Fostering While Black

Download or read book Fostering While Black written by Wendy J. Kennedy and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a mismatch in the foster care system between Black children and Black parents: the system is removing too many children from Black families and there are not enough Black family homes where they can be placed. To those that have pathologized Black families this is not surprising. However, given the work of scholars like Stack (1975) and Gutman (1977), it is clear that slavery did not eradicate long lasting cultural traditions of kin and fictive kin care. This study examines the foster care system through the eyes of Black parents who are seeking to foster to see why the mismatch exists. Their interviews reveal that Blacks' desires to foster are shaped by cultural traditions, the desire to help those in need, and to share their bounty of home, time, and love. However, they confront a system characterized by social control and by what they perceive as everyday racism. Keywords: African American, Black, Family, Child Welfare, Foster Care, Racism