facts about trans-racial adoption
Families come in many different and happy shades. But are transracial adoptions really the best for everyone? There is no denying that adoption is a powerful and complex event in the timeline of any family.
The process of adoption — even the adoption of a deeply longed-for child — is full of ambivalent feelings of joy, excitement and loss for all of the involved parties. Feelings of ambivalence can grow even more pronounced when a child is adopted from a different ethnicity or race than that of the adoptive parents. We spoke with Adam Pertman, president of the think tank The Donaldson Adoption Institute, for his insights on the practice, its inherent complexities and how adoptive parents can set their children up for success.
Transracial adoption defined
According to Pertman, transracial adoptions include any adoption where the child hails from a different race or ethnicity than both prospective parents, or from a single parent, if there is only one prospective adoptive parent.
Transracial adoptions don't necessarily have to involve white parents and minority children, but this arrangement is certainly the most prevalent. "In the United States," said Pertman, "many adoptions are transracial and most transracial adoptions comprised of white parents and minority children." He added that transracial adoptions can include international adoptions, domestic adoptions and adoptions from foster care.
The obvious benefits of transracial adoption
Adoption — whether it is transracial or not — provides the obvious benefit of stability for children in need of a permanent home. Pertman unequivocally added that parents can feel confident about the following benefits of transracial adoption:
- Reduced wait times: Unfortunately, minority children are over-represented in the foster care system and transracial adoptions can shorten the amount of time they have to wait for a permanent home. In fact, the amount of time a child has to wait for a permanent home is far more likely to impact his or her long-term adjustment than a transracial adoption will.
- Consistent outcomes: The adjustment and self-esteem of transracially adopted children is similar to their peers living with biological parents or homes with intra-racial adoption.
- Complexities are a part of all homes: All families experience some amount of complexity and challenge, regardless of their makeup. The challenges faced by transracial homes are similar to those faced by all families.
The hidden complexities
Pertman also cautioned that transracial adoption creates complexities for both adoptive parents and children that need to be carefully weighed and considered prior to adoption. He suggested that parents do their due diligence and research to ensure they are prepared for the challenges of transracial adoption:
- The challenge of being different: Many transracially adopted children have discomfort with their racial or ethnic appearance and express a desire to be white. Parents need to be able to assist their children with developing a healthy respect for their differences.
- Difficulty with identity: Confusion about belonging is already a theme with many adopted children and questions of belonging are especially pronounced in transracially adopted kids. Kids who struggle to integrate their identity may experience behavioral problems.
- Discrimination: Non-white children are at risk for experiencing discrimination and they need skills to address prejudice and discrimination. White parents may not be able to adequately provide their kids with these skills.
Parenting for success
According to a position statement submitted by Pertman's think tank, "Transracial adoption is not inherently good or bad, but, rather, is a practice that benefits some children who may not otherwise have families to raise them. At the same time, the practice clearly adds an additional layer of complexity to the issues dealt with by adoptive families." It's the responsibility of adoptive parents to address the racial and ethnic needs of their kids as they develop:
- Managing physical differences: Transracial adoptions will result in questions, stares and confusion from acquaintances and strangers. Parents need to teach their children how to deflect or manage these questions related to physical differences between parents and children.
- Encouraging comfort with ethnic identity: Transracially adopted children need to be able to ask questions about their history, lineage and cultural group without fear of reprisal. They need to understand race-specific personal care skills (i.e. beauty tips, hairstyles and fashions popular in their ethnic group). It's important for parents to provide an ongoing dialogue for questions and concerns related to their kids' racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- Social skills for interactions with peers: Many times, transracially adopted children have to manage questions and comments from their peer groups when parents aren't around to protect them. They need skills for answering these questions and skills for interacting with whichever peer group they choose. In other words, an adopted child from an African-American background needs skills to interact with other African-American children, even if his or her parents are white.
- Coping skills for discrimination: White parents may find it hard to believe discrimination exists, but it does. Adopted children from a minority background need to learn skills for addressing discrimination and their white parents need to equip themselves to teach these skills.
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