Black Boys in Care

Clynton is one of many black boys in care whose needs have never been fully met. When he first came into care he was placed for adoption by a worker who was determined his ethnic needs should be given priority over his wider need to be claimed by loving parents. Born and raised on the Moor Estate, he identified with that culture however his worker believed he should learn about his west African heritage despite neither he nor his deceased mother having ever visited, let alone lived there. As placement after placement failed he became a drifter both within the care and educational systems suffering from chronic low self-esteem compounded each time another foster placement broke down. His last social worker thought he should be shifted to a children's unit should he force another placement ending. His situation raises a number of ethical issues discussed in the link below.