As the House of Lords votes on giving adoption rights to homosexual couples, a Christian charity has launched a new 'adoption card' which aims to protect the wishes of parents who oppose gay adoption. The card has been produced by The Christian Institute and it carries the declaration, "in the event of my death I do not want my children to be adopted by homosexuals."

A recent poll in the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency found that nearly two thirds (65%) of parents would make a legal declaration to stop their children being adopted by two gay men. Most parents have not made any legal provision for their children in the event of their death.

Currently, if parents died unexpectedly, the courts would give preference to family members who applied to look after the children. The courts would also have regard to anyone that the parents appointed in a will as guardians. New Government proposals for gay adoption rights will throw these established conventions into confusion and uncertainty. If marriage is set aside as the only basis for joint adoption it is inevitable that relationships established through marriage - such as grandparents, uncles and aunts, will also be downgraded in status.

Under the Government's proposals it would be illegal for adoption agencies to give any preference to married couples. This would be a massive change of policy because 95% of adoptions from care are currently to married couples. If the House of Lords votes to accept this new proposal, adoption agencies will be compelled to give equal weight to applications from homosexual couples and married couples.

The Institute has received legal advice that under the Government proposals adoption agencies who turn down homosexual couples could face litigation in the courts. The prospect of such litigation will therefore put huge pressure on adoption agencies to place children with gay couples. The result might well be that orphaned children are placed with homosexual couples rather than with their grandparents.

The new 'Adoption Card' allows parents to object to their children being looked after or adopted by a homosexual couple. Once completed the card would be taken into account by the courts in making any residence order or adoption order in respect of the children.

The Christian Institute's Deputy Director, Simon Calvert, said: "We hope that the House of Lords votes against plans to allow gay adoption. However, if gay adoption gets the go-ahead, parents will have to make their wishes clear. We know that most parents oppose plans to allow gay adoption. We also know from our recent opinion poll that most parents want to make legal provision to stop their kids being adopted by a gay couple in the event of their death. Our adoption card gives parents the opportunity to make their wishes known. All the research shows that gay adoption would be harmful to children. It is wrong to deliberately deprive an adopted child of a mother and a father."

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Note for Editors:

The Christian Institute, Registered Charity No 100 4774 seeks to promote the Christian faith in the UK
Registered Office: 26 Jesmond Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PQ

For more information contact: Simon Calvert on 0191 281 5664.