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(Worthy News) – The Biden administration has introduced a new child welfare policy that may prevent Christians and other persons of faith from becoming foster parents because of their views on LGBTQ issues. Announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in September, the policy would prohibit the placement of children with foster parents who refuse to support and affirm transgenderism for minors and/or who believe homosexuality is sinful.
In a press statement, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra specified that the new policy will “support kinship caregivers, protect LGBTQI+ children in foster care, and expand access to legal representation for children and families in the child welfare system.”
In particular Becerra said, the new policy would “protect LGBTQI+ youth by placing them in environments free of hostility, mistreatment, or abuse based on the child’s LGBTQI+ status.” To that end, Becerra emphasized, the new policy would require that potential foster parents for “LGBTQI+” children are “properly and fully trained to provide for the needs of the child related to the child’s self-identified sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”
“The rules fulfill executive orders by President Biden and align with the administration’s priorities to keep families together and increase equity in the child welfare system,” Becerra added.
In a statement criticizing the policy, foster parent and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said: “As a foster parent myself, I am deeply invested in protecting children and putting their best interests first. Biden’s proposed rule does exactly the opposite by enacting policies meant to exclude people with deeply held religious beliefs from being foster parents.”