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Gay and Lesbian Families

Information and resources for prospective and adoptive parents who are gay and lesbian, including the status of gay and lesbian parenting, issues, laws, and more.

Adoption by Lesbians and Gays: A National Survey of Adoption Agency Policies, Practices, and Attitudes
The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute (2003)
Research on the willingness of adoption agencies to work with homosexuals, as well as the extent to which agencies are placing children with parents they know to be lesbian or gay.

Coming Out of the Closet: Opening Agencies to Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents
Ryan, Pearlmutter, Groza, & Victor
Social Work, 49(1), 2004
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Makes practice recommendations to increase the accessibility of adoptions for gay and lesbian applicants.

Examining Social Workers' Placement Recommendations of Children With Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents
Ryan
Families in Society, 81(5), 2000
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Discusses social workers' placement decisions with regard to gay and lesbian potential adoptive parents.

Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents: Resources for Professionals and Parents

Gay and Lesbian Families in the Census: Couples With Children
The Urban Institute (2003)
Illustrates the percentage of all U.S. counties with at least one same-sex couple with children under age 18 in the household, according to the 2000 Census.

Information Packet: Gay and Lesbian Second Parent Adoptions (PDF - 163 KB)
National Resource Center for Foster Care & Permanency Planning (2004) Explores the issue of second parent adoption in the case of gay and lesbian couples.

Promising Practices in Adoption and Foster Care: A Comprehensive Guide to Policies and Practices that Welcome, Affirm and Support Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Foster and Adoptive Parents
Human Rights Campaign (2007)
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Designed to help agencies and organizations assess policies as they relate to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) community and measure their current level of skill and competency in all areas of practice with prospective or current GLBT foster/adoptive parents.

Sexual Orientation as a Factor in Adoptive Placements and Overview of Second-Parent Adoptions
Hollinger (2004)
In Representing Children, Families, and Agencies in Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Custody, and Adoption Proceedings
View Abstract
Reviews the placement of children with gay or lesbian adoptive parents, as well as study findings that indicate parental sexual orientation does not affect the quality of parent-child relationships, child mental health, or social adjustment.

Updated on February 24, 2010