BBC News - Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines

BBC News - Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines

White couples should be allowed to adopt black and ethnic minority children under new guidelines for social workers in England.

"I have two Mexican children as we couldn't adopt within this country.

"We wanted to adopt and we knew that there were thousands of children in the UK who are looking for a permanent, stable home, so we rang up the council to apply for adoption and we were denied the possibility to even apply to adopt because we were white"

"It's absolutely bonkers. Why should the colour of someone's skin, or their eye colour, or their hair colour, be a barrier to having a loving family?

"I would feel it would be ridiculous if I was wearing tribal African gear while walking around Teddington.

Adoption 'could cut cultural differences'

'Growing up in an alien environment'

Ethiopian poet, playwright and author Lemn Sissay, 39, was raised by a white family in the north of England. Here he tells how his life often felt like an experiment. People will often say, love is all you need. But that is not true. Love without understanding is a dangerous thing. Click here to read Lemn Sissay's poem Gold from the stone Visit Lemn Sissay's website  I didn't have an afro comb until I was nine years old. My mother used to comb my hair with a metal comb that tore my head. When I was about nine, my parents took me to the doctor because they couldn't understand why my knees were grey. I didn't have an afro comb until I was nine years old. My mother used to comb my hair with a metal comb that tore my head. When I was about nine, my parents took me to the doctor because they couldn't understand why my knees were grey.