Books, booklets & multimedia

Looking after our own: the stories of black and Asian adopters

	Price: £9.95	BAAF, July 2005 ISBN 978-1-903699-70-6

What do Natalie, Jacob, Matthew, Nathan, Lubna, Neelam, Saima, Jasmine, Lisa, Claudia and Rebecca have in common? They are all children of Asian, African and Caribbean descent who have been adopted by Asian, African and Caribbean families.

But many do not move on to adoption as these children did. It is a widely known fact that black and mixed heritage children in the care system wait longer than any others for a permanent family, and some never find one. Why is this? Is there a genuine “shortage” of prospective adopters coming forwards, i.e. a recruitment issue? And if so, are there reasons for this? Or is it something else?

This inspiring collection looks at the experiences of nine adoptive families and their children. It explores their motivation to adopt, what their social workers had to offer (or not), the roles of their friends and family, and what adoption has meant to them. Told in the first person, these absorbing stories offer pointers to what can make for a successful adoption and, equally, the things to avoid.

Essential reading for anyone considering adopting a child, especially those from minority ethnic communities, and for social services professionals concerned to recruit and retain black adopters.