Parents of transracial adoptive and foster families in Prince George’s County, Maryland, learned from trained professionals how to care for and style their kids’ hair as part of a workshop hosted Saturday by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE).
Parents received hands-on lessons from stylists with Styles 4 Kidz, an Illinois-based salon dedicated to providing education and services for kids with textured hair in transracial or biracial foster care or adoptive families.
Styles 4 Kidz owner Tamekia Swint founded the salon 14 years ago after meeting a white adoptive mom in her community with two African American daughters.
“She had no idea what to do with her kid’s hair,” CASE Training Institute Director Dawn Wilson said. “She was desperately in need of help with their hair, so I started helping her.”
Now, Styles 4 Kidz travels around the country, offering free haircare workshops for parents in similar situations.
The workshop was held in the student center at Prince George’s County Community College.
Each family received their own bag of products and tools, as well as a mannequin head. One stylist stood at the front of the room to lead the lesson while others bounced around to different tables, assisting the parents.
“We know that a high number of foster and adoptive families are transracial, or interracial. And we really want to make sure that those families can support their children in a way that helps them feel good about themselves and helps promote their own self-identity,” Wilson said.
Parents got trained on several basic hairstyles including ponytails with twists, free-standing braids and Bantu knots, as well as basic hands-on instruction on styling and moisturizing.
“We create a better space at home where hair is no longer a battle,” Styles 4 Kidz salon manager Christy James said.
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