Protecting faith-based adoption providers is best for kids

Some government officials are trying to shut down faith-based adoption and foster care providers—and children are paying the price

In March 2018, the city of Philadelphia froze all foster care referrals to Catholic Social Services (CSS), preventing the provider’s foster parents from caring for any new foster children. It didn’t matter that just days before, the city had sent out an urgent request for 300 new foster families, or that no one had ever made a single complaint about how CSS was performing its ministry. The city was determined to punish Catholic Social Services solely because of its belief that kids do best with a married mom and dad.

But shutting down faith-based adoption and foster care providers—like Philadelphia and other state and local governments are trying to do—means fewer children will have a chance to find a forever home. That’s not keeping kids first.

That’s why Catholic Social Services filed a lawsuit over the city’s anti-religious discrimination. Thankfully, the United States Supreme Court issued a big win for religious freedom in their case Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. This means that the City cannot exclude Catholic Social Services from serving the children and families in their communities because of their religious beliefs. Praise God!

But this important victory could have even more far-reaching implications. It could impact other faith-based adoption and foster care agencies—like New Hope Family Services and Catholic Charities West Michigan—along with Washington floral artist Barronelle Stutzman.

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Every American has the freedom to live according to their religious beliefs. Adoption and foster care providers are no different.

But today, faith-based child welfare providers are being prevented from serving children and families because some government officials disagree with their beliefs. This anti-religious discrimination not only violates the First Amendment—it’s taking a dangerous toll on some of the most vulnerable among us: children in need of loving homes.

Now more than ever, we need highly successful adoption and foster care providers to keep their doors open—that’s keeping kids first.

Will you join us in standing against government efforts to strip away religious freedom by signing the petition below?

“I believe every child in need of a forever home deserves the chance to be adopted or cared for by a foster family.”
“I believe shutting down faith-based adoption and foster care providers means fewer children will have a chance to find a forever home. That’s not keeping kids first.”
“I believe the Constitution prohibits government bureaucrats from excluding people of faith from serving children and families in their communities.”

Across America, faith-based adoption and foster-care providers are being targeted for putting children first. But no child welfare provider should be prevented from serving children and families simply because the government doesn’t like its faith or beliefs. That’s why New Hope Family Services and Catholic Charities West Michigan took a brave stand against this anti-religious discrimination. With the help of ADF, they filed lawsuits to protect their freedom to serve families and children according to their faith.