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The Rise of Gay & Lesbian Parenting in The UK

The Rise of GAY& LESBIAN Parenting in The UK Over the past few years, there has been a steady and exciting rise in gay and lesbian couples deciding to start a family. A 2013 study by the Office For National Statistics revealed that there were 12,000 same-sex couples raising children in the UK 12,000 This is compared to 8,000 8,000 in 2011, and 4,000 in 2010. 4,000 2010 2011 2013 The study also discovered that there were around 19,0000 children in the UK with same-sex parents. Celebrity Babies There are many prominent gay and lesbian figures that are raising families. Singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish have had two children through the same surrogate mother. Personal trainer Jillian Michaels and her partner Heidi Rhoades have two children together. They adopted their son Lukensia from Haiti, and Heidi gave birth to their second son the same month! Actor Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka had twins through a surrogate mother in 2010. Choices For Gay & Lesbian Couples For gay and lesbian couples looking to have a child, there are several options available in the United Kingdom. * Adoption According to the Department for Education, the number of same-sex couples that adopted children doubled between 2009 and 2013 The Adoption & Children Act of 2002 gives gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt a child in the UK from 2005 onwards. Factors that are considered in allowing you to adopt include: 21 Age - you must be over 21 Financial Situation - are you financially stable enough to raise a child? Health - are you fit and well enough to take on the responsibility of looking after a child? You can apply as a single Mum or Dad, and a partner can also apply at a later stage to become a legal parent * Surrogacy This is only if the mother is not paid - or in some cases they are paid only basic expenses. As of 2010, gay couples can now become the legal parents of surrogate children (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, 2008). There are two main methods of surrogate insemination: Traditional Gestational The surrogate is This involves using inseminated with the a surrogate and a separate biological father's sperm. egg donor - this allows a female relative of the partner who is not the biological father (i.e. provider of sperm) to donate eggs so that there is DNA from both fathers. This means that the child will have genetic characteristics of that partner, but also of the birth mother. Sperm Donation In order for lesbians to have a child, they will need a donor to provide semen. As of 2009, homosexual women now have the same rights in the UK as heterosexual women so it is legal to give birth from a sperm donation. If you are married or in a civil partnership, your partner will be considered the second parent; if not, they will only have parental rights if the mother was impregnated through a licensed fertility clinic. In 2014, plans for Britain's first NHS-funded sperm bank were released, which will help make sperm donation more accessible to lesbian singles and couples Co-Parenting Both gay and lesbian parents can co-parent. Co-Parenting primarily involves keeping the sperm or egg donor, or surrogate, involved in the child's life as a third parent. Author Bic CoParents specialise in introducing and connecting couples as well as individuals who are looking to create a family or help others to create one. www.coparents.co.uk References http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/feb/16/sophie-ward-rena-brannan-gay-parents http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/03/03/england-number-gay-couples-adopting-children-doubles/ http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Health/articlei442518.ece

The Rise of Gay & Lesbian Parenting in The UK

shared by harry.gardiner on Sep 27
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Take a look at how the laws of adoption and sperm donation for gay and lesbian parenting has evolved and what choices are now available for gay and lesbian couples in the UK via the following Co-Paren...

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