YTFG statement on waiver allowing private foster care agencies to discriminate based on religious beliefs

Members of the YTFG are deeply troubled by the Administration’s recent approval of a waiver request from South Carolina that allows a foster care agency to discriminate against potential foster parents based on their religious beliefs. This waiver has the potential to upend decades of federal protections that make safety, permanency and well-being the highest priority for all children and youth involved in the child welfare system. The waiver also sets a dangerous precedent that prioritizes the religious convictions of adults over the developmental needs all young people have to grow into healthy, connected, and productive adults, regardless of their race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Read the YTFG statement here.