Erasing the Lines in the Sand: All Foster Children Need a Loving Home with Loving Parents

My topic this week is to focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and the foster care system. As I researched this topic, I found myself to be a bit unqualified to discuss a big topic in a short blog. I find myself unable to effectively communicate the sadness I have for the challenges of LGBTQ youth in the foster care system and LGBT parents who want to create or expand their family by adoption through foster care. 

Source

Facts found online suggested LGBTQ youth are anywhere from two to eight times more likely to attempt suicide, three to eight times as likely to use drugs and six times as likely to experience depression. Many are likely to be forced out of their homes after disclosing their LGBTQ status to parents or foster parents. They are two times more likely to be threatened or injured, two times more likely to skip school, experience some form of anti-LGBTQ bias and bullying in foster care placement and schools, and experience prejudicial treatment than than their heterosexual peers. These facts are horrifying!

Many state agencies refuse to represent same-sex adoptive couples and they are often at the bottom of the list of homes for potential child placement. Recently, the City of Philadelphia was asked, in a court action, by Catholic Social Services (CSS) to refuse recruitment and licensing of same-sex couples seeking to foster children in need of a loving home for children in CSS's foster care program. 

There is a disproportionately number of youth in foster care who identify themselves LGBTQ. Many foster parents don't want to give or have the skills to provide a loving, accepting and understanding home for children who are going through the process of acknowledging their sexual orientation/gender identity. Isn't it about time society stands up again biases and prejudices to provide hurting children a safe home with unconditional loving and accepting parents, no matter their sexual orientation? 

We will be posting many challenges LGBTQ youth and foster parents experience this week on our various social media accounts, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow the conversation.