There are more gay dads in this world by the day.
New data has appeared showing that the rate of children being adopted by same-sex couples is rising in the UK. According to GSN, the numbers have come from England’s Department of Education. Specifically, the department says that one in six children adopted in the last year were adopted by same-sex couples. That is a major leap from the numbers of past years. In 2012, only one in 22 adoptions were made by same-sex couples.
The data went even further to show that between March of 2019 and March of 2020, 3,440 children were adopted in England. Of that, 570 went home with same-sex parents. Within that group, the majority of the parents were married gay male couples. 170 children went home with such parents. Meanwhile, 70 adopted kids went home with male civil partnered couples, 30 went with female civil partners, 120 went with married female couples, 120 children were adopted by unmarried gay couples, and 60 kids were adopted by unmarried female couples.
Keep in mind, these numbers do turn a blind eye to other sections of LGBTQ existence. As The Advocate points out, the data does not cover bisexuality. This includes bisexual people in relationships with same-sex or opposite-sex partners. Plus, transgender, people non-binary people, and other LGBTQ people were not noted in this data’s coverage.
Despite that, it’s exciting to see the increasing normalcy of same-sex parentage and adoption in England. Hopefully, more children will find loving homes now that same-sex couples are being allowed to, and empowered to, adopt.
As Tor Docherty, the chief executive of UK LGBTQ adopters and foster careers charity New Family Social, said, “We’re delighted to see the numbers of adoptions to LGBT+ people increase for the third consecutive year.”
Docherty then added, “LGBT+ people can and do provide invaluable parenting to some of our most vulnerable children. England’s adoption agencies increasingly recognise and use us as an essential resource. It’s great to end this challenging year with some much-needed good news.”
Source: GSN, The Advocate,
