Success stories from foster carers of colour

In the UK, Black and mixed race children make up 17% of children in care (as of 2024). One of the challenges in the foster care system is matching children of colour with carers of a similar or shared racial/cultural background.

Since there is a lack of foster carers of colour, children from non-white backgrounds are often placed with white families, which can create issues regarding things like food, haircare and religious practices. Nonetheless, there are several testimonies from foster parents of colour available, as reported by sources such as the BBC.

Hannah Ikhlas

Hannah, who is a Muslim, lives in Manchester and became a foster parent after her children left home. She considers the endeavour to have changed her life, having ‘learned so much’, and cites her local authority for helping her overcome challenges such as balancing foster caring with a full-time job.

Claudia

Ghanaian-born Claudia has fostered children for over a decade. Having also been fostered, she understands the importance of children of colour being placed with carers of the same background, ensuring that their cultures are ‘respected’ and ‘celebrated’.

Claudia also advocates for more people of colour to consider fostering, as well as recruitment of social workers from non-white groups.

Ingrid

A Black foster carer, Ingrid once experienced first-hand looking after a child from a different background. In her case, she was fostering a Muslim boy from Afghanistan. While she ensured she met his needs and asked Muslim neighbours for tips and advice, the boy asked to live with a Muslim family. For Ingrid, this shows how important it is for a child to have carers who they are ‘culturally close’ to.