Gay parents adoption

LGBTQ rights have come a long way. Thankfully, adoption is a viable path to any LGBTQ couple who dream of becoming parents. Here’s how it works, what to consider and why adoption might be perfect for your growing family. 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.

Until , laws related to LGBTQ+ couples adopting children varied by state. Some states granted full adoption rights to same-sex couples, while others banned same-sex adoption or only allowed one partner in a same-sex relationship to adopt the biological child of the other. Gay men can do virtually the same thing by using a surrogate to carry a child born from one partner's sperm and a donor egg. Some same-sex couples may choose to adopt children jointly so that both partners are legal parents from the beginning.

Creating a family through adoption is a popular route for many LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. Here are some useful tips to help navigate the process. My partner Darryl and I met 10 years ago, in , at a conference in Blackpool. We had a whirlwind romance and were due to be getting married in We were well into wedding planning when the Covid pandemic hit, and everything was put on pause.

This opened the opportunity to allow us to discuss our future even more and we kept talking about a child. At the time, we both had concerns and doubts. Are we too old to be parents now? After lots of talking we decided it was the right time and started by researching adoption stories, advice and information about the process. We spoke to some adoption agencies, friends, family and our local authority.

We decided to fill in a brief introductory form with Rotherham One Adoption Agency to start our journey. Around 2 weeks later we heard back from Rotherham who then arranged an initial meeting with our social worker. In this introduction we started to form our working relationship and got to know each other better. In truth, the process can be a hard slog, so having a trusted social worker who can guide you throughout the process is so important.

Essentially, your social worker should be someone you would trust to understand all your personal details and eventually set you up with the right child. You will not be judged for doing this and it will help you in the long term.

same-sex couples adoption statistics

Something my partner and I found very stress-inducing were panel meetings. In our case, the first panel meeting which determined whether we were the right people to adopt, happened at the mid-point of the process. Our second and final panel meeting happened once we had met our child, to review the match. It is important to look after your mental health at this point and if you struggle, speak with your friends, partner, your support, your social worker and if needed the many charities available to you such as You Can Adopt.

We were introduced to Aspen, a month-old baby girl with beautiful blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. I can tell you now, at that moment it was sealed. Aspen had grandmothers who wanted to keep contact with her. We were so nervous about this. We were worried their expectations would be too much and Aspen may have too much family.

We got to meet them, and we started a bond straight away. The worry about homophobia and people treating her differently because she has 2 dads has yet to appear and Aspen has become a confident toddler. We constantly get compliments about how brilliant she is from teachers, friends and family and anyone who gets to meet her. She really has given us, her Daddy and Pops, meaning to our lives and eternal happiness.

One in 6 adoptions in England are to same sex couples. Your journey will have highs and lows, but your family is worth it. Get the right support behind you and make it your goal. To read about other adoption stories, or to find further information and support about adoption, visit You Can Adopt UK. Tags: adoption.