Strategies For Recruiting , , BISEXUAL, AND FOSTER, ADOPTIVE, AND KINSHIP FAMILIES

By the National Resource Center for , the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections, and the National Resource Center for Recruitment and Retention of Foster and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUSKids

Special thanks to Dr. Gerald P. Mallon for providing extensive content for this publication. Much of the following information is adapted from material that has been previously written and published by Dr. Mallon.

Introduction children who will enter in the years to come—deserve our best efforts to recruit and The Need to Expand the Pool of Prospective Parents retain prospective foster and adoptive parents Recruiting and retaining enough qualified who will provide them with the love, stability, foster, adoptive, and kinship parents is a chal- and safety that they need. lenge facing nearly every jurisdiction in the . States, Tribes, and Territories For jurisdictions that continue to face chal- constantly seek resources and creative strate- lenges in recruiting and retaining enough gies for recruiting prospective parents who can qualified foster and adoptive parents, looking meet the needs of children and youth in foster to previously untapped or underutilized groups care. They continually look for ways to improve of prospective parents—including lesbian, gay, the placement stability for children who need bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults—may foster care placements and to achieve perma- be a key step in providing placement stability nence for children who cannot return to their and permanency to children in foster care. birth families. LGBT Adults as Prospective Parents Approximately 408,000 children are currently For many LGBT people, foster parenting and in foster care in the United States.1 These chil- adoption is not a second choice, as it may be for dren have diverse needs; therefore, child wel- heterosexual men and women who are infertile, fare agencies need to have a diverse pool of fos- but rather a first choice.2 Although LGBT adults ter parents who can provide temporary, loving have been historically discouraged from foster- care for the children as they await permanency. ing or adopting, changes in legislation and poli- Of those 408,000 children in foster care, 107,000 cy over the past 10 years in some States reflect a are waiting to be adopted. These children have more open attitude towards them as parents. been in foster care for an average of 37 months. In addition to the children still waiting for a LGBT adults in the United States have created permanent family, nearly 28,000 youth aged out families through birth, adoption, foster care, of foster care in 2010 without a permanent fam- and the establishment of kinship networks in ily connection. All of these children—and the 2 Turner, C. S. (1999). Adoption Journeys: Parents Tell Their Stories. Ithaca, NY: McBooks Press; Hicks, S. and McDermott, J. (Eds.). 1 The AFCARS Report, Preliminary FY 2010 Estimates as of June (1999). Lesbian and Gay Fostering and Adoption: Extraordinary yet 2011. (18) Ordinary. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

1 a wide variety of ways.3 In some cases, LGBT Lesbian and Gay Families,” LGBT families can individuals became parents without disclosure bring particular strengths to parenting children or discussion of their sexual or gender orienta- in foster care. These strengths include: tion with adoption and foster care agencies, • LGBT parents can relate to adopted chil- often due to concerns about whether agencies dren’s feelings of differentness. would be open to working with LGBT prospec- tive parents. However, as many LGBT individu- • Adoption decision is very intentional by als are able to live their lives more openly, more LGBT parents. are considering parenthood in ways they might • For LGBT families, adoption is most often not have thought possible in the past. Although their first choice. a growing number of LGBT individuals are • LGBT parents may be more resourceful applying to adopt and foster, and a growing and may know where to find help. number are successfully caring for children and youth, they frequently remain an under- • LGBT parents may be more aware of sup- used resource. Agencies’ under-use of LGBT port systems. prospective parents may be driven by multiple • LGBT parents can expose children to a factors, including: diverse world and acceptance of differ- ences in people. • legal or policy restrictions—in the past or still in effect—against LGBT adults becom- LGBT foster parents have similar strengths as ing foster or adoptive parents noted by Mallon (2006) including:4 • misinterpretation of policies or perceived • The ability to scan one’s environment for barriers to agencies being able to approve safety—a valuable skill for children and LGBT individuals for foster care or adop- youth in foster care to develop. tion • Foster care decisions are very intentional • personal attitudes and biases about LGBT by LGBT foster parents. prospective parents. • LGBT foster parents have learned to navi- gate a potentially negative child welfare Recognizing Strengths of LGBT Parents system to be able to parent, demonstrating Reaching out to—and welcoming and support- an ability to overcome barriers. ing—LGBT prospective foster and adoptive • Foster parents who are LGBT identified parents does more than simply increase the have well-developed support systems of number of potential parents for children in fictive kin and biological kin. foster care. It may also provide agencies with foster and adoptive families who bring special • LGBT foster parents are not usually bound strengths to the challenges of parenting chil- by rigid gender roles or roles in the home. dren who have experienced and persevered through abuse, neglect, loss, and isolation. As “LGBT Adoptive and Foster Parenting” by the highlighted in the findings from AdoptUSKids’ National Resource Center for Permanency and 2010 study “Barriers and Success Factors in Family Connections and AdoptUSKids pro- Adoption from Foster Care: Perspectives of 4 Mallon, G.P. 2006. Lesbian and Gay Foster and Adoptive Parents: Recruiting, Assessing, and Supporting an Untapped Resource for 3 Weston, K. (1991). Families We Choose: Gay and Lesbian Kinship. Children and Youth. Washington, DC. Child Welfare League of New York. Columbia University Press. America.

2 vides a useful overview of the research findings likely to be [LGBT] themselves. Children will, in related to children raised by LGBT parents: fact, be who they are.”7

“More than 25 years of research on the While research specifically addressing adoption offspring of non-heterosexual parents has by LGBT parents is more limited, it points in the yielded results of remarkable clarity. . . . same direction.8 Additionally, “[a] wide vari- Regardless of whether investigators have ety of professional organizations have official examined , self-esteem, positions recognizing the scientific research on adjustment, or qualities of social relation- GLB parents and stating that ships, the results have been remarkably should not be a determinative factor in assess- consistent. In study after study, the offspring ing the ability of individuals to raise children of lesbian and gay parents have been found through adoption, foster care, or second parent to be at least as well adjusted overall as .”9 those of other parents.”5 Children of LGBT parents seem to “benefit from egalitarian 7 Mallon, G.P. (2008). Social work practice with LGBT parents. co-parenting” and “grow up as successfully In G.P. Mallon (Ed.). In Social work practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, (p. 269-312). New York: as the children of heterosexual parents.”6 Routledge. 8 Howard, J. 2006. “Expanding Resources for Children: Is There is no evidence “that the children of LGBT Adoption by Gays and Part of the Answer for Boys parents are more likely to be abused or to sug- and Girls who Need Homes?” New York. Evan B. Donaldson gest that the children of these parents are more Adoption Institute. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from: http://www. adoptioninstitute.org/policy/2006_Expanding_Resources_for_ Children.php 5 Patterson, C.J. Nov. 2009. “Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents: 9 Gates, G., Badgett, L.M.V., Macomber, J.E., Chambers, K. 2007. Psychology, Law, and Policy.” American Psychologist. “Adoption and Foster Care by Lesbian and Gay Parents in the 6 National Resource Center for Permanency and Family United States.” The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law & Connections and AdoptUSKids. Oct. 2010. The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 4, 2010, “LGBT Adoptive and Foster Parenting” Available online at: www. from: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411437_Adoption_ hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/download/ Foster_Care.pdf LGBTAdoptiveandFosterParenting.pdf

Recognizing and Reducing Personal Biases It is important that agencies and social workers be prepared for issues that will arise, both professionally and individually, in working with LGBT prospective parents. As is good practice for serving families and children in culturally competent ways, social workers need to examine their own personal attitudes and biases and find ways to prevent those personal attitudes from affecting their work.* The gender and sexual orientation of a potential parent does not, of itself, indicate anything about her or his ability to care for children in foster care. As child welfare pro- fessionals, we need to explore openly with each individual or couple their experience and skills in relation to caring for a child or adolescent.

* The National Resource Center for Recruitment and Retention of Foster and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUSKids has a resource entitled “Moving Toward Cultural Competence: Key Considerations to Explore” that provides a helpful framework for thinking about building cultural competence (available online at: adoptuskids.org/images/ resourceCenter/Moving-Toward-Cultural-Competence.pdf )

3 Of course, as with all prospective foster and adoptive families, including LGBTQ youth and adoptive parents, agencies should assess adults non-LGBTQ youth. LGBT adults should be on an individual basis to determine whether considered as a possible resource for any child they will be able to meet the needs of children or youth in foster care, looking at prospective in foster care. As with any group of prospec- parents on a case-by-case basis as a possible tive parents, workers should not assume that match. all LGBT prospective parents will be a good fit for children in need of foster or adoptive place- By keeping a focus on the importance of ments. Being mindful, however, of the strengths expanding the pool of qualified parents to care that many LGBT families may bring to foster for children in foster care—either as foster par- and adoptive parenting can help agencies see ents or adoptive parents—child welfare profes- the value in welcoming LGBT prospective par- sionals can pursue strategies to seek out and ents. A September 2011 webcast by the NRCPFC welcome all prospective parents, regardless of on parenting older adolescents, featuring a their sexual orientation. lesbian foster and adoptive mom and her daugh- ter, may provide viewers with insights into some Reality: Child Welfare Systems Are Already Working of the particular values and strengths of LGBT with LGBT Prospective Parents parents. One insight highlighted in the webcast Even if your agency isn’t already actively target- is the perspective from some teens that LGBT ing recruitment efforts towards LGBT pro- parents can make good foster and adoptive spective parents for children in foster care, the parents because they are able to be very under- reality is that child welfare agencies are already standing of the challenges and hardships youth working with LGBT prospective and current face, based on their own experiences facing parents whether they know it or not. LGBT pro- challenges. To view the archived webcast, visit: www.nrcpfc.org/webcasts/archives.html.

The importance of building agency capacity LGBT Adults Are Already Fostering to welcome LGBT prospective parents was and Adopting reinforced in an April 2011 Information Memo- According to a 2007 report from the randum (IM) from the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Urban Institute:* Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, • Gay and lesbian parents are raising Administration on Children, Youth and Families three percent of foster children in (ACYF). ACYF Commissioner Bryan Samuels the United States. stated in IM-11-03: “Agencies that have not • Gay and lesbian parents are raising already done so should develop mechanisms to four percent of all adopted children recruit, train, and provide ongoing support to in the United States. families, including LGBT individuals and fami- • An estimated two million gay, les- lies, who are able to provide a safe, loving family bian, and bisexual people are inter- placement for young people who are LGBTQ ested in adopting. and are involved with the child welfare system.”

*“Adoption and Foster Care by Lesbian and Gay LGBT individuals represent a largely untapped Parents in the United States,” available online at resource of potential parents for some of the www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411437 large numbers of children who need foster and

4 spective parents may not self-identify to agen- apply their prior knowledge and experience as cies as LGBT for a variety of reasons, including they seek to reach and welcome LGBT individu- not trusting that they will be treated fairly and als and couples. welcomed by child welfare agencies. Even if they aren’t aware of it, however, agencies across Viewing recruitment of LGBT adults as a natu- the country are interacting with LGBT adults, ral extension of your agency’s existing recruit- both as this population explores the process ment practices will help your agency ensure for becoming foster and adoptive parents, and that LGBT prospective parents are not isolated as agencies seek relatives and other adults who or treated as a separate population, but rather may be permanency options for children in are recognized as simply an additional commu- foster care. nity that your agency seeks to actively engage. As with any new effort to reach out to a commu- Understanding and implementing good fun- nity that has not been previously engaged, it is damentals for effective recruitment practices important to think about how to work in cultur- with a focus on working effectively with LGBT ally competent, effective, and respectful ways. individuals can improve your agency’s recruit- ment efforts and expand the pool of foster, Acknowledging Barriers that LGBT Prospective adoptive and kinship families for children who Parents Face need them. Like most prospective foster and adoptive parents, LGBT prospective parents are likely to The following sections of this publication high- face barriers as they pursue foster or adoptive light key considerations and provide practical parenting. Along with the common barriers to suggestions on ways to recruit LGBT parents adopting from foster care, LGBT adults report effectively, whether your agency is simply encountering additional challenges, including10: wanting to create a welcoming environment for all prospective parents or wanting to develop • Often needing to deal with various state targeted recruitment strategies to engage LGBT laws regarding adoption when not legally prospective parents. partnered • Challenges finding a judge or attorney to Special Considerations in Recruiting do the second parent adoption LGBT Parents • Being told that the child’s agency wouldn’t place because they [ applicants] Recruiting and welcoming LGBT prospective were lesbian (even though the family’s parents involves applying the basics of targeted agency was supportive) recruitment strategies in seeking to develop a pool of prospective foster and adoptive families • Some agencies feel that LGBT families who can meet the needs of children in foster should only be matched with children care. Although agencies may need additional who are considered “hard to place” information, training, and awareness-building because those families will take any kind efforts to effectively recruit and retain LGBT of child individuals, most agencies already have experi- 10 AdoptUSKids. 2010. “Barriers and Success Factors in Adoption ence and expertise in engaging with diverse from Foster Care: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Families.” communities. Agencies can draw upon and Available online at: adoptuskids.org/images/resourceCenter/LGBT- Barriers-and-Success-Factors-in-Adoption.pdf

5 • Being told they were turned down because • What training is available to social work- they were gay and white ers, managers, and training panel mem- • Never being told why they were turned bers in relation to LGBT adults fostering down and adopting? Where can such training be accessed? LGBT prospective parents have also likely • Are LGBT families visible anywhere in experienced and exclusion your agency publications? Are pictures from other organizations and agencies because of LGBT families and African-American, of their sexual orientation or . Latino, and Asian LGBT families featured Therefore, they may interpret unexpected along with other families in your agency’s delays or non-responsiveness from your agency materials, or in photographs displayed to be signals that they aren’t encouraged to pur- throughout the premises? sue foster or adoptive parenting. Being aware • Does your agency have a welcoming of the additional barriers that LGBT adults may statement to all families? Is it inclusive of face as they consider fostering and adopting can LGBT applicants? help agencies anticipate prospective parents’ concerns, be intentional about communicating, • Do your forms say “applicant 1” or “foster/ and identify strategies to assist LGBT prospec- adoptive parent” or do they ask for “male tive parents through the process. and female” applicants or “husband and wife”? Do your forms have options for Assessing Your Agency’s Capacity and Readiness to relationship status other than “single” or “married”? Recruit LGBT Parents • Is your training inclusive of diverse par- Although your agency may already be working ents? Are LGBT adults depicted in case with many LGBT parents, you may face ques- studies and in examples given or used on tions, concerns, or resistance if your agency training panels? makes a more focused effort to welcome LGBT prospective foster and adoptive parents. Being • What support services is your agency able aware of, and preparing for, the potential for to offer to families? Are other LGBT par- uncertainty and concerns of staff, stakeholders, ents available as mentors or is a support and partners can help ensure that your agency is group offered for LGBT parents? Is your equipped to respond to questions and continue agency staff familiar with resources for to keep the focus on the needs of children in LGBT-headed families? foster care. Assessing your agency based on these—and Building on other works from Mallon (2000, similar—questions will help you identify exist- 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011), the following are ing strengths for welcoming and supporting important questions for your agency to consider LGBT prospective parents. This assessment will and address when seeking to recruit LGBT fos- also highlight areas for improvement in order to ter and adoptive parents: serve LGBT adults in a respectful and effective way. • Is your agency’s senior management supportive of specifically recruiting LGBT parents? If not, how can this be addressed?

6 Preparing for the Possibility of Negative Reactions • Have clear descriptions and explanations of how your agency’s efforts to recruit and Concerns about negative responses from politi- retain LGBT parents aligns with other cians, church leaders, community partners, and agency priorities and initiatives (e.g., the media have made some States and adoption recruiting LGBT parents supports your agencies reluctant to publicize their willingness agency’s efforts to improve placement sta- to recruit LGBT individuals and couples. Agen- bility and permanence for youth in foster cies that are dedicated to inclusive recruitment, care by expanding the pool of qualified however, can prepare themselves to respond foster and adoptive parents available to to negative reactions. Individual workers and care for children in need of both tempo- managers should prepare for negative com- rary and permanent placements). ments and develop confidence in challenging the myths and stereotypes often associated with • Empower staff with clear talking points LGBT parenting. Your agency can take concrete and information about your agency’s com- steps to build internal capacity to head off and, mitment to welcoming all qualified foster if necessary, respond to negative reactions. and adoptive parents, including LGBT parents, so that staff can be prepared to Developing Internal and External respond to questions from current and prospective parents, community members, Communication Strategies neighbors, and others. As with any change in policies or practices, • Be up front and open about your agency’s you can benefit from developing a strategy for commitment to welcoming LGBT pro- communicating internally as well as externally spective families. Mixed messages about with stakeholders about your agency’s new or whether your agency is truly open to expanded effort to reach and welcome LGBT engaging LGBT families will make it hard adults. Having a clear communications plan can for LGBT prospective parents to know if help support your implementation of new or they are truly welcome and will make it intensified recruitment plans and facilitate the harder for staff and community partners integration of the new effort into your agency’s to know whether your agency is actually overall work. committed to becoming more inclusive.

Tips for Developing and Using a Communications TIP: Send Strong, Consistent Messages Plan Related to LGBT Recruitment Internally And Externally • Develop key messages that agency lead- Have agency leaders communicate to ers and staff can use both internally and staff that working with LGBT families is externally to promote and build sup- a supported, expected practice as part of port for the new (or intensified) effort a professional agency with professional to recruit and retain LGBT prospective practice models. parents.

• Send consistent, strong messages within Send frequent and routine messages to your agency so that staff hear their leaders staff about the agency’s commitment to supporting and encouraging the agency’s inclusion, which involves serving LGBT effort to welcome LGBT prospective par- parents well and welcoming all qualified ents. prospective families.

7 • Consider making simple, clear announce- foster or adoptive parenting if they believe that ments to the public (e.g., through letters they will not be welcomed and respected due to to the editor of local newspapers, press their sexual orientation. Agencies and workers releases) stating that your agency is con- need to acknowledge the importance of provid- tinuing to seek qualified, loving foster and ing consistently welcoming and respectful inter- adoptive families and that includes wel- actions with all prospective parents and ensur- coming LGBT prospective parents. ing that all staff members—from receptionists to senior managers—are comfortable and profes- General Recruitment Strategies: sional in working with LGBT adults. Welcoming LGBT Families as Use Welcoming Messages in All Recruitment Efforts Part of Your General Recruitment Many parents speak to the importance of seeing The Importance of Word of Mouth recruitment materials and advertising (e.g., on billboards and busses) that specifically mention In a 2000 study, more than half of the current LGBT parents’ being eligible to become foster parents interviewed said that they had come to and adoptive parents. They report feeling more hear and learn about fostering through relatives comfortable and confident about approaching and friends or through their work, especially agencies that use such welcoming and specific social care jobs.11 The authors conclude, “from recruitment messages. Consider the effects of the comments we had, it became obvious that various messages from the perspective of a gay the experience of past and current parents are prospective parent: crucial in shaping a public image of fostering.”12 A 2002 report from the U. S. Department of “When I saw that ad it said to me that they Health and Human Services’ Office of the must have given some thought to us being Inspector General focusing on foster parent parents, it also signalled to me that I would recruitment reinforced the importance of word be welcome to apply and that we might be of mouth as the means for attracting new foster valued and given a positive response to foster parents.13 Countless agencies and organiza- parenting. If they have been more vague, I tions across the country as well can speak to might not have gotten that message. In the the importance of word of mouth in recruiting same way, when I recently saw an ad on TV foster and adoptive parents. in a western state for foster parenting, they used the words, ‘Single and Married may ap- Just like other prospective foster and adoptive ply.’ That very word ‘married’ signalled to me parents, many LGBT parents approach agencies that they weren’t talking about me.” through hearing about experiences with fos- ter care and adoption from others within their Many agencies do not use the terms lesbian, gay, network. Experiences of discrimination, rejec- bisexual, and transgender in their eligibility cri- tion, or indifference from child welfare agencies teria; they may use phrases such as “in a stable become well known within the community. Pro- relationship,” or “irrespective of sexuality” – but spective parents can be deterred from pursuing these terms can be unclear or misleading. Use of the terms “lesbian,” “gay,” and “LGBT” sends 11 Triseliotis, J., Borland, M., and Hill, M. 2000. Delivering Foster a powerful and welcoming message to those Care. London: BAAF who might want to be considered as adoptive or 12 IBID. Triseliotis, J., Borland, M., and Hill, M. P. 55. 13 Office of the Inspector General. Department of Health and Human foster parents. Given the vast differences across Services. 2002. Recruiting Foster Parents. Washington, DC. States in the laws governing foster and adoptive

8 parenting, there are instances where it may not geted outreach may be needed in order to send be possible for agencies to explicitly say that clear messages to LGBT prospective parents LGBT adults are welcome to pursue fostering or that they are, in fact, encouraged to consider adopting. However, when there are not explicit becoming foster and adoptive parents. Devel- laws or policies to prevent it, being direct and oping targeted, intentional recruitment efforts explicit about LGBT adults being eligible is best. to reach LGBT adults will make it much more likely that agencies will be able to build valuable Targeted Recruitment Strategies: community connections and reach many more Reaching Out Specifically to LGBT potential foster or adoptive parents. Prospective Parents Using Good Targeted Recruitment Practices to Why Develop Targeted Recruitment Strategies for Engage LGBT Parents LGBT Parents? Successful targeted and diligent recruitment efforts—including effective strategies for As jurisdictions all across the county know, find- recruiting LGBT prospective parents—are built ing sufficient foster and adoptive parents who on key recruitment fundamentals. Agencies are qualified to care for children—especially with successful targeted recruitment strategies sibling groups, older youth, and children with share these qualities: special needs—presents an ongoing challenge. The variety of needs among children in foster • They use data-driven and data- care points to the necessity of welcoming every informed decision making. Effective individual who may have capacity to meet those targeted recruitment efforts are based on needs. a clear understanding of the character- istics and needs of the children in foster With a growing number of children and young care and the characteristics, strengths, people awaiting placement into temporary and skills of parents who are successful foster care settings or into permanent adoptive at meeting the needs of these children. By settings, agencies may now be more open to using this data, agencies can develop spe- considering individuals and couples who may cific recruitment strategies to reach more have been traditionally overlooked as prospec- prospective parents—including LGBT tive foster and adoptive parents. LGBT adults, adults—with similar characteristics and in particular, are being looked to as valuable strengths. resources because they bring individual and • They deliver the right messages and use collective strengths to the adoption and foster- media targeted to attract families who ing task. Without preconceived notions of what reflect the diversity of children in care. constitutes family, many LGBT adults are recep- Developing targeted messages and recruit- tive to adopting or fostering older children, ment strategies aimed at adults who are sibling groups, and children with special needs. likely to be able to meet the needs of chil- Many have also experienced adversity in their dren in foster care helps you make strate- own lives and as such bring strengths to chil- gic use of your recruitment funding and dren and youth who themselves face challenges. efforts. If you are seeking to engage LGBT prospective parents, think about ways to In light of the history of LGBT adults’ being fre- express that your agency is welcoming to, quently excluded—explicitly or in subtle ways— and supportive of, LGBT adults who are from engaging with child welfare agencies, tar-

9 pursuing foster care, adoption or kinship to, and through, the licensing or home care. See page 11 for more discussion of study process and beyond. the use of both targeted and mainstream • They are community based. As with media to reach LGBT prospective parents. all targeted recruitment efforts, under- • They are culturally competent. As standing and connecting directly with LGBT individuals consider working with the community that you seek to engage is a child welfare agency, they are likely critical to the success of your recruitment. to look for indicators that your agency For agencies looking for ways to begin is competent at working effectively and reaching out to LGBT prospective parents, respectfully with a diverse array of pro- finding people who can be ambassadors spective parents, such as having non- between your agency and LGBT commu- discrimination policies that specifically nity groups can be a useful step. mention LGBT individuals, using forms that include options for relationship status Strategies for Reaching LGBT Prospective Parents other than just “single” or “married,” and Building upon previous work by Mallon (2004), using inclusive language such as “parent we offer the following strategies for reaching 1 and parent 2” rather than “husband and LGBT prospective parents: wife.” Cultural competence in working with diverse communities goes much Promote Positive Word of Mouth deeper than simply using the right words As agencies experience time and time again, and pictures, of course, but these kinds of working well with current foster and adoptive steps can help create a welcoming envi- parents can play a key role in attracting other ronment. prospective foster and adoptive parents. This pattern is true with LGBT adults as well. Many • They are retention focused. Truly LGBT prospective parents approach child wel- effective recruitment depends on effec- fare agencies after hearing about positive foster tive retention. A literature review by the parenting and adoption experiences of others National Resource Center for Recruit- in their networks, especially if their peers speak ment and Retention of Foster and Adop- highly of an agency’s inclusive environment, tive Parents at AdoptUSKids found 21 non-discrimination policies, and respect for articles citing effective support services LGBT prospective parents. Just as an agency for foster, adoptive, and kinship families as can be harmed by earning a negative reputation the single most important factor in suc- among LGBT adults based on challenging inter- cessful recruitment. Surveys of resource actions with the agency, an agency can become families found that the most important known as a welcoming organization that sup- service is a trusting and responsive rela- ports LGBT prospective foster and adoptive tionship with the child’s case manager. parents. Building and sustaining such a positive These findings highlight the importance reputation can be invaluable as part of your of building strong, respectful relationships agency’s effort to recruit LGBT adults. with LGBT prospective parents so that they trust their workers. Establishing and Participate in Community Events maintaining trusting relationships with Some States have found that having a presence LGBT prospective families—as with all at community events such as Lesbian and Gay prospective families—will help increase Pride events or a Lesbian and Gay Expo has your retention of prospective parents up

10 worked well in attracting interest in fostering not specifically engaged with the LGBT and adoption. Taking recruitment actively into community and may not buy publications the community affirms that an agency values specifically aimed at LGBT individuals. and is interested in the community. Similar les- Those who have used these forums have sons have been learned in the effective recruit- found that advertising in the LGBT-aimed ment of African-American, Latino, and Asian press attracted white, mainly middle-class parents. parents; using the mainstream press has helped to widen its pool of prospective Use the Press parents from different backgrounds and Media in many forms—including feature articles ethnic groups. in newspapers, TV, and radio—play a role in raising awareness about the need for foster and Welcoming LGBT Prospective Parents adoptive parents. Using media is one key way that agencies invite interested adults to find out Who Contact Your Agency more about foster care and adoption. As agen- Whether LBGT prospective parents contact cies consider reaching out to LGBT prospective your agency in response to specifically targeted parents through the press, they may want to recruitment efforts or in response to general pursue multiple strategies for spreading their recruitment strategies, it is important for your recruitment messages. agency to have the capacity to welcome and support them—as you would any prospective • Targeted Press: As is often effective in parents—as they explore foster care, adop- targeted recruitment efforts, some agen- tion, and kinship care. As with all high-quality cies have made good use of advertising recruitment efforts, having an attitude of seek- in the press and publications aimed at ing to rule prospective parents in, rather than to LGBT adults—such as The Advocate and rule them out, will help you create a welcoming The Blade—to reach out to LGBT prospec- atmosphere for all prospective parents. A “rule- tive foster and adoptive parents. Adver- in” approach will help your agency identify a tisements that include images of LGBT larger pool of parents who can meet the needs couples and individuals with children are of children in foster care. particularly useful as a means to recruit families, helping to communicate that your agency welcomes and supports Initial Contact with Your Agency LGBT adults becoming foster and adop- The way in which your agency greets prospec- tive parents. If your agency is interested in tive foster and adoptive parents when they first specifically recruiting African-American, make contact has significant impact and sets the Latino, and Asian LGBT foster and adop- tone for future interactions. When LGBT pro- tive parents, you could pursue advertising spective parents initially contact your agency, in African-American, Spanish language, they may be looking for indicators that they will and Asian community newsletters and be welcomed and respected. publications. A less-than-warm initial response to a phone • Mainstream Press: Many agencies call, or during an initial interview, may dis- also recognize the importance of using courage some potentially successful adoptive specific advertising for LGBT parents or foster parents, regardless of whether they in mainstream newspapers and maga- are LGBT. Many foster and adoptive parents zines in order to target people who are

11 describe how they had to be determined and persistent in order to actually make it through TIP: Look For Ways To Frame the licensing or home study process. Some Statements In Inclusive And Affirming have expressed fear that other potentially good applicants may not survive what they see as an Ways obstacle course designed to keep them out. Avoid using forms, questions, and words that reflect any assumptions that all A discouraging agency response reflects the prospective parents fall into particular experience of many LGBT parents when they groups. Even seemingly innocent ques- initially make contact. Some face outright rejec- tions can send a message that you aren’t tion and hostility. For others the experience is welcoming to LGBT prospective par- more subtle but still includes signals that the ents. For example: agency is not welcoming, such as being asked • Instead of asking if an applicant early on in the initial phone call, “What is your is married—whether on a form or husband’s/wife’s name?” One lesbian foster in a conversation—you can ask if parent recalled having to deal with a social someone has a partner or will be worker’s embarrassment and confusion when co-parenting. she realized she was taking an inquiry from a lesbian couple. “If she couldn’t deal with that, • Instead of using the words “hus- what did it say about the agency and how they band” and “wife” on forms that would treat us. Clearly, they had not given any prospective or current parents thought to the fact that lesbian and gay couples must complete, use more neutral might apply. It also meant I had to come out in words such as “Parent 1” and “Par- response – it did not feel positive, welcoming or ent 2” or “Applicant 1” and “Appli- comfortable.”14 cant 2.”

Another lesbian adoptive couple recounted their experience when they first contacted the TIP: Remember, A Picture Is Worth A State agency. They had asked about the State’s Thousand Words previous approvals of gay and lesbian couples Review the photos and images your and were told that they had “recently placed a agency uses in recruitment materials, child with a gay couple, he was a child that was publications, and around the office to so handicapped that he would never know that ensure that the families in the pho- they were lesbian.” This couple did not pursue tos reflect the diversity of prospective adoption through that agency. families you wish to engage, including same-sex couples and single parents. As these examples demonstrate, the initial If prospective LGBT families don’t see response to prospective families inquiring about families like themselves in any of your becoming foster or adoptive parents plays a agency’s images, they may find it more

14Mallon, G. & Betts, B. 2005. Recruiting, Assessing and Retaining difficult to trust the agency and feel Lesbian and Gay Foster and Adoptive Families: A Good Practice welcome. Guide for Social Workers. London: British Association of Adoption and Foster Care.

12 crucial role in communicating whether or not content on LGBT parents into the pre-service an agency is welcoming and responsive to LGBT training for foster and adoptive parents. Having prospective parents. As is true for initial contact LGBT parents mentioned along with all other with all prospective parents—LGBT or not— kinds of parents helps convey the message that agency responses need to be friendly, prompt, your agency welcomes all prospective parents. respectful, and encouraging. Closing Thoughts Information and Resource Packs Child welfare work is a demanding and reward- All prospective parents—whether LGBT or ing endeavor, with a precious mandate to care not—benefit from receiving accurate, helpful for vulnerable children and older youth. We all written materials about the process required to face the ongoing challenge of adapting our work become a foster or adoptive parent. These mate- and approaches to meet the needs of children in rials should include eligibility requirements, foster care. By keeping a focus on the children characteristics of successful foster and adoptive who need foster and adoptive families, agen- parents, support available from your agency and cies can see how recruiting and retaining LGBT other community organizations, and the needs parents can help achieve better outcomes for of children and youth in foster care. children in out-of-home care. Information and resource packs can be a valu- There are many specific steps that agencies able tool in welcoming LBGT applicants. can take to be inclusive and affirming of LGBT These packs can provide helpful details, lists of resource families. Here are a few ideas from resources, and examples of diverse foster and LGBT Adoptive and Foster Parenting by the adoptive families that your agency has worked National Resource Center for Permanency and with. For LGBT prospective parents, clear Family Connections and AdoptUSKids:15 information about eligibility guidelines and the licensing and home study process is particularly • Develop clear statements in support of important to clarify unclear or misleading infor- LGBT adoption and foster parenting and mation often circulated about whether LGBT include sexual orientation and gender individuals and couples are eligible to foster or identity in your agency’s non-discrimi- adopt. By providing written information with nation policy. Make these statements and clear statements about non-discrimination policies accessible (i.e. on your agency policies and eligibility criteria, your agency can website). send a strong, explicit message to LGBT pro- • Develop contacts and partnerships with spective parents about welcoming them into the LGBT community in order to engage the process of becoming foster and adoptive in genuine, informed outreach. parents. It is also helpful to provide suggested reading materials that reference LGBT parents • Provide staff training on LGBT adop- and lists of partnering community organizations tion and foster parenting. Help workers, and support services that are inclusive of, and supervisors, and agency leaders examine welcoming to, LGBT parents. their attitudes and beliefs about LGBT parenting. Parent Preparation and Training 15 National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Agencies can continue to create a welcom- Connections and AdoptUSKids. Oct. 2010. ing and inclusive environment by integrating “LGBT Adoptive and Foster Parenting” Available online at: www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/download/ LGBTAdoptiveandFosterParenting.pdf 13 • Affirm the value of LGBT individuals and highlights the importance of finding way to families by including them in outreach, engage with LGBT adults who may be inter- training materials, parent panels, newslet- ested in parenting children in foster care. More ters, and on your agency website, and by resources are available to help agencies build utilizing inclusive paperwork. their capacity to recruit, assess, retain, and sup- • Recognize that the main focus of work port LGBT prospective and current parents. with LGBT families should not be on sex- The list below provides suggestions for finding ual orientation and gender identity. How- additional resources and learning about creative ever, some supports needed for the parent work being done by other agencies to reach out or family may be specific to their being an to LGBT adults. LGBT family. Different families will have different needs. Recommendations from LGBT Families An important component to include in discus- to Agencies* sions about recruiting LGBT parents is the voice • Every family is different and the of LGBT adoptive families themselves, providing needs of families (gay or straight) insights based on their own experiences. LGBT should be evaluated individually. participants in the 2010 AdoptUSKids’ inter- • Agencies must re-evaluate their views and focus groups identified the following entire approach to recruitment points they would like workers to know about and retention of LGBT adopters. LGBT families: It is not enough just to do a single • Staff should feel comfortable asking ques- campaign. tions if they don’t understand something • LGBT families should be inte- about the family. grated throughout the process, not • Workers should be provided with more given “special preference.” training on cultural sensitivity. • Agency staff need to be educated • Agencies should be provided funding to about LGBT parenting and adop- train staff on how to work with diverse tion so that LGBT families don’t families. have to fight against or • LGBT adults may be extra sensitive to work to overcome the stereotypes personal questions due to their life experi- about the LGBT community. ences. • Agencies should be honest with • LGBT adults want to feel included and LGBT families about the challeng- acknowledged but not treated differently. es that they will face in the adop- tion process as an LGBT prospec- • Workers should be honest with LGBT tive parent. prospective parents about the difficulties in the process. * Recommendations from AdoptUSKids’ 2010 study “Barriers and Success Factors in Adoption Suggested Resources from Foster Care: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Families.” Available online at: adoptuskids.org/ This publication provides basic, introductory images/resourceCenter/LGBT-Barriers-and- information and ideas for recruiting LGBT Success-Factors-in-Adoption.pdf prospective foster and adoptive parents and

14 In addition to the resources listed below, many • In April 2011, the Children’s Bureau issued members of the Children’s Bureau’s Training Information Memorandum (IM) 11-03 on and Technical Assistance Network are available “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and to provide free training and technical assistance Questioning Youth in Foster Care.” IM-11- to States, Tribes, and Territories to help them 03 is available online at: www.acf.hhs. work in effective and culturally competent ways gov/programs/cb/laws_policies/policy/ with LGBT adults and LGBTQ youth. More im/2011/im1103.htm information about the Training and Technical Assistance Network is available online at: www. References acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/tta/ Mallon, G.P. 2000. Let’s Get This Straight: A Gay • The National Resource Center for Perma- and Lesbian Affirming Approach to Child Wel- nency and Family Connections has exten- fare. New York: Columbia University Press. sive resources related to working with LGBT adults and LGBTQ youth available Mallon, G.P. 2004. Choosing Parent- online at: www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/ hood. New York: Columbia University Press. nrcfcpp/info_services/lgbtq-issues-and- child-welfare.html Mallon, G. P. 2006. Lesbian and Gay Foster and Adoptive Parents: Recruiting, Assessing, and Sup- • The Summer 2010 issue of Permanency porting an Untapped Resource for Children and Planning Today by The National Resource Youth. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League Center for Permanency and Family Con- of America. nections focused specifically on inclusive child welfare practice with LGBTQ popu- Mallon, G.P. 2007. “Assessing Lesbian and Gay lations and provides in-depth information Prospective Foster and Adoptive Families: A and helpful resources. The publication can Focus on the Homestudy Process.” Child Wel- be downloaded at: www.nrcpfc.org/news- fare, 86(2). P. 67-86. letter/ppt-summer-2010.pdf • AdoptUSKids has resources available Mallon, G.P. (Ed.). 2008. Social Work Practice on recruiting and retaining LGBT foster With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender and adoptive parents available online People. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge. at: adoptuskids.org/for-professionals/ free-resources/quick-tips-and-tools-for- Mallon, G.P. 2011. “The Home Study Assess- recruitment-and-retention#working- ment Process for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and with-diverse-communities Transgender Prospective Foster and Adoptive Families.” Journal of GLBT Family Studies, • Child Welfare Information Gateway has 7(1/2), p. 9-29. a collection of resources on working with LGBT families available online at: www. Triseliotis, J., Borland, M., and Hill, M. 2000. childwelfare.gov/systemwide/cultural/ Delivering Foster Care. London: BAAF adoption/lgbt_families.cfm

15 at

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A collaborative project of members of the Children’s Bureau’s Training and Technical Assistance Network