This petition is created to end discrimination of prospective foster parents and children in the child welfare system, based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or marital status. There are thousands of children still in the welfare system that have no place to call a home, whether it is permanently or temporary. Due to foster care agencies and foster care homes that discriminate against children and potential parents that are categorized as "different", more children stay in the system feeling alienated or marginalized and potential parents feeling isolated from society. Research shows that children who have not been taken in by a foster home or have been adopted, age out of the system, and are at higher risk of becoming homeless, living in poverty, early parenthood, and possibly incarcerated. In order to eliminatechildren living on the streets, doing drugs and possibly incarcerated, we can make prospective parents and children/youth in the system feel more included and acknowledged in the community.
While supporting this petition take note that you are also supporting the NASW Code of Ethics, 4.02 discrimination section, where in any agency, social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any forms of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, sex, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability.
So help me and other concerned individuals, end discrimination on potential foster care parent and children based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, by writing letters and emails to the U.S Secretary of health and human services, Sylvia Burwell. To create an official non-discrimination order that ensures that children who are of the LGBTQ community or faces gender identity, can get the proper care they so need, and to also allow qualified individuals who are of the LGBTQ community, the chance to foster and adopt children.
