Black emphasis scheme

‘We use the word Black in a political sense and it is used to unite people from an African, Asian, African/Caribbean heritage. It includes people from a Mixed Parentage background. The term Minority Ethnic is used to include anyone who identifies themselves other than White British.’

It has long been known that black/minority ethnic children are over represented in the ‘Looked After Children’ system. It is also acknowledged that support services sensitive to the cultural needs of these children and their families are a very scarce resource. Barnardo's Black Emphasis Scheme was developed in 1997 in order to provide such a resource within the North East region.

The Black Emphasis scheme provides a range of support services sensitive to the cultural needs of black/minority ethnic children and young people. This includes the provision of approved adopters and foster carers as well as assessment, advocacy support and consultancy services to black/minority ethnic children and families and social work teams.

There are many Black, Asian, Mixed Parentage and Minority Ethnic children in the care system. Many of these children will have suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse and may not have a positive sense of their own identity or their ethnic origins.

Black, Asian, Mixed Parentage and Minority Ethnic families are best able to meet the needs of these particular children and can help them to deal with the negative attitudes they face.

'A people without knowledge of their own history is like a tree without roots,' Marcus Garvey

As an adopter/foster carer with Barnardo's you could help these children to become strong, confident and productive adults who are proud of themselves and their origins.

About you

Adopters and foster carers come from all walks of life and we are seeking to recruit people who have a variety of life experiences. This includes:

Couples, married or unmarried and single people.
Experienced parents and those without children.
Those who are working and those on benefits.

What are the children like?

The children come from all walks of life and from a variety of backgrounds. For various reasons they cannot be cared for by their birth families.
They are aged between 0 – 11 years old.
Children with physical and/or learning disabilities.
Brothers and/or sisters needing placements together.

Support to Carers

We will help you to develop skills and understanding to meet the needs of children who require adoption and fostering.
You will offer a safe and secure environment for a child or children.
You will provide children with knowledge and experience of their culture by providing the family based experience they need.
You will enable children to develop positive experiences of their religion, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

What you can expect from the Black Emphasis Scheme

Black workers will offer support and guidance regarding all issues involved in adoption and fostering.
We will provide you with specialist training before and after placement.
Fostering will offer you a valuable opportunity to work at home with an income recognising the job undertaken.
Information of current payments to foster carers will be provided during the initial contact/visit.
Adoption allowances may be available in some instances.
Black Emphasis workers are able to work with you in your own home.

We believe that the excellent support we are able to provide will increase the chances of successful placements.

For more information about adoption and fostering with Black Emphasis, simply call us at our office on 0191 2404814 and we will arrange to have a chat with you and come and meet you in your home. There is no obligation to proceed further unless you want to. You will find us very helpful and understanding. A phone call is all it takes.