MARE recognizes that systemic racism in the United States has resulted in over-representation of children of color in the foster care system, longer waits for their permanent placement in loving adoptive homes, and higher rates of aging out of foster care without permanency. Among other things, systemic racism has led to higher rates of state removal of children from their biological families, barriers to entry into the adoption process for families of color, and an understandable lack of trust within communities of color toward state child welfare agencies.
MARE is committed to pursuing policies, practices, and strategies that address the inequities that children of color in the foster care system face. We adamantly believe that every child deserves a permanent family and that no child should age out of foster care without the love, connection, and support that comes from permanency. To that end, we are reexamining our role, reprioritizing our work, and exploring ways to close the permanency gap and increase the rate of permanent placements for children of color in Massachusetts.
Specifically, we are recommitted to:
- Increasing the rate of adoption for children of color
- Making every effort to facilitate the placement of children of color with parents who are advocates for the child’s positive racial and cultural identity and who will provide ongoing opportunities for the children to experience and maintain their connection to their own culture
- Utilizing community networks to recruit adoptive families of color and enhancing our relationships with community-based organizations within communities of color
- Committing resources and targeted efforts to recruit families of color into the foster care adoption process
- Providing support, education, and resources to prospective adoptive families during the adoption process, recognizing the unique needs of families considering transracial adoption in creating meaningful cultural connections for children of color
- Providing intensive, individualized recruitment services for children of color to decrease the amount of time they wait for permanency
