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In the light of the recent vote
to extend joint adoption to cohabiting couples, Paul Woolley,
Public Policy Manager at CARE, argues that the onus is on
us all to speak up for marriage.
Who will speak up for marriage?
asked the front page headline of the Christian Herald recently.
It was a timely question. The House of Commons had just voted
in support of an amendment to the Adoption and Children Bill
to extend joint adoption to cohabiting couples (heterosexual
and homosexual). Soon afterwards, the House of Lords voted
to accept the amendments. CARE was disappointed by the vote.
CARE had argued against extending joint adoption to cohabiting
couples on the basis of our practical experience of looking
after very vulnerable children. CARE consistently and enthusiastically
supports reforming the adoption process. It is a tragedy that
only about 3,000 children a year are adopted from around 60,000
in local authority care. These are very vulnerable children.
Of these 'looked after' children in England, 70% leave school
at 16 without any qualifications, and 67% have a mental health
problem. There is no question that this is a major social
issue that should be upon the conscience of the whole country.
CARE's view was that changing the original Government Bill
to extend joint adoption was unnecessary; individuals in cohabiting
relationships, heterosexual and same-sex, have long been able
to adopt. Clearly it cannot be in the best interests of children
to be placed with couples who have not undertaken a legal
commitment to one another. It is also wrong to place children
deliberately into an environment where they are denied either
a father or mother figure. In short, children need stability.
Cohabitation is proven over and over again to be much less
stable than marriage. So, a man and a woman should make a
life-long commitment to each other through marriage before
they can adopt as a couple.
CARE's public policy team lobbied hard, on behalf of these
vulnerable children from a Christian perspective. In addition
to public policy research and lobbying, CARE has been working
for a number of years on providing support for marriage. Celebrating
Marriage is a project to equip schools to deliver marriage
education http://www.celebratingmarriage.com is a website
for pupils and teachers, parents and their children. While
the resources portray a positive and honest view of marriage
in the twenty first century, young people are encouraged to
explore the meaning of marriage and draw their own conclusions.
This is just one new resource out of a range of material and
encouragement that CARE provides.
So, that's how CARE is speaking up for marriage. But what
of politicians, the church and ourselves as individuals?
Perhaps we should complain a little less to and about our
politicians and encourage a little more. It's important to
give credit where it's due. CARE is a non-party political
organisation and our staff include people of all shades of
political opinion. When a party takes a position we agree
with, we say so. CARE enthusiastically supported this Government's
decision to give tax breaks on charitable giving and give
parents who adopt entitlement to adoption leave. In the light
of this, is it not right to congratulate the Tories for taking
a strong position on marriage?
The church can also speak up for marriage and has an unprecedented
opportunity in this respect. In addition to teaching about
marriage (not least through marriage preparation classes),
the church can model good and healthy marriages. We all know
that marriages are under increasing pressure today and the
church can play a vital role in supporting married couples.
It is tempting for Christians to look to politicians to cure
the ills in society, and they have an important part to play,
but the primary responsibility to teach and live out the 'good
life' lies with the church.
As individuals we can all speak up in support of marriage
as well as other important issues. One example of action we
can take is politics: There has never been a better time to
be politically involved and the democratic opportunities within
each of the mainstream political parties are enormous.
Keir Hardie became the first Independent Labour MP in 1892,
and went on to become the first leader of the Labour Party.
It was his Christian faith that drove him into politics. Hardie
said: 'The impetus which drove me first of all into the Labour
movement and the inspiration which carried me on in it, has
been derived more from the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth than
all the other sources combined.' Similarly, William Wilberforce
changed history with his parliamentary battle against the
evil slave trade.
Perhaps it's time for us all to respond to the challenge that
Hardie and Wilberforce have left us, roll up our sleeves and
join political parties. CARE will be launching a campaign
in January to encouraging us to do just that - Join us in
the great cause loving our neighbours.
Paul Woolley is a member
of CARE's Public Policy team and helps to run the Institute
of Faith and Culture's Parliamentary Intern Scheme.
Email: paul.woolley@care.org.uk
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