![](https://familyequality.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Foster-Care-Family-1.png)
Every youth and family should have access to safe and supportive child welfare services. Yet, discrimination in the child welfare system is significant and far-reaching, impacting the hundreds of thousands of youth in foster care, families of origin, kin, and prospective foster and adoptive parents.
Currently, there are 14 states that allow adoption and foster care agencies to turn away qualified prospective parents because of who they are or who they love. With LGBTQ+ individuals being more likely to foster and adopt than non-LGBTQ+ individuals — and the 1 in 3 youth in foster care who identify as LGBTQ+ reporting higher rates of harassment and mistreatment — this kind of discrimination is particularly harmful.
That’s why Family Equality advocates for the best interest of all children in the foster care and adoption system by supporting families of origin, promoting family acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth, and increasing access of all children to affirming, loving, and stable homes.