All children deserve to grow up in loving and nurturing families.  Love is just the beginning for transracial families.  Children in transracial homes need to have their racial and cultural connections preserved and strengthened.  This is their right. This is the foundation of their identity in the world.  So what can foster and adoptive parents do to make this happen?

If you’re overwhelmed or intimidated by this question, you are not alone. IFAPA has

 recognized the need for a Cultural Connections Program that will assist you in not only identifying your child’s cultural and racial needs, but also help you navigate a path toward helping your children strengthen their cultural roots and their cultural identity.

Through Cultural Liaisons, publications and trainings, IFAPA is striving to help transracial families map a plan for success in their homes; a plan that will allow children to know and relate to people who look like them and share their same culture; a plan that will allow children to engage with their cultural community in a variety of ways --- from church to school to community activities; and a plan that will allow parents to ask questions about a process that may require them to navigate a new path in their lives that will enrich the lives of their children.

IFAPA Cultural Liaisons recognize the layers of complexity around issues of race and culture.  Their goal is to help you to feel comfortable in sharing your successes and your questions about the process of raising children in a transracial home, so that the children in your home can have a strong and healthy cultural identity.  Sometimes we just don’t know what we don’t know.  Having somebody to guide us in an area of unfamiliarity is helpful.

Here are some questions to ask yourself about the children in your home:

• How do I care for my child’s skin and hair?

• How do I address racist remarks made toward my child?

• What if my child is internalizing racist remarks, rather than externalizing them as another’s ignorance?

• How can I help him/her form a healthy cultural identity?

• What can I tell my child about their cultural history?

• What ethnic celebrations can I continue for them in my home?

• What ethnic food dishes can I fix for them on a regular basis?

• What activities are held in my community that celebrate culture?

• What churches can help my child build relationships with people of his/her culture?

• What does my child need from me?

View IFAPA's Cultural Connections brochure

To request a copy or copies of this brochure, e-mail Crystal Thomason at cthomason@ifapa.org.

Training Opportunity for Parents:

IFAPA offers a variety of continuing education to foster and adoptive parents.  People of Color: Skin and Hair Care with a Familiar Twist is a fun and lively opportunity to learn the care of hair and skin for children of color, along with health issues that are of importance to specific cultures.  This class will provide a hands-on learning opportunity, including demonstrations.  Internet resources are provided to learn more about specific cultural practices.  There will be skin care and hair care products available to purchase.  IFAPA  offers this six-hour training around the state, click here to find upcoming dates for People of Color Skin and Hair Care with a Familiar Twist.

**The Cultural Connections Project is funded by the United Way of Central Iowa and

Polk County Decategorization.**