RE: race matching and child welfare

[" Philippa White" <pipwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Child welfare services in Australia operate under a policy of placing
Indigenous children with Indigenous foster families, as the preferred
option.  This protocol was developed in recognition of the damage caused
to Aboriginal culture last century.  Indigenous children were forcibly
removed from their families and communities since the first days of the
European occupation of Australia. In that time, not one Indigenous
family has escaped the effects. Most families have been affected in one
or more generations by the removal of one or more children. A National
Inquiry concluded that between one in three and one in ten Indigenous
children were forcibly removed from their families and communities
between 1910 and 1970.
The Inquiry was established by the Federal Attorney General in 1995. It
was conducted by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
(HREOC).  The HREOC 'Bringing them Home' Report includes a number of
recommendations, including the equivalent of 'race matching' in child
welfare work.  www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/stolen_children/
Although the American experience is different, I imagine that there are
also numerous commonalities in the way US policies and practices have
impacted on American people from diverse cultural and ethnic
backgrounds.
Philippa White.
University of Western Australia.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@xxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@xxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Donna Mullins
Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2003 6:25 AM
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
Subject: Re: race matching and child welfare

It's illegal to consider race in making a placement except for the
specific needs of a specific child.  That might actually be a violation
of the law.

>>> bill_higginsus@xxxxxxxxx 11/21/03 17:02 PM >>>
We are running a training for new workers.  Someone
asked about matching the race of the child with the
race of the worker.  Is there any research on this
topic?  Does it seem to make a difference?  

Bill Higgins

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