Champions of Change: A collective effort to disrupt racial inequalities in adoption

There is a higher proportion of Black children in care relative to their population size. Specifically, in March 2023, Black children made up 7% of looked-after children, while Asian children constituted 5%. Black children represented only 2% of those adopted, and Asian children accounted for 1% of adoptions. Both groups are underrepresented in adoption outcomes. Black children are particularly noted for waiting longer for adoption placements compared to their white counterparts. My research suggests ongoing concerns about race trauma affecting transracially adopted people. It is also evident that AFDiT and AFDiTing, is intended to support all ethnic minority children, including Eastern European and Roma Gypsy children whose numbers increased with 600 children in the care system only in 2023. The framework supports thinking around transethnic, transcultural and indeed transracial fostering and adoption.

The AFDiT Framework

At the heart of the Champions event was the Antiracist Framework for Decision-making in Transitioning Children from Minoritised Racial and Ethnic Groups into Transracial Adoptive Families (AFDiT). This ground-breaking initiative, founded by Tam and developed in collaboration with a team of adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and social workers (see more: https://transracialadoptionframework.uk/). The research, initially funded by the British Academy and Adoption England aims to improve positive identity outcomes for children in transracial adoption. The AFDiT framework equips social workers with tools to understand and address the identity needs of minoritised ethnic children. It encourages a holistic consideration of the long-term implications of racial identity and guides practitioners to remove bias in decision-making. Importantly, it integrates into various stages of the adoption process, from permanency planning to adopter support.

Moments of Profound Impact

The day was characterised by raw honesty, deep emotional intelligence, and a collective commitment to systemic change. Voices of lived experience - particularly those of Joseph, Ezile and Andrea - cut through theoretical discussions, providing nuanced insights that could only come from personal journeys. The event showcased inspiring case studies of AFDiT implementation, championing, and impact tracking across adoption processes and the way prospective adopters better consider what children in transracial adoption need. The racial and cultural consciousness tool, was deemed a good way to assess a shift in adoptive parents’ intentionality and consciousness. Key contributors included Hellan-Timothy James, Adoption Manager, who named this year's awards with a passion decolonisation, Naomi Groves and Laura Poxon from Adoption East Midlands; and Margaret Fearon Stanley from Parents and Children Together, UK (PACT, UK). Their experiences highlighted the practical application and positive outcomes of the AFDiT framework in various adoption contexts.

Why This Matters

In a field often dominated by systemic injustice, bureaucratic processes, the Champions event demonstrated that true transformation happens when we listen, truly listen, to those most affected by our systems. The champions gathered today are not just professionals, but architects of change and they are committed to support change around adoption practice and ethnic minority children.

AFDiT Champions Award

The AFDiT Champions Award is a recognition for the hard work of champions across Adoption England and the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies, a task that comes with commitment and no additional renumeration hence the awards scheme recognises hard work, commitment and champions efforts in disrupting systemic injustice. The 2025 awards for Naomi Groves, Adopt East Midlands and Margaret Fearon Stanley, PACT UK, symbolised more than individual achievement. The awards system represents a collective movement towards more humane, culturally responsive adoption practices. AFDiT is not just transforming adoption practices; it is shifting thinking about transracial placements and adoptions across the entire spectrum of children's services, including fostering, adoption, and post-adoption support. This comprehensive approach ensures that the framework's principles are applied consistently throughout a child's journey.

Number of Current Trained Champions

The impact of AFDiT is evident in its growing adoption across England. Currently, there are approximately 53 trained champions across Regional Adoption Services and the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (43 trained at the Champions launch and 12 who co-created AFDiT and named on the framework to acknowledge their commitment and contributions alongside experts by experience. Thank you. The widespread implementation of AFDiT underscores AFDiT's recognition as a formal and national framework. It now plays a crucial role in supporting thinking, assessments, and decision-making around identity, ethnic and cultural needs, and the support requirements of minoritised ethnic children in the adoption process. With the commitment, and energy around cultural and racial justice, we hope to see a future where every adopted child's identity, culture, and humanity are not just acknowledged, but celebrated. We want to see transracial adoption that no longer results in trauma and epistemic trauma. The AFDiT framework, championed by these dedicated professionals, stands as a beacon for positive change in transracial adoption practices across the UK.

The event saw some powerful storytelling from transracial adoptees and parents, recognition of champions through the Luther King and Mandela Awards, and a commitment to centring the experiences of minoritised ethnic children. There were robust discussions about cultural socialisation and ways to ‘blend difference’ through consciousness and intentionality; as well as shared commitment between Adoption England and Regional Adoption Agencies and the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption services represented by Ruby, Antoine and Satwinder Sandhu.

A Reflection on Balancing Race Trauma and Childhood Trauma
Transracial adoption presents a range of challenges that foster/adoptive parents must navigate, particularly when it comes to balancing cultural identity with emotional and psychological wellbeing. One of the primary concerns in transracial placements is ensuring that the racial and cultural needs of children are met while also addressing their individual emotional needs, especially when they have experienced trauma.

Children in transracial adoption may face significant emotional dysregulation and behavioural issues, often linked to their experiences of loss, separation, and the complexities of maintaining contact with their birth families. These challenges can be exacerbated by systemic barriers, such as delays in the adoption itself or accessing mental health services. For children already struggling with race trauma and dysregulated due to consistent placement moved with foster carers without adequate skills around ethnic and cultural socialisation, alongside trauma related to adverse childhood experiences, therapeutic services may be inaccessible until a permanence is secured before offering support. This leaves children without appropriate and necessary resources during critical periods of adjustment.

The adoption support fund remains inaccessible, making it much more challenging for those already affected by systemic racial injustice, making it difficult for children cope or achieve better outcomes through early remedial support. Hence, there is a need for mental health services to be responsive to the unique situations faced by transracial adoptees, particularly for those in transitional phases of care.

The tension between managing the child’s cultural identity and addressing their immediate psychological needs require a balanced approach that considers both aspects equally. The AFDiT research found that, adoptive parents require adequate knowledge and tools to nurture a child's cultural identity while also providing robust psychological support. This dual focus is crucial for fostering resilience and promoting overall well-being. Holistic approaches are needed—ones that integrate cultural identity development with mental health support for transracial adoptees. The interplay between cultural heritage, emotional wellbeing, and systemic barriers presents a multifaceted landscape that demands comprehensive strategies to improve outcomes for transracially adopted children and their families.

By addressing these areas, practitioners including mental health practitioners, can contribute to offer a more supportive environment that fosters healthy identity development and emotional resilience in all children placed in transracial contexts.