Transracial Adoption and Foster Care: Practice Issues for Professionals

Rating:
Summary: A helpful book in overcoming racial discrimination
Review: I welcome any book that is supportive of transracial adoptions and helps all members of the families involved to live in harmony. I agree with the author that love is not enough. Unlike in my family's same-race adoption, in a transracial adoption the parents need to acknowledge the existence of prejudice, explain to the child why his/her racial or cultural group is mistreated, provide the child with a repertoire of responses to racial discrimination and provide the child with role models and positive contact within the community. We have transracial adoptions in our neighborhood and I hope that the adoptive parents (all Caucasians) receive plenty of help from their agencies with those issues. They would be well advised to read this book.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?

Rating:
Summary: Succinct and Empowering
Review: This book goes beyond the discussion of "should we or shouldn't
we have transracial adoptions". Although it is directed toward
professionals it is also very useful for adoptive parents as
well. The book avoids the emotional turmoil and discussion of
"what's right or wrong about transracial adoptions". Nor does
the book attempt to make parents feel guilty or inadequate to
adopt transracially. The reader is given information that compels
them to:
1) appreciate the challenges of transracial adoptions,
2) appreciate the needs of children adopted transracially, and;
3) gives them the skills and resources an adoptive or foster
parent needs to acquire.

The book does an excellent job of assisting adoptive parents to
judge their own skills and ability to adopt a child of a diffe-
rent race, rather than being judged by a professional or someone
else. Self assessment guides are even provided to adoptive pa-
rents for this purpose.

The case studies in the book provide examples to professionals
and parents that are clear and practical in highlighting the
issues and skills in preparing for and parenting children in
transracial adoptions. It is a practical "how to" book, without
the emotional turmoil and rhetoric that surrounds the topic of
transracial adoptions. I would recommend it to both professionals
and adoptive parents, as well as parents considering transracial
adoption or foster care.

Rating:
Summary: Succinct and Empowering
Review: This book goes beyond the discussion of "should we or shouldn't
we have transracial adoptions". Although it is directed toward
professionals it is also very useful for adoptive parents as
well. The book avoids the emotional turmoil and discussion of
"what's right or wrong about transracial adoptions". Nor does
the book attempt to make parents feel guilty or inadequate to
adopt transracially. The reader is given information that compels
them to:
1) appreciate the challenges of transracial adoptions,
2) appreciate the needs of children adopted transracially, and;
3) gives them the skills and resources an adoptive or foster
parent needs to acquire.

The book does an excellent job of assisting adoptive parents to
judge their own skills and ability to adopt a child of a diffe-
rent race, rather than being judged by a professional or someone
else. Self assessment guides are even provided to adoptive pa-
rents for this purpose.

The case studies in the book provide examples to professionals
and parents that are clear and practical in highlighting the
issues and skills in preparing for and parenting children in
transracial adoptions. It is a practical "how to" book, without
the emotional turmoil and rhetoric that surrounds the topic of
transracial adoptions. I would recommend it to both professionals
and adoptive parents, as well as parents considering transracial
adoption or foster care.

Rating:
Summary: Transracial Adoption and Foster Care
Review: This book is an interesting read but it should be retitled "Transracial Adoption and Foster Care: Don't Ever Do It. Practice Issues for Professionals "

It does not offer much support or guidance in placing children in homes of different races. It focuses on the statistics and the how-tos of getting children placed in same-race families, then begrudgingly offers some guidelines for the lowly professional who is forced into transracial placements. The stats were insightful and often surprising, which makes it a good reference for facts and resources.

Example of a disturbing scenario: -James, biracial, age 2. -With the "T" family since 2 months old, who want to adopt James. -Social worker doesn't think race issues are sufficiently addressed in home.

"James is able to...attach to significant others as demonstrated by his attachment to Mr. & Mrs. T. James would experience typical separation anxiety if removed from Mr. & Mrs. T's home. Since James' ability to attach is within normal ranges, he should be able to bond with different or adoptive parents, if properly prepared for adoption."

-Nine months later, Mr. and Mrs. T were re-evaluated for James' adoption. They were then able to answer the social worker's race questions sufficiently and were then allowed to adopt James.

Scenarios illustrating situations that come up in multi-race families weren't always given problem-solving solutions, sometimes leaving the reader with more questions. On an emotional level, the book often left this reader steamed and offended, but after a cool-down period, I would have to recommend it to those interested in this subject. Transracial placement is after all, not a subject without opposition. It is informative to know what the professionals are being told. Overall, the book exudes opposition to transracial adoption and foster care. It does, however, contain compelling, experience-based information from the author's career.

Rating:
Summary: Transracial Adoption and Foster Care
Review: This book is an interesting read but it should be retitled "Transracial Adoption and Foster Care: Don't Ever Do It. Practice Issues for Professionals "

It does not offer much support or guidance in placing children in homes of different races. It focuses on the statistics and the how-tos of getting children placed in same-race families, then begrudgingly offers some guidelines for the lowly professional who is forced into transracial placements. The stats were insightful and often surprising, which makes it a good reference for facts and resources.

Example of a disturbing scenario: -James, biracial, age 2. -With the "T" family since 2 months old, who want to adopt James. -Social worker doesn't think race issues are sufficiently addressed in home.

"James is able to...attach to significant others as demonstrated by his attachment to Mr. & Mrs. T. James would experience typical separation anxiety if removed from Mr. & Mrs. T's home. Since James' ability to attach is within normal ranges, he should be able to bond with different or adoptive parents, if properly prepared for adoption."

-Nine months later, Mr. and Mrs. T were re-evaluated for James' adoption. They were then able to answer the social worker's race questions sufficiently and were then allowed to adopt James.

Scenarios illustrating situations that come up in multi-race families weren't always given problem-solving solutions, sometimes leaving the reader with more questions. On an emotional level, the book often left this reader steamed and offended, but after a cool-down period, I would have to recommend it to those interested in this subject. Transracial placement is after all, not a subject without opposition. It is informative to know what the professionals are being told. Overall, the book exudes opposition to transracial adoption and foster care. It does, however, contain compelling, experience-based information from the author's career.

Rating:
Summary: Transracial Adoption and Foster Care
Review: This book is an interesting read but it should be retitled "Transracial Adoption and Foster Care: Don't Ever Do It. Practice Issues for Professionals "

It does not offer much support or guidance in placing children in homes of different races. It focuses on the statistics and the how-tos of getting children placed in same-race families, then begrudgingly offers some guidelines for the lowly professional who is forced into transracial placements. The stats were insightful and often surprising, which makes it a good reference for facts and resources.

Example of a disturbing scenario: -James, biracial, age 2. -With the "T" family since 2 months old, who want to adopt James. -Social worker doesn't think race issues are sufficiently addressed in home.

"James is able to...attach to significant others as demonstrated by his attachment to Mr. & Mrs. T. James would experience typical separation anxiety if removed from Mr. & Mrs. T's home. Since James' ability to attach is within normal ranges, he should be able to bond with different or adoptive parents, if properly prepared for adoption."

-Nine months later, Mr. and Mrs. T were re-evaluated for James' adoption. They were then able to answer the social worker's race questions sufficiently and were then allowed to adopt James.

Scenarios illustrating situations that come up in multi-race families weren't always given problem-solving solutions, sometimes leaving the reader with more questions. On an emotional level, the book often left this reader steamed and offended, but after a cool-down period, I would have to recommend it to those interested in this subject. Transracial placement is after all, not a subject without opposition. It is informative to know what the professionals are being told. Overall, the book exudes opposition to transracial adoption and foster care. It does, however, contain compelling, experience-based information from the author's career.