Wayne LaRue Smith wanted to ensure that the foster child he was raising wouldn't be taken from him, so he sought permanent guardianship. He really wanted to adopt the boy, but under a 32-year-old Florida law that bans adoption by gay people, that seemed out of the question.
Now, two years later, Smith faces a legal Catch 22. In August, a Key West judge declared the state's gay adoption law unconstitutional, allowing Smith to adopt his foster son. But state child welfare administrators have declined to provide the boy a host of financial benefits available to foster kids who are adopted.
Their reason: Because the boy was already in a guardianship, he was no longer a foster child when he was adopted.
Department of Children & Families Secretary George Sheldon: ''We have never granted an adoption subsidy in a guardianship case.''
Full Article and Source:
Gay adoptive dad fights for state benefits for his child
See also:
High Court To Rule
Adoption Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Now, two years later, Smith faces a legal Catch 22. In August, a Key West judge declared the state's gay adoption law unconstitutional, allowing Smith to adopt his foster son. But state child welfare administrators have declined to provide the boy a host of financial benefits available to foster kids who are adopted.
Their reason: Because the boy was already in a guardianship, he was no longer a foster child when he was adopted.
Department of Children & Families Secretary George Sheldon: ''We have never granted an adoption subsidy in a guardianship case.''
Full Article and Source:
Gay adoptive dad fights for state benefits for his child
See also:
High Court To Rule
Adoption Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
No comments:
Post a Comment