Lesbian And Gay Foster And Adoptive Parents

This book explores the myths and prejudices that influence attitudes towards lesbians and gay men as parents.It also suggests ways that social workers can more effectively support lesbian and gay adopters and foster parents.

Adoption by Lesbians and Gay Men is an interdisciplinary examination of the myths, misconceptions, research, and practice literature related to sexual-minority individuals' efforts to adopt and raise children. It also provides a blueprint for research and professional training and highlights best practice standards for working with this group of adoptive parents.

Featuring a spectrum of families from diverse backgrounds, this book reveals the joys and challenges of adoptive and foster parenting. The authors outline how the experience of adopting and fostering has changed for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people over the years, major changes in policy, and what the research can tell us about LGBT parenting. They interview families involved at different stages of the fostering and adoption process, from those undergoing assessments through to the experienced foster carers and adopters who were interviewed for the first edition of this book 20 years previously. While the number of LGBT people adopting or fostering has increased since then, some of the very real challenges still endure - including social stigma, homophobia and discriminatory policies - and families share some of the strategies they have used to help to address them. This is an essential source of information and advice for same-sex couples and LGBT single parents, as well as social workers, social work educators, sociologists of personal life, fostering and adoption panel members.

Using an ecological perspective to highlight five principle areas of child welfare, Mallon discusses each in terms of how they pertain to individuals and families whose lives are effected by issues of sexual orientation. Let's Get This Straight uncovers and challenges the pervasive incidence of "heterocentrism" within the social work profession, drawing upon case studies and in-depth interviews to illustrate the degree to which myths and stereotypes about gay and lesbian youth detrimentally affect those most in need of assistance.

An essential step-by-step guide to adoption for lesbians and gay men, covering both the adoption process and the adoption experiences of several lesbians and gay men. Hill's book contains information that is relevant to both single adopters and same-sex couples and is the first of its kind to be published in the UK.