What do you think? I copied this from the CoS website and would welcome serious prayer & debate.
NEWS
Kirk reacts to adoption reforms: "Best interests of the child must be paramount"
Putting Children First is the theme of the Church of Scotland's response to the Scottish Executives proposals to reform adoption and fostering in Scotland.
The Kirk's Church and Society Council: "strongly support the principle that the best interests of children are paramount here," and goes on to reaffirm: "the Church's view that the stable environment of care which children need is best provided in the context of marriage."
But, the Kirk adds and as Cardinal O'Brien has also said the current system is "failing to meet children's needs." And the Church's response concludes that:
"we would, on balance, support the proposals to allow unmarried or unregistered couples (of different sexes or of the same sex) to adopt jointly."
Although there are many within the Church who see these proposals as undermining marriage by giving equality of status to different relationships, the response notes that the proposals do not give anyone a "right to adopt." Instead, the focus has to be on the most vulnerable children, who are not currently finding families.
The current law effectively turns a blind eye to "gay adoption" by allowing people in a same-sex relationship to adopt individually, and the Kirk argues that a more honest approach may help more children find stability and care, saying: " While we therefore do not believe that the status of the relationship between adult potential adopters should be an absolute bar to them adopting jointly, we would hope that there would be explicit recognition that no 'right to adopt' is created by the Bill, and that, therefore, the stability and 'enduring nature' of the relationship are appropriately part of a robust selection process which recognises the dangers for children if adoption is not by those in a stable and strong relationship. Similar considerations apply to fostering."
The Church calls for Executive action to encourage more people to become adoptive parents or foster carers, and sees the church itself having a role to play in this. They also call on the Executive, who have often underlined the importance of stable families, to put resources into supporting efforts to help keep families together.
Dramatic changes since the 1979 Adoption Act, mean that only around 20 babies are placed for adoption each year; yet over 6,500 children are in the care of local authorities, often in successive short-term foster care. The 'typical' child seeking adoptive parents is likely to be the victim of family breakdown in some form, scarred by that experience and presenting real challenges for prospective adopters.
In this context, the Church expresses: "broad support for the urgency of finding new solutions which serve the best interests of the vulnerable children for whom at present we seem unable to provide the safe and secure nurture they need.".
Council convener Morag Mylne said: "We welcome and support the emphasis on the best interests of the child. Those interests are served in strong and secure relationships and the love and stability that adoptive parents and foster parents can give to children is invaluable. The needs of the many vulnerable children currently in care are very urgent and we are encouraged that some steps are being taken to meet those needs through these proposals."
NEWS
Kirk reacts to adoption reforms: "Best interests of the child must be paramount"
Putting Children First is the theme of the Church of Scotland's response to the Scottish Executives proposals to reform adoption and fostering in Scotland.
The Kirk's Church and Society Council: "strongly support the principle that the best interests of children are paramount here," and goes on to reaffirm: "the Church's view that the stable environment of care which children need is best provided in the context of marriage."
But, the Kirk adds and as Cardinal O'Brien has also said the current system is "failing to meet children's needs." And the Church's response concludes that:
"we would, on balance, support the proposals to allow unmarried or unregistered couples (of different sexes or of the same sex) to adopt jointly."
Although there are many within the Church who see these proposals as undermining marriage by giving equality of status to different relationships, the response notes that the proposals do not give anyone a "right to adopt." Instead, the focus has to be on the most vulnerable children, who are not currently finding families.
The current law effectively turns a blind eye to "gay adoption" by allowing people in a same-sex relationship to adopt individually, and the Kirk argues that a more honest approach may help more children find stability and care, saying: " While we therefore do not believe that the status of the relationship between adult potential adopters should be an absolute bar to them adopting jointly, we would hope that there would be explicit recognition that no 'right to adopt' is created by the Bill, and that, therefore, the stability and 'enduring nature' of the relationship are appropriately part of a robust selection process which recognises the dangers for children if adoption is not by those in a stable and strong relationship. Similar considerations apply to fostering."
The Church calls for Executive action to encourage more people to become adoptive parents or foster carers, and sees the church itself having a role to play in this. They also call on the Executive, who have often underlined the importance of stable families, to put resources into supporting efforts to help keep families together.
Dramatic changes since the 1979 Adoption Act, mean that only around 20 babies are placed for adoption each year; yet over 6,500 children are in the care of local authorities, often in successive short-term foster care. The 'typical' child seeking adoptive parents is likely to be the victim of family breakdown in some form, scarred by that experience and presenting real challenges for prospective adopters.
In this context, the Church expresses: "broad support for the urgency of finding new solutions which serve the best interests of the vulnerable children for whom at present we seem unable to provide the safe and secure nurture they need.".
Council convener Morag Mylne said: "We welcome and support the emphasis on the best interests of the child. Those interests are served in strong and secure relationships and the love and stability that adoptive parents and foster parents can give to children is invaluable. The needs of the many vulnerable children currently in care are very urgent and we are encouraged that some steps are being taken to meet those needs through these proposals."
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