The pink guide to adoption for lesbians and gay men

How easy is it for lesbian and gay couples to adopt? Can we adopt jointly? Is the adoption process any different from heterosexual adoption? Is it true that only “hard-to-place” children get placed with lesbians and gay men?

If you are asking yourselves these questions, this is the book for you. It is an essential step-by-step guide for lesbians and gay men who are considering adoption in the UK, whether as single parents or jointly.

Illustrated throughout with quotes from those who have already experienced, or are currently involved in, the adoption process, the guide also has useful points to consider for those thinking about starting the adoption journey. They describe the highs and lows, the welcome they have received and also the prejudices encountered, the difficulties and the rewards. Many reveal how their lives have changed immeasurably since their adopted children moved in.

This is a must for any lesbian or gay man wishing to adopt, it also provides insights for social workers on what lesbian and gay adopters offer as prospective adoptive parents.

‘We had some very probing and testing questions in the home study about our relationship, sex life and previous partners. They also asked how much we drink. Sometimes it was more like a therapy session.

I would say before you even start the process, get some experience of looking after children. We are teachers, so we had a lot but teaching is still different from parenting. We did a lot of babysitting for our friends to get some more experience.

You need to talk about issues as a couple beforehand and decide how you are going to handle the process. We had a mutual opt-out clause, so if one of us wasn’t happy at any stage, we could talk about it and pull out if necessary.’  Max and Craig, adoptive dads to two boys

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