From the earliest days of adoption in England, it has been possible for single people regardless of sexual orientation to adopt. Same sex couples could not adopt and although adoption agencies helped many couples by approving one of the couple singly, it took a change in law from December to allow adoption orders to be granted to unmarried couples including same sex couples. The majority of adoption agencies now have experience of assessing, approving and placing children with LGBT adopters and the UK is now one of the world leaders in this respect. There has been encouraging research recently into parenting by lesbian and gay adopters. A recent UK study shows, for instance that:. Because the numbers are small adoption agencies may not have experience of transgender people who wish to adopt.
What Makes a Family? A Closer Look at Gay Adoption – CWLA
From January 1, same-sex couples and de facto spouses may adopt stepchildren in Switzerland. In addition, the secrecy surrounding adoption will be loosened so adopted children and their biological parents will be able to get in contact more easily. In Switzerland, homosexuals have been able to enter into a civil partnership since , but gay marriage is not recognised. From , however, adoption of stepchildren will be possible for anyone in a civil partnership or a longterm relationship. Swiss law will thus align itself closer to that of other western European countries and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.
What Makes a Family? A Closer Look at Gay Adoption
Gill made history last year when Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman struck down a year law prohibiting gays and lesbians from adopting. The Liberty Counsel claimed that the Florida Bar was not authorized to use membership fees in supporting ideological causes not related to the legal profession. When Judge Lederman ruled the state ban unconstitutional and granted adoption rights to Gill, the case was seen as a huge milestone for gay and lesbian prospective parents in Florida, and for LGBT rights activists worldwide. The case is now pending in the Third District Court of Appeals, leaving the Gill family waiting for a decision. The trial reignited a national debate surrounding gay and lesbian adoption.
Findings revealed that the majority of parents were open about their LG and adoptive family status, and had not encountered challenges related to family diversity. Those parents who did experience challenges tended to describe implicit forms of marginalization, such as insensitive language and school assignments. Recommendations for teachers included discussing and reading books about diverse families, tailoring assignments to meet the needs of diverse families, and offering school community-building activities and events to help bridge differences across families.