Another UK Couple Rejected for Fostering Children over Religious Beliefs on Homosexuality

By Hilary White

OAKWOOD, Derby, UK, February 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In November 2007, LifeSiteNews.com reported that a Christian couple in Somerset, UK, was being forced to retire from fostering needy children on conscientious grounds after the local council imposed rules requiring them to discuss homosexuality with the children. Now a similar case is reported in Derby, in which the local council is being sued after rejecting an application from a Christian couple to assist foster children under ten years old. The Telegraph reports that Eunice and Owen Johns refused to talk to children about homosexuality as though it were an acceptable "lifestyle".

The Labour-controlled council adoption panel was also reportedly "upset" that the couple insisted that children in their care would be required to accompany the family to church on Sundays. The Johns have been married for 39 years and have four adult children of their own. Mrs. Johns is a retired nurse and Sunday school teacher.

The adoption panel admitted in internal documents that Mr and Mrs Johns of Oakwood, in Derby, might have grounds to feel that they had been "discriminated against on religious grounds".

In the Somerset case last year, Vincent and Pauline Matherick were able, after their case caught national media attention, to reach an agreement with their local council authorities and keep their current child, a ten year-old boy, in their home. They had made almost identical complaints and told media that they intended to retire from fostering children after the council insisted that they participate in discussions about homosexuality.

Mr. and Mrs. Johns' lawyer said the couple were not 'homophobic,' but believed that sex outside of marriage was wrong and that marriage cannot include same-sex partners. The couple are being represented by the Christian Legal Centre, which is asking for a judicial review of the council's decision.

Evangelical Alliance General Director, the Reverend Joel Edwards, said, "We are worried about this issue because it appears someone can be disqualified from giving care to vulnerable children because of a local council's attitude to their conscience - which we believe violates their rights as citizens."

Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, said, "It seems that Christians are gradually being squeezed out of the adoption process. It's exactly what we said would happen. In the name of equality, it's discriminating against Christians."

"I would like to see the council back down and adopt a more realistic approach. Either that or tell Christians that they are not welcome to foster in the future. At least that would be more honest."

UK Christians Retired from Fostering Over a “Misunderstanding” Says Council

Editorials decried “political correctness” and homosexuality as wedge to force Christians out of public service

By Hilary White

CHARD, Somerset, UK, October 29, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Vincent and Pauline Matherick, the Christian couple who retired from fostering needy children to avoid a government requirement to promote homosexuality, were the victims of a “misunderstanding” says Somerset social services.

After national news coverage in the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail in Britain and international coverage by LifeSiteNews.com which included their telephone number and email address, Somerset Council has changed gears.

The Daily Mail carried comments this weekend from Linda Barnett, head of Somerset County Council’s children’s social care saying there had been an unfortunate “misunderstanding” between the Mathericks and their social worker. The comments also followed the Council’s receipt of a legal letter warning of possible further action against social services.

“We do not and would never ask foster carers to promote homosexuality,” Barnett said. "What we ask for is no different from any other authority, in that we ask carers not to discriminate against a child on the basis of race, gender, background, religion, accent or sexuality, among other things.”

“The Mathericks,” Barnett said, “were very good foster carers and so I have invited them to meet me next week to see if we can reach some kind of agreement, so they can continue to work with us.”

The Somerset couple told media they had been interviewed by Somerset Council social workers and told that under the new Sexual Orientation Regulations they would have to support any interest a foster child might express in homosexuality.

“They were saying that we had to be prepared to talk about sexuality with 11 year-olds, which I don’t think is appropriate anyway, but not only that to be prepared to explain how gay people date,” Vincent Matherick told the Telegraph.

The Mathericks had asked social services if David, the 11 year-old boy who they were currently caring for, could remain in their home until a suitable permanent arrangement could be found. Social services refused and the child was removed at the end of last week to a care facility owned by the Council.

Barnett told the Daily Mail, “Every decision we make is with the best interests of the child at the forefront.” David will be allowed to stay in touch with the Mathericks and has asked social services for permission to continue attending Sunday school.

Vincent Matherick told the Daily Mail, “We were told that failure to accept same-sex relationships could be seen as homophobia.” The issue has taken the British press by storm and editorials have decried the increase of “political correctness” and homosexuality as a wedge to force Christians out of public service.

Mr. Matherick said, “We made it quite clear that we could not promote homosexuality but would be quite prepared to refer the matter back to social services if a child ever brought the issue up.” The Mathericks have fostered only primary age children in recent years.

“Afterwards, the social worker told us the panel would never approve us to continue as foster parents if we held such views. We were stunned.” The couple said they had received many phone calls and emails from supporters around the world.

Foster child to be taken away because Christian couple refuse to teach him about homosexuality
By JAMES MILLS -

They are devoted foster parents with an unblemished record of caring for almost 30 vulnerable children.
But Vincent and Pauline Matherick will this week have their latest foster son taken away because they have refused to sign new sexual equality regulations.

Vincent and Pauline Matherick: Face being struck off despite fostering 28 times. To do so, they claim, would force them to promote homosexuality and go against their Christian faith. The 11-year-old boy, who has been in their care for two years, will be placed in a council hostel this week and the Mathericks will no longer be given children to look after.
The devastated couple, who have three grown up children of their own, became foster parents in 2001 and have since cared for 28 children at their home in Chard, Somerset. Earlier this year, Somerset County Council's social services department asked them to sign a contract to implement Labour's new Sexual Orientation Regulations, part of the Equality Act 2006, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexuality illegal. Officials told the couple that under the regulations they would be required to discuss same-sex relationships with children as young as 11 and tell them that gay partnerships were just as acceptable as heterosexual marriages. They could also be required to take teenagers to gay association meetings.

When the Mathericks objected, they were told they would be taken off the register of foster parents. The Mathericks have decided to resign rather than face the humiliation of being expelled. Mr Matherick, a 65-year-old retired travel agent and a primary school governor, said: "I simply could not agree to do it because it is against my central beliefs. "We have never discriminated against anybody but I cannot preach the benefits of homosexuality when I believe it is against the word of God."
Mrs Matherick, 61, said they had asked if they could continue looking after their foster son until he is found a permanent home, but officials refused and he will be placed in a council hostel on Friday. She said: "He was very upset to begin with. We are all very close, but he's a mature young man and he's dealing with it."

The couple, who have six grandchildren and one greatgrandchild, are both ministers at the nonconformist South Chard Christian Church. When they first started fostering they took in young single mothers and their babies. More recently they have been caring for children of primary school age. Mr Matherick added: "It's terrible that we've been forced into this corner. It just should not happen. "There are not enough foster carers around anyway without these rules. "They were saying that we had to be prepared to talk about sexuality with 11-year-olds, which I don't think is appropriate anyway, but not only that, to be prepared to explain how gay people date. "They said we would even have to take a teenager to gay association meetings.
"How can I do that when it's totally against what I believe?"

Religious campaigners say the couple are the latest victims of an equality drive which puts gay rights above religious beliefs.
Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have complained that the rules force them to overturn long-held beliefs.
The Mathericks are planning to fight their case in the courts with the backing of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship.
The same organisation is backing Christian magistrate Andrew McClintock who resigned from the family courts in a row over gay adoption. He says he was forced to resign because he was not allowed to opt out of cases where he might have to send a child to live with gay parents.

I fight on, says Christian JP who quit over gay adoption. The Mathericks' case comes at a time when there is a chronic shortage of foster parents, who work on a voluntary basis. An extra 8,000 are needed to plug the gaps in the service.
Researchers have found that continually moving children from home to home can have a devastating impact on their education and general welfare. But a report last year revealed that the shortage of carers meant that some children in care are being forced to move up to three times a year. David Taylor, Somerset County Council's corporate director for children and young people, said: "No decision has been made about the deregistration of Mr and Mrs Matherick. "The council is committed to promoting the interests of children and young people and welcomes foster carers from all backgrounds and faiths."