Are gay couples allowed to be foster parents in california
States Exclude Christian Parents From Foster Care
California law requires foster parents to affirm a child’s “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.” The mandate is being used to exclude Christians with biblical views about sexuality and relationships from the state’s foster care system.
Authored by gay-identified state Senator Scott Weiner and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2023, Senate Bill 407 is now being enforced with new guidance from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
Other states, including Vermont, Oregon, Washington and Massachusetts, also leave out parents from foster protect if they believe in God’s male-female design for humanity.
This, despite the proof that “there are about 368,000 kids in foster care in the Combined States,” with “around 68,000 children moving in and out of foster homes annually” in California.
Focus on the Family’s Director for Foster Care and Adoption, Dr. Sharen Ford, decried the exclusion of Christians from caring for children in need. A nationally recognized child welfare consultant, she told the Daily Citizen:
In This Section
Of the more than 437,000 youth in foster care nationwide in 2016, nearly 55,000 lived in California. It is safe to assume that many of those kids are LGBTQ — while data is limited because there is no federal requirement to track this data, existing research indicates LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster nurture system.
Some LGBTQ youth come in foster care for the same reasons as their non-LGBTQ peers — overuse, neglect and parental substance abuse. But many possess experienced further trauma stemming from family rejection or mistreatment and school bullying because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Presumably as a direct result of discrimination and its resulting trauma, LGBTQ youth in foster care have a higher average number of placements and a higher likelihood of living in group homes than their non-LGBTQ peers. The impact is highest on those who are of children of color, and more than 50 percent of children in foster concern are non-white.
And once LGBTQ youth enter the foster care system, they’re less likely than their non-LGBTQ peers to be placed in a safe and supportive home; according to a 2014 Williams Institute survey in
Piecing together how two moms or two dads fit into the picture.
By Jennifer Michael
Photos courtesy of the American Civil Liberties Union
Resources for Gay Parenting
Lisa Johnston has worked in the prior childhood field for 20 years, but it wasn’t until about three years ago that she realized she also wanted to construct children a part of her abode. Approaching 40 and involved in a loving relationship with a partner, Johnston decided foster parenting was the leading route. Through her work at a day treatment program for infants who had been abused and neglected, she knew far too many children in her Missouri collective were in demand of loving homes.
She turned to the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS), where she filled out the necessary paperwork and underwent a home analyze with her companion, with whom she shared an apartment. The couple enrolled in a nine-week course for prospective foster parents and attended seven of nine classes before the whole process came to a grinding halt. DSS denied Johnston’s application to become a foster parent because her partner was a woman.
“We were led to assume they understood our situation–that we were a couple
Adoption and Foster Tend Resources for LGBTQ+ Parents
Whether you are looking to adopt or develop a foster parent, Gay individuals exploring these avenues to parenthood should be educated and prepared for the process ahead.
In this resource we will discuss the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster parents, the various adoption options, potential costs you should budget for, tips for finding an LGBTQ+ agency, and other possible challenges and rewards you may encounter along your journey.
ADOPTION
If you are considering adopting a minor, you are in very good company! There are an estimated 2 million LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. who want to parent children, many via adoption. The adoption process can be overwhelming. We have broken down the common areas you should consider to help you navigate.
8 Questions to Question When Considering Adoption
Public minor welfare agencies are government entities that provide a safety net for families. Each county and jurisdiction has its own department of social services responsible for caring for children and youth in foster care and those unable to be reunited with their first families are often available for a
Gay Adoption & Foster Care Laws in California
July 7, 2019
In California, gay couples and individuals are legally treated virtually the same as straight couples and individuals when it comes to foster care and LGBT adoption. However, this was not always the case. California has been a national leader in creating legislation for LGBT equality. In this post, we’ll look at a few of the progressive laws that have supported LGBT families.
Any inquiry into California adoption laws should open with the California family code, where most of the basics are outlined. For example, this code states that those who may be adopted incorporate “any unmarried trivial child at least 10 years younger than their prospective adoptive parent or parents; any married minor or adult.”
One characteristic of California law that makes our mention such an inclusive one regarding adoption, is the explicit prohibition of LGBT discrimination. Today’s anti-discrimination laws have evolved from the 1959 Unruh Civil Rights Act, which still stands. This commandment states that “All persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, nationa