Tim Loughton tells social workers to promote inter-racial adoption…

3rd November 2010

BASW have criticised Children’s Minister Tim Loughton’s suggestion that social workers should make it easier for white couples to adopt children from different ethnic backgrounds.

Despite there being no ban on inter-racial adoption, Loughton said social workers often hold out for “the perfect match”, leaving children in care for too long when good homes are available.  He added: “If it is a great couple offering a good, loving, stable permanent home, that should be the number one consideration”.

There were around 2,300 children approved for adoption last year, of which about 500 were of black or Asian origin.  With the current approach, and a shortage of non-white couples wanting to adopt, ethnic minority children can wait three times longer than white children to be adopted, and are over-represented among the young people in care who never find permanent homes.

When placing children,’ social workers are currently required to give “significant consideration” to race.  This is due to concerns they may struggle to settle in new families from different cultural backgrounds.  However the Department for Education said ministers feel authorities should not be “over-sensitive” on the issue, and that  messages about inter-racial adoptions would be included in updated statutory guidance on adoption.

Social workers have accused Loughton of making “sweeping statements” and “ill-thought out” comments.  Nushra Mansuri, professional officer at BASW, said: “What is being overlooked is the evidence that while some transracial adoptions work, many have had a profoundly negative impact on children’s development and identity formation”.