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Adoption: Does race matter?



Race should not matter when adopting a child, according to new guidelines from the UK Government.

Aimed at helping children find stable, loving homes, the guidelines state that people should not be stopped from adopting just because they are a different colour from the child.

Professionals within the field, however, are reticent. They say that cross-racial adoption, no matter how well-intentioned, can cause more harm than good.

So does race matter? Can children really grow up stable, balanced and happy with parents with deep cultural differences? Or are loving parents of any colour and culture better than no parents at all?



The BBC's Alison Holt talks to children of a cross-racial adoption success story
The government believes the importance of family life to a child cannot be overstated. Health Minister Paul Boateng says "nothing is more important than a loving, caring environment".

Couples who have adopted, or want to, agree. They say no child should have to spend years in care while same race parents are found.

Others favour cross-racial adoption because, they say, it will help racial integration in society as a whole.

But the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering say it is better for children to be brought up by parents who understand the pressures they face.

For a black child to have white parents only makes its adopted status stand out. They also find it hard to know where they belong and cannot integrate with either black or white, say the BAAF.



Felicity Colliers of the BAAF explains her reservations
"Our experience is that sometimes they do experience lifelong confusion," says a spokeswoman.

There can also be added problems for these children if and when they try to find their natural parents.

For cross-racial adoption to work, parents should be heavily committed to teaching their children about their cultural background. It is not however a luxury that all parents can, or are prepared to, afford.

What do you think?