BRAC²eD Model: an approach to de-bias decision-making in adoption assessments with prospective adopters from minoritized ethnic groups

Cultural misunderstanding, systemic barriers, restrictive policies, inconsistent and subjective views around standards and requirements have prevented families from a minoritized ethnic background from successfully adopting. Such barriers have led to reluctance and a lack of trust in the adoption system. In this paper, I argue that these barriers arise from cognitive bias that affects decision-making in adoption. The BRAC²eD model for debiasing is introduced to support adoption assessments of individuals and families from minoritized ethnic groups. BRAC²eD recognizes that the process of assessing prospective adopters is complex and offers strategies to debias. In this model, social workers are encouraged to acknowledge the existence of bias, engage in debiasing nudges, internal conversations and reflexive processes that support challenging bias, the utilization of cognitive resources towards debiasing, and change and determine proportionate decisions. The contention for appropriate language around Black, Asian, Mixed heritage and Other minoritized groups is acknowledged. The author uses ‘minoritized ethnic groups’ as a preferred term based on her own identity, however appreciates that those referred to may have their own preferred terms. With that in mind, social workers must understand the cultural and sub-cultural differences and preferences without homogenizing the people they work with.