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Sorry Adios Toreador---I can't seem to answer your question. when I try it comes back and says my message is too short. My answers were long so don't know what is happening on here. tech problems---I guess.
And according to the Children's Defense Fund (which has no agenda other than promoting the safety and wellbeing of children) there were 9,650 children in Massachusetts in the foster care system. Of those, only 790 were adopted. Now, there is no indication how many of those 9,650 are available for adoption, but it is almost certainly more than 790. So, if there is even one child who needs a permanent home in the foster care system, what is an adoption agency or foster care organization doing barring adoption to gay but otherwise qualified parents? Massachusetts allows gay couples to adopt, so obviously even with the larger pool there are still MANY children who do not find homes.
My boyfriend wouldn't have given a moment's thought if he was given a permanent place to live with a lesbian couple, gay couple, or even a transgendered single parent if that person could have provided him with love, stability, and guidance.
Some parents won't give up their kids if they are going to a gay home. The parents have control until they give it up. When I tried to become a foster parent we were told we could not even cut the kids hair without the parents consent. They are many issues---more than we can ever know.
Some parents won't give up their kids if they are going to a gay home. The parents have control until they give it up. When I tried to become a foster parent we were told we could not even cut the kids hair without the parents consent. They are many issues---more than we can ever know.
I applaud you for trying to be a foster parent, but I don't think your rationale holds up. If a parent won't give their kid up to a gay home, they don't have to- after all, there is this waiting list you were talking about, right? In the case of my boyfriend's best friend, he was a ward of the state from the mid 80s until he aged out in 2000. He was never adopted because of CP and spent most of his teen years in an overcrowded group home. It was the state that would not allow him to be adopted by a gay family - and while opening those doors obviously wouldn't guarantee him a home, it certainly made it less likely for him to find something.
I don't know about Exodus. IMO Cathey should be giving money to http://couragerc.net/ that is the Catholic site for gays who want to change. They also have a ministry for the parents of gays.
I can attest for these sites. I have a friend whose son is gay and she has belonged to encourage for years. They have been there to help her and her husband get through the tough times.
I applaud you for trying to be a foster parent, but I don't think your rationale holds up. If a parent won't give their kid up to a gay home, they don't have to- after all, there is this waiting list you were talking about, right? In the case of my boyfriend's best friend, he was a ward of the state from the mid 80s until he aged out in 2000. He was never adopted because of CP and spent most of his teen years in an overcrowded group home. It was the state that would not allow him to be adopted by a gay family - and while opening those doors obviously wouldn't guarantee him a home, it certainly made it less likely for him to find something.
I would think the state would have to be extra careful who they let a disabled young man go to. If he was abused at all the state would have to pay. We don't know the case---maybe the background check of the people who wanted to adopt him came back bad.
I applaud you for trying to be a foster parent, but I don't think your rationale holds up. If a parent won't give their kid up to a gay home, they don't have to- after all, there is this waiting list you were talking about, right? In the case of my boyfriend's best friend, he was a ward of the state from the mid 80s until he aged out in 2000. He was never adopted because of CP and spent most of his teen years in an overcrowded group home. It was the state that would not allow him to be adopted by a gay family - and while opening those doors obviously wouldn't guarantee him a home, it certainly made it less likely for him to find something.
State gets plenty of money from the feds to keep kids in their care. It is all about the children don't ya know or so they say.
For some more sobering statistics that show why any organization that does not allow qualified gays and lesbians to foster or adopt are not in the best interest of the children:
In the U.S. 423,000 children are living without permanent families
in the foster care system. 115,000 (22%) of these children are eligible for adoption, but nearly 40% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted.
Over 65,000 children in foster care in the U.S. are placed in institutions
or group homes, not in traditional foster homes. Children raised in orphanages have an IQ 20 points lower
than their peers in foster care, according to a meta-analysis of 75 studies (more than 3,800 children in 19 countries). This shows the need for children to be raised in families, not in institutions.
Over three years is the average length of time a child waits
to be adopted in foster care. Roughly 55% of these children have had three or more placements. An earlier study found that 33% of children had changed elementary schools five or more times, losing relationships and falling behind educationally.
And while not entirely related, children who age out of the system without positive adult influences are much more likely to fall into homelessness, crime, prostitution, and drug use:
Each year, over 29,000 youth “age out” of foster care
without the emotional and financial support necessary to succeed. This number has steadily risen over the past decade. Nearly 40% had been homeless or couch surfed, nearly 60% of young men had been convicted of a crime, and only 48% were employed. 75% of women and 33% of men receive government benefits to meet basic needs. 50% of all youth who aged out were involved in substance use and 17% of the females were pregnant.
Our foster care system needs an overhaul, that is clear. Preventing qualified gays and lesbians from entering the pool is selfishly putting specific faiths over the needs of the children served. I will note with pride that over 90% of Jewish or non-religious foster care organizations are open to gay and lesbian parents. Catholic organizations are less than 50%, despite the sobering numbers above.
Chickfila would be doing a better service encouraging Christian couples to foster the thousands of children minority, special needs, and older children who are difficult to place. Crowd out those that you disagree with by doing good, rather than through negative means.
I would think the state would have to be extra careful who they let a disabled young man go to. If he was abused at all the state would have to pay. We don't know the case---maybe the background check of the people who wanted to adopt him came back bad.
"We don't know the case" - you might not but I spent a significant amount of time with this person. Both he and my boyfriend were physically, emotionally, and sexually abused in group homes (more frequently) and in foster homes. The state did not pay. There was never an interested candidate for adoption. Case closed. Placement would not have necessarily been made any easier had homosexuals been eligible to step in, but that was never an option for them or to this day for THOUSANDS of children in the system in areas where gays and lesbians are still barred from taking them in.
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