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We have gone into reverse adoption discrimination
• I FEEL saddened to read and experience that we have gone into reverse discrimination.
I am surprised that the letters of Anne Turner (Placing children for adoption is complex, June 12) and Helen Martyn do not mention that if you are a white couple you practically have no chance to adopt a baby or toddler in the Camden borough as most children on the list for adoption are black or of mixed ethnicity and they do not want to place these children with a white family due to “ethnic values, possible difficulty to integrate, racism issues, etc”.
It seems that the council deems it preferable to keep these children in foster care until they feel they can “match” them with the right colour parents.
Do they not know that the first two years of a child’s life are crucial in terms of bond and attachment?
Do they not know that the first seven years are most crucial in terms of behavioural and social aspects?
Do they not know that parenting a child is a continuous, challenging and a long process?
Do they not feel that many transfers in such a small child’s life can affect him/her much more than a loving family of not the same colouring?
Having had the initial telephone conversations with Camden borough, among others, about adoption I felt patronised, belittled and told in words that we do not have much chance to adopt a baby or a toddler.
All this because we are a white couple looking to give a family to a child who I suspect needs to be cared for and loved as soon as possible.
Is it really right to hold a child in the care system in the name of colour?
I am sure there are very few babies and toddlers for adoption in this country and I suspect that is because the various lengthy bureaucratic procedures these children have to go through will bring them into late toddlerhood before they can find stability, if that is possible at that stage.
Is this really a service “for” children?
I must add that I am aware of a foster family in the Camden borough who tried to adopt their foster child (same colour!) and even then it was a very unsure and long process and that in the name of “equal opportunity” as there were other families looking for a child with the same description as theirs!
Is this really a service “for” children?
NAME AND ADDRESS supplied
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