Alberta Government Caves, Lets Gay Couple Adopt
The abolishment of an obscure protocol has made Lance Anderson and Blair Croft the first gay parents to adopt through a non-private agency in Alberta.
Croft, a child care worker, originally filled out the adoption paperwork in 2004. After impressing social workers with their success in the mandatory parenting courses and home inspections, the couple was immediately approved. Or, rather, they were approved… until assistant deputy minister Bill Meade got word of their efforts. Two days after the approval, Bill outlined a new “protocol for adoptive placement with same-sex couples.”
Under the protocol, offices were forced to look for other parents for the child before considering the same-sex couple, first regionally, then provincially. If no other parents were available, the child would then go through “media recruitment,” including a website promotion and weekly television segment. If parents could still not be found for the child, the same-sex applicants would be scrutinized and the final approval—unlike all other adoptions—would have to go up through the ranks to the deputy minister himself.
Privately, social workers suggested filing for adoption as a single parent to avoid the hoopla.
Luckily, the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act abolished the same-sex adoption protocol earlier last year. Jody Korchinski, a spokesperson for Child Services, assured same-sex couples that Lance and Blair’s horrible experience won’t be repeated:
The sexual orientation of the parents is certainly not a considering factor. What we’re looking at is in terms of the home: Is it stable? Is it permanent? Is it loving? Can they provide the medical attention? A safe and secure environment? Education of the child? It’s the interests of the child that are put first.
What a novel concept! Well, congratulations, guys!
- Gay couple leaps ‘walls’ to adopt son [Edmonton Journal]
