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Last Catholic Adoption Agency In Britain Loses Attempt To Operate Without Placements To Same-Sex Couples

By Howard M. Friedman

Today's London Telegraph reports that the last Catholic adoption agency operating in Britain has lost its attempt to continue to operate while refusing to place children with same-sex couples. Since the Equality Act Sexual Orientation Regulations came into effect (see prior posting), eleven Catholic adoption agencies have either closed down or severed their ties with the church. Catholic Care was the last hold out and had hoped to obtain an exemption. Britain's Charity Commission, ruling in a case that was on remand after an earlier appeal to the High Court (see prior posting), held that the Catholic agency did not have strong enough reasons to justify the request that it be allowed to limit its services. In its decision (full text) dated July 21, but only published today, the Charity Commission said that it "recognises the valuable work carried out by the charity and regrets that the charity consider that, if it is unable to discriminate, it will have to close its adoption service." Catholic Care says it will now seek to register as an adoption support agency to serve adoptees who are seeking information about their background and also to support parents already approved by the agency. The Charity Commission today also issued a release summarizing its decision.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 19, 2010 (boomark / email).