Barnardos calls for same-sex adoption

Barnardos calls for same-sex adoption

Adoption and foster care agencies were split over whether same-sex couples make good parents at the first day of a NSW inquiry on Tuesday.

Barnardos, the only secular agency in NSW, approved of foster children living with same-sex couples having the option to be adopted by them. Stability was in the best interest of the child, Barnardos CEO Louise Voigt said.

We often put sexually abused children with single women or women couples. One girl was sexually abused by her father, grandfather and other men and was terrified of men, Voigt said.

Eight percent of Barnardos foster carers were same-sex couples, she said, and many in the care of families would want to be adopted by them.

We select people for stability. Many heterosexuals won’t get through the process.

The state’s two religiously-based child placement agencies, CentaCare and Anglicare, said they did not place foster children with same-sex couples because of their beliefs. Both agencies swore to utilise religious exemptions in anti-discrimination laws to escape any changes to eligibility criteria, as they currently do.

Heterosexual marriage was the best model for parenting, the Catholic Archdiocese representative Christopher Meney told the hearing.

To impose alternative models on children is to experiment on children. These children are already in a situation that is atypical. To place a child into a situation where they are different again would not be in their best interest, he said.

He was also concerned current religious exemptions may not be strong enough to protect CatholicCare from future discrimination claims.

The Department of Com-munity Services said none of the 11 foreign countries with adoption agreements with Australia would allow a same-sex couple to adopt, but changes to NSW law would not jeopardise those agreements.

The inquiry continues and will hear from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, same-sex family Jackie Braw and Vicki Harding and their child Brenna, and FamilyVoice Australia.

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3 responses to “Barnardos calls for same-sex adoption”

  1. I agree Sue, this is a big situation that isnt being taken too seriously. I know of a country in the European Sector (I’m guessing Sweden), they have conducted psychological tests on whether same sex couples are better than opposite sex couples, and the results came to the conclusion that same sex couples are just as good as straight sex couples. Just because someone likes the same sex, doesnt mean they are stupid, I’m gay and i have an above average IQ, so is Johanna, the newly appointed prime minister of Iceland. Now tell me why, why do we need to say that same sex couples cant adopt children..?

  2. Having been in the foster care sector as a carer for a number of years it is overdue that the issue of same sex fostering is looked at seriously.

    With the ever increasing numbers of children requiring out of home care or a permanent safe place to grow up. The number of foster families is steadily decreasing it is really short sighted to deny stable same sex couples the opportunity to provide a haven for needy kids.

    I do not believe that anyone’s sexual orientation is as relevant as their commitment, ability, suitability and empathy for children who so desperately need a home.

    Obviously all potential foster families need to be thoroughly screened, police checked and trained.