The strengths which black families bring to substitute parenting have rarely been explored in detail in British social work research literature. A recent study on the permanent placement of black children in substitute families provided the opportunity to interview a number of black foster carers. Stephen Parvez Rashid reports on six black foster carers and identifies their strengths in helping the children in their care to settle in their new families, deal with issues of racism and identity and retain contact with their birth families. He concludes with a brief account of the foster carers' support networks and their evaluation of their efforts to provide sustained care for the children.
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