57% BELIEVE GAYS CAN BE GOOD PARENTS

A new poll in Britain has revealed that 57 per cent of the public think that same-sex couples can be equally as good parents as straight couples.

The survey of 2,049 adults was commissioned by the children’s charity Barnardo’s in light of the 64,000 children in the British care system and adoption levels reaching a new low.

Barnardo’s, however, expressed its concern over the more than one third (32%) of the public who do not think gay couples can parent as well as their heterosexual couples.

“There is no room for prejudice, children are in desperate need”, commented Barnardo’s CEO Anne Marie Carrie.

“The idea that gay parents are second best must be challenged. To suggest that a same sex couple is not as able to raise a child as a heterosexual couple is at once absurd and unsubstantiated. To continue to discourage potential adopters simply because of their sexual orientation is severely diminishing the chances of securing loving, stable homes for the children who are waiting,” she said.

According to the organisation, only 3.75% of children adopted in England in 2010 were adopted by same-sex couples, with a quarter of those with adoption plans never finding a family.

“To continue to discourage potential adopters simply because of their sexual orientation is severely diminishing the chances of securing loving, stable homes for the children who are waiting,” added Carrie.