Date of Award

1994

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

Abstract

It is documented that many Blacks are overlooked as viable resources by adoption agencies for the many Block children needing families. The African American Adoption Project (AAAP) worked cooperatively with four private adoption agencies for the adoptive placement of twenty-five Black infants. This research analyzed the impact of AAAP's services to Block infants, birth families, adoptive families and to the four private adoption agencies. Due to the secrecy and confidentiality surrounding the subject of adoption, unobtrusive strategies were developed to analyze AAAP's qualitative impact. This study revealed that through AAAP, on average, Black infants waited much shorter for adoptive homes, birth parents had a greater choice of adoptive families from which to select, Black adoptive parents had barriers eliminated from the adoption process and the private agencies were more effectively and efficiently able to serve Black adoptions but absorbed greater financial costs for participating with the AAAP collaborative.

Identifier

SC 11.MSW.1994.Strother.HM

Included in

Social Work Commons

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