Hair Love in Texas

We originally shared this story in 2020 and wanted to refresh it for you because it's a great example of how PCHAS families and staff are constantly striving to learn and grow. We are committed to honoring kids' cultures and heritage and providing them with the very best care. We hope it inspires you as much as it encourages us.

Cornrows.  

Box braids.  

Puff Cuffs and headwraps.  

PCHAS foster and adoptive parents have become familiar with these terms at a recent workshop created by two members of the PCHAS staff aimed at empowering those who are parenting transracially and the children they love.  

Leah Gilliam was a PCHAS foster care and adoption program director in 2020. She shared about the importance of the topic: “Our kids face a lot trauma and loss, and meeting their cultural needs is one way to make sure they feel seen, heard and valued. Our foster parents are learning about hair and skin care because this speaks to meeting the needs of the whole child. Taking the time to learn this speaks worth into children. It speaks directly to their preciousness. Our team at PCHAS put this together because they are committed to speaking preciousness into not only our kids, but our families.” 

“It is definitely a workshop, not a lecture,” says Geralda Dukuly. “There is a lot of hands-on practice. Parents can bring children with them or practice on a mannequin head.”   

Dukuly is a foster care and adoption case manager supervisor with more than ten years of experience at PCHAS. She helped design the three-hour session with Bliss Williams, another foster care and adoption program director at PCHAS. As African-American women, they found themselves educating foster parents about when to shampoo a child’s hair and what sort of conditioner to use. “Little things can mean a lot,” Williams says. “It’s important for foster parents to feel comfortable managing the hair of the children in their home. The kids experience so much fear and uncertainty that it’s reassuring to feel cared for in every aspect.  We aim to teach parents how to help their child embrace and enjoy their natural hair as well as learn to have confidence in loving and accepting all parts of their identity.”    

PCHAS provides foster parents with Cultural Competency Training at least once a year. This one is specifically for those parenting transracially who want to learn how to care for and style their child’s textured hair. It introduces technical and creative aspects of braiding, styling and grooming hair that is naturally curly, kinky or multi-textured. Dukuly and Williams also discuss skin care with the families.  Families praised the class as one of their favorites and are eager to continue learning.

If you are interested in learning more about fostering or adopting, PCHAS wants to connect! Contact a Foster Care & Adoption Guide at fosteradopt@pchas.org or Join an Online Info Session to learn more.