Joining a multicultural family: alone or with a sibling? | Amara ...

Sarah O'Neill, MSW ? Amara Adoption and Foster Care Specialist

If a white couple adopts a child of color, would it be an easier adjustment for the child if the couple also adopts the child?s sibling? A participant at Amara?s training on Trans-Racial/Trans-Cultural Placement and Adoption recently asked me this question.

He was on to something!

• A? child who moves into a foster-to-adopt family typically settles in more easily with a sibling at his or her side. Siblings can provide?natural support for each other in a new environment.
• Adoptees?who are part of multicultural families typically identify the most with?their same-race sibling. They can have similar experiences in the?family and the world given their shared backgrounds.
• And,?we know from experts that maintaining and cultivating a child?s?connections to peers of the same racial background helps children break?down racial stereotypes and socialize without fears of being met by ignorance or racism.

So, if you are thinking of growing a multicultural family, I encourage you to consider what it would take to open your home to two or three children.

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