Our history
The Black Adoption Project is an initiative created to improve adoption outcomes for Black and mixed Black heritage children in London. The Project exists to challenge racial disparities in the adoption system, amplify lived experiences, and ensure every child is seen, valued, and placed in a family that understands their identity and culture.
The Project aims to create better futures for Black adopted children in London, so every child who needs an adoptive family can have one.
What is the Black Adoption Project?
The Black Adoption Project is a commitment to address the stark disparities that exist within adoption for Black children and families. It aims to look beyond short-term solutions to understand and respond to the many complex factors that impact the adoption of black children. The Project is a partnership between four Regional Adoption Agencies (RAA) covering 24 London boroughs and Laurelle Brown Training and Consultancy working in collaboration with people who have lived experience of Black adoption and with Black communities in London.
To improve the opportunities and outcomes for Black children in the adoption system, Adopt London needed to recognise and take every possible step to remove obstacles and provide the support that is needed to Black adoptive parents before and after adoption and to walk alongside and support parents of other racial identities and ethnicities who have adopted Black children.
Adopt London has a unique opportunity to try to do something different to create better futures for Black adopted children in London.
Why only Black London children?
Racial disparities in adoption particularly impact Black and mixed Black ethnicity children. They do not impact all children from Global Majority backgrounds in the same way . Trying to group all Global Majority ethnicities together masks the extent of the problem . The Black Adoption Project Steering Committee developed a definition of ‘Black’ for this project, which includes Black and mixed Black ethnicity – based on self-identification.
The definition of ‘Black’ being used within the Project is:
You refer to yourself as Black, and some or all your ancestry/ancestors are from Africa, the Caribbean or elsewhere
Whilst some adoptive parents of non-Black racial identities and ethnicities are strongly placed to adopt and support a Black child, and whilst this is needed for some children, trans-racial adoption is complex and is not a solution to the disparities for Black children in the adoption system.
Our work and our learning will no doubt benefit all Black children and families across the UK and in time all children and their families. With at least 25% of children placed for adoption in London being Black and mixed Black ethnicities, it is important to focus on this cohort of children as part of the Black Adoption Project.
Adoption in London’s Black community
London is rich in culture and diversity and has a proud Black community who have been providing loving homes for London’s Black children in need of adoption for many years. We celebrate the commitment, love and support they have for their children.
Prior to and since our formation as Adopt London Regional Adoption Agencies, we’ve been aware of long-standing and persistent challenges in recruiting enough Black adoptive parents, and the impact of this on Black children in need of adoption. Black and mixed Black ethnicity children who are adopted do not move into an adoptive family as quickly as other children, impacting how early in life they can begin to settle and build the new attachments and relationships that will help them process the loss and trauma they may have experienced, and help them begin to thrive and fulfil their potential. Many Black children with a plan for adoption never go on to be adopted because the right adoptive family for them cannot be identified.
The Black Adoption Project is a partnership between four Regional Adoption Agencies (covering 24 London boroughs) and Laurelle Brown Training & Consultancy, working in collaboration with people with lived experience of Black adoption, and with Black communities in London.
To really improve the opportunities and outcomes for Black children, we need to identify, recognise and take every possible step to remove obstacles and provide the support that’s needed to Black adoptive parents before and after adoption. We believe that whilst some adoptive parents of non-Black racial and ethnic groups are strongly placed to adopt and support a Black child, and this is right for some children, ‘trans-racial’ adoption alone is not a solution to the disparities for Black children in the adoption system currently. We want to walk alongside and support parents of other racial identities and ethnicities who have adopted Black children, and ensure that we have the right support in place for all Black adopted children to thrive.
Who works on the Black Adoption Project?
There are many individuals, groups and organisations that have been involved and instrumental in the concept and implementation of the Project so far. Head over to our page dedicated to the Team to find out more.
Everyone who joins our mailing list, shares our message or lends their support, is part of the Black Adoption Project. Together, we’re creating change – and we are grateful for your commitment.
How you can get involved?
If you want to know more about the Black Adoption Project, the initiatives and pilots, the upcoming events and webinars, you can:
- Join our mailing list
- Link with us on Linktr.ee
- Follow and share our posts – @blackadoptionproject on LinkedIn and Instagram
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