What We Believe

What we BELIEVE at The Black Care Experience

It is our belief that every Black Child and Young Person within the Children’s Social Care System should remain connected to their Culture, Identity, and Heritage. This connection will foster a sense of belonging and contribute to enhancing their outcomes and life opportunities.
Black we define as a Child and Young Person whose Ethnic Origin is either African, Caribbean including Mixed Race with African or Caribbean Heritage.
The Care Experience, we define as being in Foster Care or in a Residential Children's Home.

  • We believe that all individuals working within the Children’s Social Care Sector, as our Corporate Parents, should participate in training to develop a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively raise Black Children and Young People in their Care.

  • We believe that organisations, commissioned to work directly with Children and Young People in Care, must engage in training to gain an understanding of what it means to be Black and In Care.

  • We believe that all Carers within Children’s Social Care (Foster Care and Residential Care), must engage in training to develop a comprehensive understanding of how to raise Black Children and Young People, before Black Children and Young People are placed in their Care.

  • We believe that all Carers of Black Children and Young People in Foster Care and Residential Care must participate in regular training to maintain and update their understanding of the experiences of being Black and In Care.

  • We believe that Cultural Competence is not a training course, it is a lifestyle.

  • We believe that a Cultural Match is where a Black Child or Young Person is placed with Foster Carers who have the same ethnicity as the Black Child or Young Person.

  • We believe that being placed in Cross Cultural Foster Care is where a Black Child or Young Person is placed with a Foster Carer who is Black but does not have the same ethnicity as the Black Child or Young Person.

  • We believe that being placed in Biracial Foster Care is where a Black Child or Young Person is placed with Foster Carers who have different ethnicities that do not match the ethnicity of the Black Child or Young Person in their Care.

  • We believe that Transracial Foster Care is where a Black Child or Young Person is placed with Foster Carers who do not have the same ethnicity as the Black Child or Young Person in their Care.

  • We believe that tailored Care Plans must be agreed and in place to meet and promote the needs of the Black Child and Young Person, before they are placed with Foster Carers or in Residential Care.

  • We believe that Black Children and Young People must have access to Hair Care Professionals who can recommend appropriate hair products and hair styles after assessing the health of their hair and scalp.

  • We believe that all Carers of Black Children and Young People in Foster Care and Residential Care, must proactively seek and make strong positives connections to the Black Community to help them raise the Black Child and Young Person in their Care.

  • We believe that connecting the Black Child and Young Person to positive Black role models, will help to inspire them to believe and see that their aspirations are achievable.

  • We believe that safe spaces, must be created for Black Children and Young People to openly share their truth about how they are experiencing the Care System.

We believe that our beliefs in action will help to keep Black Children and Young People connected to their Culture, Identity, and Heritage to foster a sense of belonging and contribute to enhancing their outcomes and life opportunities.