Can White People Adopt Mixed Race Children?
In the UK there are no laws preventing people of one ethnic background adopting or fostering a child from a different ethnic, cultural, religious or social background. The law insists that any placement is in the best interests of the child and the prevailing opinion is that the best interests of most children are served by growing up in a loving, supportive family home. However, social workers are required to work hard to match children who need new families with families that are most likely to meet their needs. Although adoption is a very under-researched field experienced people working in this area believe that children from ethnic minority families do best if matched with similar families. This is due to a mix of factors. Adopted children who look very different from their parents will probably be asked questions by their peers and even some tactless adults that birth children never have to address. Obviously this can be upsetting as asense of belonging is important to us all. In
