Common Difficulties Faced with Transracial Adoption Transracial adoption can be defined as placing children or infants with families of a different race than the children’s birth family (Lee, 2003; Simon & Altstein, 1996). Transracial adoptions (TRA’s) are common within the U.S. but are also common internationally. International TRA’s in the U.S. began in the 1940’s with the end of World War II (Hollingsworth, 1998). The number of international TRA’s continued to increase after later wars such as the Korean and Vietnam Wars. A few factors that also played a role in the increase of international TRA’s in the 1960’s included the legalization of abortion, widespread use of birth control, and decreased social stigma associated with having
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The NABSW believed that by allowing White parents to adopt Black children the children would not be able to acquire the skills needed to survive in the racism of society. In 1972 a law was enacted that banned transracial adoption of African American Children (Hollingsworth, 1998; Lee, 2003; Simon & Altstein, 1996; Sweeney, 2013). In 1994, the NABSW decided to be more lenient in their position on the opposition of transracial adoptions for African American children. The NABSW’s stated that transracial adoption should only be taken into consideration after there is documented evidence that same-race placement for the child was unsuccessful. One of the factors that played a role in the change of the NABSW’s policy is that only 2 out of 800 Black families were approved which is equivalent to .25% (Simon & Altstein, 1996). Having such a small percentage of Black families approved would not nearly fulfill the demand for placing African American children with Black …show more content…
The reasoning behind the choices parents make vary based on social economic status (SES), marital status, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Main concerns of parents when adopting children include mental and physical health, stigma associated with transracial adoptions, and behavioral problems (Anderson, Lee, Rueter, & Myo Kim, 2015; Hollingsworth,1998; Lee, 2003). This literature review summarizes the impacts transracial adoption can have on parents, children and what are the possible outcomes that may be faced. In order for children and parents to have a successful relationship, the parents must be able to be competent in their abilities to be supportive to a child that is not the same race as the family. To become competent, parents can undergo a series of trainings available to be more prepared for situations such as racism, incorporating the child’s birth culture, and being able to help the child develop a healthy identity.
Adoptive Parents
The NABSW believed that by allowing White parents to adopt Black children the children would not be able to acquire the skills needed to survive in the racism of society. In 1972 a law was enacted that banned transracial adoption of African American Children (Hollingsworth, 1998; Lee, 2003; Simon & Altstein, 1996; Sweeney, 2013). In 1994, the NABSW decided to be more lenient in their position on the opposition of transracial adoptions for African American children. The NABSW’s stated that transracial adoption should only be taken into consideration after there is documented evidence that same-race placement for the child was unsuccessful. One of the factors that played a role in the change of the NABSW’s policy is that only 2 out of 800 Black families were approved which is equivalent to .25% (Simon & Altstein, 1996). Having such a small percentage of Black families approved would not nearly fulfill the demand for placing African American children with Black …show more content…
The reasoning behind the choices parents make vary based on social economic status (SES), marital status, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Main concerns of parents when adopting children include mental and physical health, stigma associated with transracial adoptions, and behavioral problems (Anderson, Lee, Rueter, & Myo Kim, 2015; Hollingsworth,1998; Lee, 2003). This literature review summarizes the impacts transracial adoption can have on parents, children and what are the possible outcomes that may be faced. In order for children and parents to have a successful relationship, the parents must be able to be competent in their abilities to be supportive to a child that is not the same race as the family. To become competent, parents can undergo a series of trainings available to be more prepared for situations such as racism, incorporating the child’s birth culture, and being able to help the child develop a healthy identity.
Adoptive Parents