Another study supports adoption by gays and lesbians

Check out the details here.

Don't have time? Here the gist of it:

But findings by a nonpartisan adoption group being released Thursday conclude that gays and lesbians are an important resource for children awaiting adoption. There is near "universal professional consensus" that these applicants should be judged on their qualifications, not sexual orientation.

"The pool of potential adoptive parents must be expanded to keep pace with the growing number of kids in foster care who are legally free for adoption," stated the report by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, which is based in New York.

Currently, about 129,000 U.S. children are in foster care, many of whom are older, have special needs and face grim prospects for finding a loving, permanent home.

Besides the emotional hardships, a national ban on gay adoptions could add $87 million to $130 million to foster care system expenditures each year, the report said, citing previous research. Not only would children who are removed from gay and lesbian homes be placed in group or institutional care, which is more costly, the state would incur the costs of recruiting and training new foster parents, researchers found.

It's always good news to get more mainstream confirmation of our community's ability to provide loving homes to children who need them.

As many of you know, TEP waged a vigorous fight against adoption restrictions again this year. Similar bills could return in January, but we'll be right there ready for them.

Mark your calendars for Advancing Equality Day on the Hill--February 17, 2009.