[WiLT] The Impact of Slavery on Current Day Parenting of Black and Minority Ethnic Adopted Children

[WiL Admin]

The Impact of Slavery on Current Day Parenting of Black and Minority
Ethnic Adopted Children

As far as we are aware, this conference will be the first in the UK to
offer an arena for understanding the impact that the legacy of slavery
has had, and continues to have, on the psychological development of
Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) children, and in particular BME
adopted children.

The conference is a crystallisation and extension of the learning that
the Post-Adoption Centre (PAC) has developed in providing specialist
services to BME adoptive and foster families.

Key themes for discussion will include:
. Internalisation of trauma and oppression
. Immigration and separation
. Generational transmission and its relevance for parent-child
attachment
. Supporting BME adoptive parents and their children

The conference is aimed both at professionals, including therapists,
counsellors, social workers and others supporting BME families, as
well as adoptive and foster parents, adults affected by adoption and
other parties to adoption and fostering.

Aileen Alleyne will set the scene on Friday evening with an opening
address discussing the influence of 'the internal oppressor' on the
black community. Aileen will also be providing one of six workshops on
offer on Saturday afternoon, in which conference delegates will be
able to discuss the key themes of the presentations more fully.

The wine reception following Aileen's address will include the launch
of PAC's training resource pack 'Supporting black and minority ethnic
adopted children: attachment and race'. The pack provides a
comprehensive training programme for professionals working with BME
adoptive families, and can also be used as the basis for staff
training. PAC is delighted to welcome Professor The Baroness Lola
Young of Hornsey OBE as host for Friday evening.

Monica Duck, departing Director of PAC, will chair the second, and
main, day of the conference, where our three keynote presenters are
Paul Renn, Elaine Arnold and Lennox Thomas. Paul will focus on various
aspects of attachment, acknowledging the historical legacy of slavery
and the ongoing socio-cultural reality of racial discrimination. Paul
will also facilitate one of the afternoon's workshops. Elaine will
address questions around the internalisation of historical pasts and
the impact this has on parenting. Finally, Lennox will address the
impact that slavery has had on African Caribbean men as parents, and
in his workshop will further explore the marginalised black man as
partner and father.

In addition to the workshops outlined above:
. Nick Banks will consider the effects of slavery on the African
family model and the consequences of intergenerationally transmitted
stress for the parenting of children of African-American /
African-Caribbean origin;
. Michael Mallows will offer practical techniques for adoptive parents
of BME teenagers;
. Jan Lord, Marcia Spencer and Sylvia Barker of Talawa will explore
parental messages about identity.

Following the workshops there will be an opportunity for delegates to
discuss a series of questions arising from the themes of the
conference in groups. Delegates will come together for a final summary
by the conference chair.

We end on Saturday evening with a reception for Monica Duck, hosted by
Professor Lord Meghnad Desai. Monica has served PAC as Director for 10
years, and this will be an opportunity to acknowledge her contribution
to the development of ethnically sensitive adoption support services
and to wish her well in her future private practice. Ambience will be
provided by classical quartet Ebony Strings.

We look forward to welcoming you to LSE in February.
. Dates Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd February 2008
. Times Friday 6.00 -10.00pm Saturday 9.00am -8.30pm
. Venue London School of Economics (LSE) Houghton Street, London WC2A

Conference Fees
. Whole conference .£110
. Friday night only ... .£40
. Saturday only .........£90

Student and OAP Concession:
. Whole conference ...£80
. Friday night only .... £20
. Saturday only .........£70

Student concession available to unsalaried and full-time students
only. Please send student or OAP ID with your booking form

See attached booking form and programme.
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