What is DEI and why does it matter?

This means creating a culture of continuous learning and improvement, where our people, programs, and supports reflect and address the needs of educators, the diverse communities we serve, and those we hope to serve. “This focus on DEI is essential to realizing our vision of a more just and peaceful world, one where every child can thrive.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Committee for Children

Race Equity Resource Library: Bibliography

Children’s Bureau Advancing Equity and Inclusion Through the Child and Family Services Reviews

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Audio Nugget: Empathy is the Pathway to Healing

The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The Casey Foundation centers racial and ethnic equity and inclusion practices across all areas of its work to ensure all young people in and transitioning from foster care experience equitable outcomes. Learn about how the Foundation builds capacity to advance racial and ethnic equity and inclusion.

Featured Resources

Conversation Guides
The Casey Foundation has developed a set of four guides with meeting materials for leaders to hold facilitated conversations about dismantling racism within systems that affect young people:

1. Understanding the Basics - Introduces concepts and terms that are relevant to advancing equity and inclusion.
2. Discovering Self - Supports a strengths-based exploration of identity development.
3. Digging Deep - Reviews 400 years of child welfare and juvenile justice systems in the United States.
4. Sharing Power - Gives an overview of youth organizing in the United States.

Race Equity and Inclusion Action Guide
This guide provides a clear frame¬work for under¬tak¬ing the impor¬tant work of incor¬po¬rat¬ing race equi¬ty and inclu¬sion at every stage of work.

Blending Cultures

How To Support Your Foster Child’s Culture When It’s Different From Yours | Washington Fosters Blog

Here are six ways you can more practically support your child as a transracial foster parent:

1. Talk to the Child’s Parents
   A child’s parents will know the most about the things that make their child comfortable and loved. If possible take some time to talk to them, listen to what they have to say, and consider how to adjust your approach based on what you learned in the conversation.
2. Have an Honest Conversation
   As we all know, parenting involves a steady dose of listening and humility. If your foster child is old enough, it might be a good idea to sit down and have an honest conversation about what’s different at your home from their culture. This conversation may yield some simple things that you can change that will help your child feel more comfortable and at home.
3. Research Traditions & Holidays
   Take some time to do some research on the traditions and holidays of your foster child’s cultures. If you can in some way replicate the experience around each of these things that they had with their family or community, you will provide a source of comfort and familiarity to them in the unfamiliar world they are now living in.
4. Make Sure Your Foster Child Is Able to Spend Time with People Like Them
   One of the best ways to provide stability to your foster child is to make sure they can spend time with people like them. This might mean researching school districts, after-school activities, and more that will allow them to interact with children and adults like them. This means, in a practical way, that you need to be comfortable with being in the minority for the sake of your foster child. For example, if you are fostering a Native American child, you might consider researching ceremonies and activities held by their tribe so that they can attend and participate in them.
5. Check Your Biases
   As we talked about above, we all have cultural biases that impact how we look at the world. As you go through your day, try to question those biases at each turn. Ask yourself: “How is my cultural background influencing how I’m approaching this situation?” Awareness is the first step to understanding.
6. Get Outside Help
   Remember that you don’t have to be in this alone. The child placement agency likely either has resources in-house that can help you or knows of other qualified organizations that can help. Reach out to them early and often. They’re committed to help because they’re just as committed as you are to the growth of the foster child in your care.

Resources

6 Ways To Incorporate Culture & Diversity Into Child Care That Are So Important | Romper

7 Tips to Help Foster Children Manage their Separation Stress - Acenda

8 Ways to Honor Diverse Family Structures in the ECE Classroom | Rasmussen University

10 Ways to Help Your Adopted Child Maintain a Cultural Connection | ESME

Cultural Competence Training for Foster and Adoptive Parents | Spaulding for Children

Equity and Inclusion | The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Equity in Action | Administration for Children & Families

Mining for Gold Community

Race Equity | Casey Family Programs

Race Equity Resources | Child Welfare Information Gateway

Understanding Racial Trauma and Institutional Racism to Improve Cultural Responsiveness, Race Equity, and Implicit Bias in Child Welfare Cases | Family First Act.org

Video: The Path to Racial Equity in Child Welfare | Alliance for Children’s Rights