...parents in the United States were raising six to fourteen million children, often in openly recognized gay families. Most of these children were born to heterosexually married parents; one or both of whom later came out as gay or lesbian (Littauer 2008). Allowing LGBT parents to adopt or foster has been the subject of controversy for a long time. Discussions and debates about adoption and foster care by gay or lesbian parents occur frequently among child welfare policy makers, social service agencies and social workers. However, while such an ongoing debate exist, on any given day in the United States about a half million children are living foster care. Additionally, many of our personal resources are spent adopting internationally or through private domestic adoption agencies, in an attempt to avoid the unnecessary red tape and discrimination (Gates, et al 2007). Thus keeping all these factors in mind, I think the critical factor or issue when considering potential families in the adoption process should be the well-being of the child rather than the sexual orientation of the parents. I think same sex couples should be allowed adopt...
Words: 1891 - Pages: 8
...Unwanted: LGBT Teen Homelessness Keli Beall Kaplan University Unwanted: LGBT Teen Homelessness "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." - Mother Teresa Jenny closed her eyes and pictured last year’s Christmas. Her family was all gathered around the tree, everyone wearing smiles and speaking with laughter. It was warm and she was excited not only about the holiday season, but also because she had planned to finally tell her parents about Maggie, her girlfriend of five months. She was a bit worried about how her parents would react but they loved her and would want her to be who she was and to be happy. She couldn’t wait to stop hiding, to stop pretending she was something else. She never thought that would be her last Christmas with her family. She never imagined that a year later she would be living on the streets, cold, scared and hungry watching all the happy families go in and out of the stores and shops. Her parents kicked her out when she broke the news about Maggie. For a while she stayed with friends until there were no more offers of a place to lay her head for the night. She tried shelters until she got beat up one night when someone let it slip she was gay. For a bit she was staying at a home for LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) youth, but they ran out of funding and shut down...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...Running Head: Family Law Family Law Jessica Kessler-Milam Professor Juste Sanchez Strayer University March 11, 2012 Abstract This paper defines the area of law entitled family law; what it means and does along with a problem area in which I am here to provide a solution to. The problem area within family is that of the child custody and support; judges do not look out for the best interest of the children. My solution is that judges need to be more managed by the Supreme Court, rotated or moved in and out of the job every two years or removed from the position altogether. Family Law Family law is a very complex and diverse legal part of the entire legal field. Family law courts handle cases of divorce, annulment, separate maintenance, paternity, grandparent visitation, allocation of custodial parents (non-married parents), child support, domestic violence; anything involving family support proceedings except abuse and neglect cases. In West Virginia there are 45 judges for each 27 circuits, usually amounts to one judge per county unless it is a large county in which there will be 2-3 judges or a small county which one judge will be assigned for two counties (Courtswv, 2010). Rules of civil procedure apply to all parties including attorneys and/or non-represented persons. All orders are public record but all pleadings, recordings, exhibits, transcripts or other documents contained in the court file will not be available for public inspection except by the involved...
Words: 4069 - Pages: 17
