption to attach them to a suitable adoptive home. In addition, social workers work together with birth families to establish their abilities to continue to engage in their children’s lives as well as to parent, and/or to cope with cessation of parental rights. Social workers assist with placement transitions, and give post-adoption services in order to guarantee enduring and strong adoptive families. It is apparent that adoption is an alternative for young children and older teens, for children of varying ethnic and racial background, and for children with diverse educational, developmental as well as medical needs. This paper will discuss different aspects surrounding transracial adoptions, in particular, the transracial adoption of black children. Transracial Adoptions and Racial Identity Transracial adoption is the joining of parents and children of different racial background together in adoptive homes as well as families. It usually occurs through varying types of domestic adoption such as foster care, stepchildren and children in interracial marriages, and international adoption. In transracial adoption, the issue of racial identity features prominently (Lee 2003, 712). Some individuals argue that transracial adoptions will lead to loss of racial identity, particularly if a child is adopted in a family of different race at a very young age. Racial or ethnic identity issue concerns the use of racial or ethnic self-descriptors among transracial adoptees. It also involves attitudes of adopted children towards their race and determines whether they are comfortable or proud with their ethnicity and race. One of the significant elements of transracial adoption is the actual relationship between ethnic and racial occurrences of transracial adoptees and their psychological adjustments (Steinberg & Hall 2011, 262). Transracial adoptees exhibit a great deal of variability in their racial or ethnic identities. They have considerably lower racial or ethnic identities compared to same-race adoptees. Domestic and international transracial adoptees are greatly assimilated in majority culture. In the context of ethnic or racial identity development, black transracial adoptees have secure racial or ethnic identities, although some adoptees are not comfortable with their racial appearances. Some adoptees report normal thoughts of racial pride, but some wish for a different race while others feel embarrassed or humiliated by their racial backgrounds. The inconsistency in ethnic or racial identity development among children of transracial adoption is associated with various extrinsic factors, including place, race, and age at adoption. Furthermore, awareness of discrimination and prejudice may result in different conflicting emotions among transracial adoptees concerning notions of ethnicity as well as race, such as denial, discomfort, shame, and pride (Darron 2011, 64). Current debate around Transracial Adoption and racial identity The current transracial adoption debate is based on the contentious activities of race matching, in which adoptable children remain in foster institutions or homes for a long period before parents belonging to the similar race as the adoptee or child are found. In most cases, children of colour such as the black children remain without lasting homes or families while social services institutions or social workers look for parents with the skin colour, which matches the race or ethnicity of the child waiting to be adopted (Barn & Kirton 2012, 26). In addition, transracial adoption is characterized by several dilemmas relating to adoption practice. It is notable that social workers experience a challenge in finding permanent families to attach adoptees to because of racial related needs. They experience a dilemma in solving policy predicaments concerning transracial placements, ensuring satisfaction of adoptee’s best interests, and recognizing circumstances justifying permanent detachment of children from their biological parents and transracial adoption placement. Issue of challenges in Transracial Adoption Transracial adoption mainly entails black children placement in white families or homes. Social workers are increasingly involved in formulating these transracial adoption placements. The increase of black-white transracial placements has resulted to questions regarding the sufficiency of efforts in searching homes in the black community for black children. In addition, there are queries regarding the effects of transracial adoption to the black community. Some individuals argue that transracial adoption is destroying and diminishing the integrity of the black community. It has a negative effect on the traditions, cultures, and practices of the black society. This is attributable to the suggestions concerning black adoptees placement with black families in adoption or foster care. Black adoptees belong culturally, psychologically, and physically in black families to attain overall sense of themselves, and establish a comprehensive forecast of their future. Furthermore, transracial adoptions deny black children the opportunity of healthy development as black people (Burrow & Finley 2001, 2). Transracial adoption constitutes several complicated issues, which include the concern of identity development. Transracial adoption is likely to result lose of racial and ethnic identity among the adoptees. It is apparent that socialization experiences will deter black children from learning their cultural, personal, and other aspects related to the black community (Bagley 1993, 286). In order for black children to develop a positive racial identity, they should socialize within a racial group with members perceived by others to constitute a universal culture and origin. In addition, people in the racial group should share activities incorporating common culture or origin as an essential ingredient. In contrast, there are claims that transracial adoption will not cause loss of identity among black children placed with the white families or parents. These parents engage in various activities, which involve frequent socialization practices and experiences among black children. They also offer black children with skills to counteract the effects of racial discrimination, and establish a positive personal sense of belonging as an individual of colour. Legalization and Policy Context of Transracial Adoption Transracial adoption is a legal process in which children turn to be permanent members of new homes or families of different race and ethnicity. Through the adoption process, legal responsibilities and rights of biological parents are transferred to the social or adoptive parents. In addition, local authorities or adoption agencies carry out adoptions, and the courts make these adoptions legally binding. The parental responsibilities pass to the new parents and families once the court assigns the placement of the child with the family. As a result, birth or biological parents do not have legal rights over the adoptee or the child, and birth parents cannot reclaim their children once they have provided them for adoption. Transracial adoption is an irrevocable or binding separation of the relationship between a child and his or her biological family (Bradley & Hawkins-Leon 2002, 434). In the Adoption and Children Act of 2002, transracial adoption was addressed with emphasis on criticisms that are founded on realities of discrimination. In addition to assigning same-sex couples and unmarried the right to adopt a child together (Caroline 2005, 14), the Act enshrined the need for social workers to place an adoptee or child with a home or family that reflects his or her religion, cultural background, ethnic origin, and language. It necessitated the placement of children in families with the same race and ethnic background where possible. Social workers and adoption agencies must consider racial origin, religious persuasion, linguistic background, and cultural background of the children (Adoption UK 2010, 8). Furthermore, the Children Act of 1989 contained fundamental principles related to adoption of children. It provides regulations for fostering adoption and welfare services to children, and national minimum standards for promoting adoption. Arguments against Transracial Adoption The opponents of Transracial adoption have put forth several counter-arguments. One of their arguments concerns the loss of racial identity by black children adopted by white parents. These black children are likely to lose their psychological, physical, and cultural identity upon adoption by parents of different race and ethnic background. Transracial adoption is opposed in the attempts to preserve black families and their culture. The opposition is also motivated by the need to enable black children value and understand their origin or background through placement with families with similar race. In addition, placing black children in families of their race enables them to learn ways of coping with racial discrimination and prejudice, and acquire skills of functioning in such situations (Simon & Howard 2002, 16). Opponents claim that black children placed with white families fail to develop a feeling of racial identity, and encounter problems in dealing with discrimination and prejudice. These children may have negative outcome resulting from internalization of racist behaviours, which are directed towards them, including psychological distress. Furthermore, transracial adoption may result to isolation of black children, particularly those with inferior racial identity levels. There are chances that these children will rebuff their black peers, and may fail to obtain full acceptance among the white peers. Transracial adoption, therefore, prevents easy integration of black children in the normal family and community (Yancey & Lewis 2009, 128). Arguments in support of Transracial Adoption The supporters of transracial adoption focus on the detrimental effects of delaying or denying children their adoptions while adoptive parents belonging to different cultural or ethnic origin are available. Although placing children in homes or families of same racial background is important, transracial adoption is a permitted means of providing black children with an affectionate permanent home. Transracial adoption advocates also claim that adoption offers an enduring home for black children likely to suffer in out-of-home care arrangements (Hollingsworth 1998, 105). In a society supporting equality and parity concerning race, the race of the adoptee and potential adoptive parents should not be considered as a disqualifying factor in adoption process. In addition, transracial adoption essentially promotes the interests of black children, in particular those in the child welfare system seeking a nurturing affectionate family that will offer stability despite family’s race and ethnic background (Callahan 2010, 5). Families seeking to adopt a child should not be judged based on their race, but their capability to offer good home and amplitude to become good parents. By so doing, many black children will find homes or families since most adopters are white. Furthermore, interests of the child are addressed in transracial adoption and the adoption occurs after ineffective or absence of same-race placements. In the transracial adoptions, black community or adopters are appropriately represented, although there are fewer black families seeking to adopt a child as compared to the whites. In this sense, opposing transracial adoption will leave many black children unqualified for adoption making them stay without permanent home and may feel unwanted. Case study In the case study of Ms F, the adoption process of her 9 years old son is characterized by a limitation of looking for a black family to adopt the child. Although Ms F’s argument related to cultural issues is substantial, the social worker is likely to encounter problems in the adoption process due to legal and policy procedures. This reflects on the current controversial issue surrounding transracial adoption. As noted, finding parents of the same race as the adoptee or child is a challenging practice, and may delay permanent placement of the child and extend care responsibility to the black foster parents for a long period. It is apparent that racial identity is one of the issues significantly affecting decisions and adoption process. Birth parents, in this case Ms F, want their child to be placed in a home or family that has the same racial or ethnic background. As noted, there are many intricate factors influencing the adoption of Ms F’s son in addition to racial requirements. However, the most important factor is finding a loving, caring and nurturing family that will provide permanent home to the child regardless of race or ethnic background. Issue of attachment theory Attachment theory is increasingly turning out to be a relevant and helpful in different social work roles as well as responsibilities. Attachment theory is important and influential in the application of various theories and ideas related to social work. One of the aspects that the theory has been essential is the transracial adoption. By applying the theory, social workers have been able to enhance children protection as well as communication (Walker 78) It is apparent that attachment theory provides a systematically meticulous and yet realistic or functional structure for understanding challenging as well as troubled behaviours among children, and for supporting parents adopting children by offering them a secure base. In transracial adoption, attachment theory emphasizes on vital qualities for substitute parents or carers, which include the aptitude to control different personal feelings and those of others; acquirement of reflective function; and resolution of any precedent traumas as well as losses. In the case of Mrs. F’s son, it is important that the social worker emphasis on understanding and boosting of the attachment pattern of potential substitute parents and the child. Based on current ideas attained from attachment theory, the social worker can make an informed decision in the selection of potential parents adopting Mrs. F’s child. In addition, these ideas can assist in informed identification of the child’s vulnerabilities as well as needs. Attachment theory will provide a secure base for matching Mrs. F’s child with potential parents regardless of their ethnicity or race by facilitating the analysis of various aspects of vulnerability. Conclusion Transracial adoption is a significant way of providing black children with nurturing and affectionate permanent homes. Although there are arguments that transracial adoptions will lead to loss of racial identity, this adoption approach is associated with several positive implications such as providing appropriate permanent homes to children in foster care. Transracial adoption is legal and binding experience with the support of several provisions in the Adoption and Children Act of 2002. Different people have put forth various argument opposing and supporting transracial adoptions. Following these arguments, it is notable that transracial adoption plays a significant role, particularly for the black children adoption. References Adoption UK 2010, Adoption UK responds to the Governments plans to update guidelines on transracial adoption, Available from http://www.adoptionuk.org/information/103142/100182/235667/response_to_transracial_adoption_guidelines/ [15 December 2012]. 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