People are still reluctant to adopt black children

There has been a marked increase in the number of white children being adopted since the coalition government’s renewed focus on shaking up the adoption system. But there has been absolutely no change in the tiny number of black children being adopted each year.

The latest figures for adoption in England, shows that there was a 27% increase in the number of white children been adopted over 12 months to the end of March 2014. But over the same period there was a 0% increase in the number of black children been adopted.

This is a real crisis facing looked after children from our community. Only 100 children from an African or African-Caribbean background were adopted last year. These figures show that things are not working for this group of children.

The 2014 adoption data also shows that so-called political correctness of social workers is not the main reason why black children in England are not being adopted because the number of mixed race children being adopted over the same period went up by a staggering 30%.

It is clear that the changes made to the adoption system are failing black children in local authority care. Organisations working in the field of adoption know what needs to be done but it seems that there little will to help this specific group of vulnerable children.

It is an ongoing concern. While mixed ethnicities children are being adopted, black boys of African and African-Caribbean descent are waiting for families. BAAF believes there should be better engagement with the different BME communities; financial incentives, specific training for BME applicants and post placement support packages,”

says Savita de Sousa from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering.

One senior social worker told the TAFW campaign that prospective adopters prefer to adopt a child that ‘matches’ their family.

It is understandable that a couple with different ethnicities might want to adopt a mixed race child and it is also understandable that white couples would prefer a white child to match their wider family. But this means that there is a chronic shortages of people who prefer to adopt a black child as a ‘match’ to their family unit.

The Afrikan Family Works has launched an independent campaign to encourage more African and African-Caribbean people to come forward and adopt children waiting for a permanent loving home.

We are doing what we can to mobilise our community but we need central government and local government to take this issue seriously.

The Afrikan Family Works is organising a free fostering and adoption seminar on Saturday December 6, where people can learn about the process of adoption and fostering. The day is supported by the forward thinking London borough of Wandsworth, and the voluntary adoption agency Cabrini Children Society.

At the December event Cabrini will inform people about the process of how to become an adoptive parent through voluntary agencies.

There are many African and African-Caribbean children waiting for placements, Cabrini would like to offer these children the opportunity for them to live with a family from their own ethnic, cultural or religious background. The highest percentage group of children waiting for a placement is from BME background,”

Ian Forbes, director of adoption and fostering services at Cabrini.

Sundjata Keita Chair - The Afrikan Family Works

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The Event - Fostering & Adoption Seminar

2pm, Saturday 6 December 2014

Venue:
St. Giles Centre 81 Camberwell Church Street, London, SE5 8RB
(Oval Station then take buses 12, 36, 436)

Contact:
Free tickets available
Call Sundjata on 07783 188 100
Web: www.stgilescamberwell.org.uk / www.theafrikanfamilyworks.net