In the 1960s, there was a substantial increase in the numbers of children of racial-ethnic minority groups adopted by White couples for numerous reasons [11]. First, there was a small number of healthy White infants who were available for adoption. Second, White couples were expressing an altruistic desire to offer permanent homes to children who would otherwise grow up in foster care. Last, White families intended to reduce racism and prejudice by integrating children of color into their own families – this is controversial due to parents’ self-interest but was the case at the time.

 

In the 1970s, professional groups began to question the ability of White parents to prepare transracially adopted children for growing up in a racially charged world [5]. The National Association of Black Social Workers fought for proper racial socialization of Black children saying “only a black family can transmit the emotional and sensitive subtleties of perceptions and reactions essential for a black child’s survival in a racist society” and that “black children in white homes are cut off from the healthy development of themselves as black people” [11]. Advocates for transracial adoption fought back with claims that children benefit more from being in homes with families who love them than the alternatives (e.g. foster care, group home). They also accused agencies of discriminating by holding out until same-race parents became available for an adoptive placement. In response to the controversy, federal policies were passed that considered potential adoptive parents' “capacity and commitment” to providing the child with proper racial socialization and cultural experiences.