Transracial adoption Flashcards
What does the term transracial adoption refer to?
Children that are adopted by parents from a race different from their own.
How many international adoptions occur per year in Canada?
~2000
What is the top ten countries of origin of international adoptees in Canada in 2004?
- China 1001
- Haiti 159
- Russia 106
- South Korea 97
- US 79
- Phillipines 62
- Thailand 40
- Colombia 38
- India 37
- Ethiopia 34
What are the top three cities in Canada for international adoptions?
- Montreal
- Toronto
- Vancouver
What factors may affect an adopted child’s outcomes?
- Older age at the time of adoption
- History of abuse or neglect
- Institutionalization and health problems
What do transracial adoptees need to do?
Create an identity that accepts their own physical appearance, their birth heritage, and their heritage of upbringing
What did the North American Council on Adoptable Children state regarding transracial adoption?
Family of the same racial or ethnic background is both preferable and better able to provide children with the skills and strengths to combat racism
Transracial adoption is preferable to long-term foster care
Families who adopt a child of a different ethnic background must recognize that the ethnic and cultural heritage of that child is an essential right
What should adoptive parents in transracial adoptions be encouraged to do?
- Recognize that children’s knowledge and understanding of their cultural history are important.
- Recognize that children need help to develop pride in their racial identity, as well as coping skills to deal with racism.
- Develop racial awareness, coping skills and multicultural family planning (creating opportunities for the child to learn about and participate in their birth culture).
- Recognize their child’s racial identity, rather than denying it or acting as if race does not matter.
- Acknowledge that their family is visibly different from others, and help their children develop the skills to deal successfully with the challenge of being a racial minority.
- Recognize and be aware of their own biases. Those who have not personally experienced racism may need to be especially attuned to teaching their children effective ways to respond to racism.
- Understand that their interest and involvement in their children’s birth culture will help children be involved and comfortable in their culture of origin.
- Help adoptees form relationships with adults and children of the same race or ethnic origin.
- Celebrate diversity and show their children that all ethnic groups have something worthwhile to celebrate. While it may be difficult for families living in smaller communities to find a multicultural experience, some ideas include planning a family vacation to a larger centre to coincide with multicultural festivals, exploring existing opportunities through churches, schools and communities, or developing multicultural friendships.
- Help their children develop a strong self-image despite racism, and communicate with their children about these issues honestly and openly.
- Recognize that the other children in their family who are not of colour sometimes experience verbal abuse about their transracially adopted siblings, especially from peers. Parents may anticipate this and help all of their children learn to deal with racism and not to side with their peers.
- Develop coping strategies to deal with situations when they are not with their parents; this may be done through role playing with parents.
- Be aware of subtle stereotypes presented in the media. Children can be taught that all racial groups have historical figures who have made both positive and negative contributions to the world.
- Stay in contact with families facing similar issues, practise responses to insensitive comments from others, and demonstrate a lack of tolerance for racially or ethnically biased comments, so that they provide a positive role model for responding to racism.
