Nationwide, the term "transracial adoption" generally refers to the placement of children of a different color or children from another country with adoptive parents of another race white. The number of young white children in the United States has declined in recent years and some adoption agencies have white children but do not accept singles or applicants over 40 (Transracial and Transcultural Adoption) . Some prospective adoptive parents feel very connected to a specific cultural race because of their ancestry or personal experience from their past, such as travel or military service. Others simply enjoy reaching out to children in need, no matter where they come from. Adoption experts have a slightly different opinion on this type of adoption. There is strong evidence that children can benefit and thrive in a transracial adoption situation. Some say that children offered for adoption should always be placed in a family with at least one parent of the same race or culture as the child, so that the child can develop a strong racial or cultural identity. There are other adoption experts who argue that race should not be considered at all when selecting a family for a child (transracial and transcultural adoption). For them, all that matters is a loving family that can meet the needs of a specific child. It is very important to be prepared for transracial adoptions because it will introduce you to all types of aspects of adoptive parenting and help you learn more about adoption issues. Transracial adoption is the legal adoption of children of one race or ethnic group by a family that is of a different race or ethnic group by a family that is of a different race.. .... middle of paper ......al Adoptions. "Adoption History: Transracial Adoptions. Department of History, University of Oregon, February 24, 2012. Web. April 9, 2014. Hollingsworth, Leslie D. "Symbolic Interactionism, African American Families, and the Adoption Controversy transracial", September 1999. Web, April 8, 2014. "In Adoption, Does Race. Matter?" The Donaldson Adoption Institute. The New York Times, February 2, 2014. Web. April 7, 2014. "The Parenting Dilemmas Of Transracial Adoption." NPR. NPR, May 11, 2011. Web. April 8, 2014. Staff, NPR. “Growing up “white,” transracial adoptee learned to be black” NPR, January 26, 2014. Web, April 9, 2014. “Transracial and Transcultural Adoption,” nd Web, April 8, 2014. , Elizabeth M. “Cultural Competence for Transracial Adoptive Parents,” July 2001. Web April 8.. 2014.