Same Sex Couples Fostering !

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Hi All.

I am very new to this site and as yet have not seen anyone else talking about same sex couples fostering so am sorry if it has already been discussed.

Am Ricky by the way and my partner is Peter, we are 23 and 26 been together for 4 and half years and both would very much like to look into fostering.

We both know several foster caries so do know a little how is all works however would be very interested in your thoughts / views about same sex couples fostering ??

i think that any person or persons who can offer a child a good, loving home, be that permanent or temporary should be able to foster or adopt

nothing more i can say i don't think!

I think it's no different from anyone else fostering

do you have much experience with children? Fostered children have often been through the mill and can be a challenge.

But there will be people on MN who will be experienced and will be able to give you proper advice - keep bumping the thread!

Good luck

Hi,

Certainly in Scotland under current legislation single sex couples are not eligible to foster.

I don't personally agree with that ruling

SB-really? My sister is raising her children in a same sex relationship in Scotland, and has friends who are also in a same-sex relationship and have just adopted 2 children. It just seems counter-intuitive to allow adoption, but not fostering, still it wouldn't surprise me.
Good luck with the fostering OP. I see no reason why you shouldn't foster just because you're a same-sex couple.

It could just be our area, but it states it clearly in the online information that there is current legislation

fingers crossed for OP that his area is more opened minded and can see past a persons sexuality

It's fine in our area and i know of several same sex couples fostering and lots that have adopted.

Good Luck op.

When I trained as a social worker same sex couples were in quite a lot of demand as an example quite often girls who had been abused by men would not want to be in a house with a man so a lesbian couple was a good environment for them to go into.

I think it very much depends on the area you live in. In my area the main thing you have to be able to demonstrate when fostering as a couple is a strong, stable relationship. The gender of each partner isn't so much of an issue.

Good Afternoon All

Many thanks for your replies.

I just wanted to let you know we had our first meeting today with "Park Foster Care" all seemed to go well however we would also like to have a meeting with the local authority to see what differences there may be going with them.

With regards to being gay the social worker only saw one problem and that was the parents of the child as they may not want there son / daughter being cared for my two men.

Hi Ricky,

Have you come across the group New Family Social? it's a support group for lesbian/gay adopters and fosterers, with an active online forum and regular meet-ups.

Hi there - just wanted to wish you lots of luck!

Me and my dp applied to become foster carers with our local council about 10 years ago now. They were very nervous about it - we were the first same sex couple who had applied in that borough and it look around 18 months for us to be approved, including meeting with one of their legal team as they were worried about press attention 'if it got out'

We got approved as long term/permancy foster carers but then had a horrible period of time of not having children placed with us - we would put ourselves forward but the responses back were along the lines of "no male role model" (although single mums could foster and we have no shortage of male friends and relatives...) and "no experience of having children" - all in all very difficult.

So, ahem, sorry that all sounds very negative... but I'm hoping that over the past 10 years things have changed and the idea of fostering is still in the back of our minds for maybe when our two ds's (which we went on to have following this experience!) are older.

Good luck and keep us posted!