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- sex counterparts, many child-placing agencies refuse to serve same-sex couples and LGBTQ individuals. This has resulted in a reduction of the pool of qualified and available homes for youth in the child welfare system who need placement on a temporary or permanent basis. It also sends a negative message about LGBTQ people to children and youth in the child welfare system about who is, and who is not, considered fit to be a parent. While the priority should be on providing the supports necessary to keep children with their families, when removal is required, barring discrimination in foster care and adoption will increase the number of homes available to foster children waiting for foster and adoptive families.
- (21) LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system by at least a factor of two and report twice the rate of poor treatment while in care compared to their non-LGBTQ counterparts. LGBTQ youth in foster care have a higher average number of placements, higher likelihood of living in a group home, and higher rates of hospitalization for emotional reasons and of juvenile justice involvement than their non-LGBTQ peers because of the high level of bias and discrimination that they face and
