How do transracial adoptees develop a racial identity? How can parents help their transracially adopted children grow into strong heathy adults? In this course, we interview Dr. Gina Samuels about how transracial adoptees navigate race as they age.

This course covers the following topics:

  • All types of transracial adoption: white parents adopting children of color, as well as people of color adopting children of different ethnicities.
  • How typical kids of all races develop an awareness of race.
  • How old are kids when they notice race?
  • How old are kids when they realize that they are a different race than their parents?
  • How do young children internalize this difference?
  • How does racial awareness and identity differ for a child being raised by a family of another race?
  • Does racial identity and awareness differ if you are of the majority race or minority race? White people often say that they are not aware of their race or don’t identify with any race.
  • At what point do kids begin to understand the subtler forms of discrimination such as white privilege and institutional racism? What do we mean by these terms?
  • What should adoptive parents do to help their child with white privilege?
  • How should parents handle their black daughter who prefers to play with white dolls?
  • What are some of the particular challenges for kids in transracial adoptive families in navigating race?
  • Things for white parents to be aware of (that they may not be aware of because they have not personally experienced it):
    • Black children are perceived as older than they are. How does this impact kids?
    • The fetishized attraction of some white men to Asian girls and women.
  • What are some of the advantages to the child of being adopted transracially?
  • How can parents help prepare their children of color to interact with law enforcement or other authority figures?
  • Are we making our kids more aware of racism and making them paranoid by talking about racism with them?
  • What is evidence of a confused or unhealthy racial identity?
  • How to get our kids to talk about race with us?
  • Tips for transracial parenting.


*This course includes a 1-hour conversational audio lesson, a 10-question quiz, and a certificate of completion with the successful completion of the quiz at 80%. 

Your course will remain active for 180 days from purchase date.

This course aligns with the following regulatory requirements.

Hague Treaty on Intercountry Adoption*

 96.38 (b)(9)

 96.48 (b)(7)

 96.48 (c)




*Important Information for agencies on Hague Training Requirements 


Virginia Compliance

22VAC40-131-210.A.17 


*Important Information for agencies on Virginia core competencies.


Nebraska Licensing Requirement 005.16(D)(i)(6)

*Important Information for agencies on Nebraska Adoption Requirements.

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