Research Report Adoption and Foster Care by Lesbian and Gay Parents in the United States
Gary Gates, Lee M.V. Badgett, Jennifer Ehrle Macomber, Kate Chambers
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Discussion and debate about adoption and foster care by gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) parents occurs frequently among policymakers, social service agencies, and social workers. Three states currently restrict GLB people from adopting and more are considering similar policies. This report provides new information on GLB adoption and foster care from several government data sources. It offers a demographic portrait of the estimated 65,500 adopted children and 14,100 foster children living with gay and lesbian parents. It also assesses the costs to child welfare systems of proposed bans on allowing GLB people to foster.
Research Areas Families
Tags Family and household data Family structure Child welfare LGBTQ+ equity LGBTQ+ youth LGBTQ+ rights and antidiscrimination
Policy Centers Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population