The Every Child Deserves a Family Act focuses attention on the best interests of children in the foster care system. By eliminating state laws, policies, practices and procedures that exclude potential adoptive and foster parents because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status this bill will dramatically increase access to permanent, loving homes for children living in foster care.
One in four children in this country is being raised by a single parent. Six million Americans have a parent who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. We all recognize there is no single type of family in America anymore.
There are over 111,000 youth in care who are eligible for adoption, and in 2015 over 20,000 youth aged out of care without finding a permanent and loving home. With two million LGBTQ adults interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents, it is time to put an end to the restrictive state laws, policies, practices, and procedures that prevent them from doing so.
Family Equality and its partners are telling Congress now is the time to act to ensure all youth in care can find permanent, loving forever homes by passing the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF). Family Equality has ongoing outreach and social media campaigns targeted at equipping our members and partners with the tools to advocate for youth in the child welfare system and LGBTQ prospective foster and adoptive parents.
To advocate for passage of this critically important bill, Family Equality formed the Every Child Deserves a Family campaign — a national coalition of child welfare, civil rights, faith, and business organizations working together to ensure our elected officials put the best interests of youth in care first. Visit the campaign website to learn more about ECDF and get involved.
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