her ethnic heritage should prevail in all services and placement actions that involve children in foster care and adoption programs (NASW 2000). This statement was made to ensure that we do not lose the importance of our children?s heritage. However, it also states that ?Barriers that are unsupported by tested experience, such as resistance to using single parents, foster parents (for adoption), and nontraditional family patterns. (NASW 2000)?. The relevant policies also states ?The recruitment of and placement with adoptive parents from each relevant ethnic or racial group should be available to meet the needs of children (NASW 2000).? This is geared more towards preventing racism against the adoptive parents. For instance, and African American adoptive parent is just as capable as a Caucasian or Asian in raising a child. There are many laws that are in place to protect adoptive children and their families as well. One of these laws is the Howard M. Metzenbaum Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994, herein referred to as MEPA. MEPA prohibits an agency or entity that receives Federal assistance and is involved in adoptive or foster care placements from delaying or denying the placement of a child on the basis of race, color or national origin of the adoptive or foster parent, or the child involved. In addition to this, in 1996 congress amended MEPA, with the Interethnic Adoption Provisions (IEP). IEP prohibits agencies from denying or delaying a child?s placement solely because of race or national origin. The provisions included removing misleading terminology. It was changed to ?discrimination is not to be tolerated?; this new terminology strengthens the enforcement of procedures. MEPA and its IEP also have some very specific intentions. First, its intention is to decrease the length of time that a child waits to be adopted. It is also meant to facilitate the recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive parents that can m...
