“At first, I wasn’t so sure about having two moms. I get it now... We are a family, just like anybody else.”
At first, I wasn’t so sure about having two moms. I get it now... We are a family, just like anybody else.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 07, 2013
In partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, RaiseAChild.US has created a three-minute video for social workers to show to foster children who may be matched with gay and lesbian parents. It is designed to create opportunities for dialogue with social workers and facilitate transitions into LGBT-led homes. RaiseAChild.US is a national nonprofit organization that encourages the LGBT community to build families through fostering and adoption.
The video, entitled, “What Makes A Family?” introduces children from three fost-adopt families in Los Angeles. The kids describe their day-to-day lives full of sports activities, playing with pets, family dinners, and of course homework. At the end, the children introduce their parents, all of whom are LGBT.
“When we asked RaiseAChild.US to create this video for us, we were looking for a tool that our social workers could use to talk to our kids about being placed with an LGBT family,” said Sari Grant, Recruitment Administrator at Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. “Our goal is to help the social workers and kids dispel any myths they might have about living with LGBT parents and answer questions as to what their placement might look like.”
“We don’t want any child missing an opportunity to be placed with a safe and loving family due to misconceptions,” Grant adds. “This video provides a window for the foster youth to see that life with LGBT parents can be a really good option for them.”
“It was important that our video feature real adoptive LGBT-headed families,” says Rich Valenza, RaiseAChild.US Founder and CEO. “RaiseAChild.US is significantly increasing the numbers of LGBT prospective parents for DCFS. Our hope is that this video will serve as another tool to help foster children visualize the bright future that is possible with a variety of families.”
“At first, I wasn’t so sure about having two moms,” says Carlos, a 14-year-old boy featured in the video. He continues, “I get it now... We are a family, just like anybody else.”
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families, there are 400,000 children in our nation’s foster care system. More than 104,000 of these children are available and waiting to be adopted. Families certified for either foster or adoptive placements are in short supply.
The video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/JOI6evbgzbI/.
RaiseAChild.US campaigns welcome and support prospective LGBT parents while putting images of LGBT families into public spaces through PSAs, print media, and outdoor advertising. Since 2011, RaiseAChild.US has engaged more than 1,200 prospective parents nationally and become a leading organization for public education and advocacy on behalf of the 400,000 children awaiting foster and adoptive homes. For more information, visit RaiseAChild.US.