Re: recruitment of minority foster/adoptive parents

[dw432@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Arnie--
     Interestingly, this policy (of placing like kids with like 
parents) is nothing new. I just finished a book "The Lost Children of 
Wilder: the epic struggle to change foster care" written by NYT 
writer Nina Bernstein that gives a moving synopsis of failed policies 
in the US foster care system (especially here in NYC). Why not focus 
more on quality control of caring, nurturing parents (which has been 
shown to all important to child development) instead of emphasizing 
racial/cultural/religious orientation?
--Doug Waite, MD

Quoting "PRITCHARD, ARNIE" <ARNIE.PRITCHARD@po.state.ct.us>:

> 
> 
> 
> The Connecticut Department of Children and Families is
> planning an
> evaluation of its efforts to comply with the "pool provision"
> of the
> Multi-ethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA).  The pool provision
> requires any
> child placement agency receiving federal funds to make
> diligent efforts to
> recruit a pool of foster and adoptive parents who are
> ethnically similar to
> the children whom the agency is trying to place. In practice,
> this means
> efforts to recruit and retain foster and adoptive parents from
> ethnic
> minorities, especially African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinos.
> 
> We would like to know of any studies either of 1)efforts to
> recruit minority
> foster/adoptive parents in general 2)specifically, studies of 
> efforts to
> comply with the pool provisions of MEPA.
> 
> Thank you for your attention.
> 
> 						Arnie Pritchard
> 						Quality Assurance 
Division
> 						Connecticut DCF
> 



Doug Waite, MD
New York City