Through monthly meet ups, one to one digital support and peer networks, the project reduces isolation, builds confidence and ensures families feel seen and supported. It also contributes to the wider Adoption England strategy by supporting recruitment, preparation and long-term support for adopters from diverse communities, while helping to shape more inclusive practice nationally. Our work supports agencies to move beyond performative inclusion and towards meaningful change. This includes using inclusive language, challenging unconscious bias, improving representation, developing trauma informed practice, building confidence in discussing LGBT+ identities, and ensuring post adoption support reflects diverse families.
To mark the beginning of Pride Month, we feature this blog written by Matt Taylor-Roberts (he/him), Founder and CEO of Proud 2 b Parents, parent through adoption and long-term foster carer. In this piece, Matt shares a personal reflection on his family life and explores the importance of inclusive, affirming practice in adoption. He also draws on his involvement in the National Adoption Recruitment Strategy, highlighting how words, representation and everyday interactions shape the experiences of LGBT+ adopters and children, and why creating a sense of belonging remains so vital across the adoption journey.
“I’m so happy that you’re gay.”
That is what our son said to us recently while we stood together in a queue. My husband and I looked at each other, slightly surprised, and asked him why.
His answer was simple: “It’s because you’re the best grown-ups around. I’ve been watching all the other grown-ups in the queue, and they all look a bit grumpy. You and Daddy make it fun. You play games, make jokes and laugh. I’m just really happy to have two dads.”
It was one of those quiet but deeply powerful moments of affirmation. Not because our family is seen as different, but because to him we are simply his parents. He does not see “two dads” as unusual. He sees love, fun, safety, belonging and connection. That understanding has not happened by accident. He has grown up surrounded by LGBT+ parents and carers through Proud 2 b Parents. He has seen two mums managing toddlers, two dads carrying babies, families celebrating together, drag queens reading stories, and inclusive spaces where families like ours are visible and valued. That visibility matters. It reduces isolation, builds resilience and helps children grow up feeling proud of their families rather than needing to explain them.
As an LGBT+ parent, long term foster carer, and Founder and CEO of Proud 2 b Parents, I understand both personally and professionally how important inclusive and affirming adoption practice is, not only for LGBT+ adopters but for the children who need safe, stable and nurturing homes. There has been real progress across the adoption sector. More LGBT+ people are coming forward to adopt and many regional adoption agencies are working hard to improve inclusion and representation. There is still more to do. For many LGBT+ adopters, the journey into parenthood is shaped by past experiences of stigma, invisibility and fear of judgement. Some still question whether they will be fully accepted or seen as good enough to parent. These concerns are rooted in lived experience, including systems that were not designed with LGBT+ families in mind and, at times, caused harm. Policies such as Section 28 left a lasting legacy of silence and invisibility, and this continues to shape how many LGBT+ adopters approach services today. This is why inclusive and affirming practice matters. Words matter. Language matters. Representation matters. The way professionals communicate, the assumptions made during assessment, the forms families complete, and the visibility of diverse families in training and support all shape whether people feel safe and valued. Inclusive practice is not about special treatment. It is about creating systems where every family is respected and able to be themselves.
At Proud 2 b Parents, we work with adoption agencies, local authorities and organisations across the country to strengthen LGBT+ inclusive practice through training, consultancy and lived experience led support. Our work helps professionals understand the realities LGBT+ adopters may face, including trauma, discrimination and minority stress, while also recognising the strengths they bring such as resilience, empathy and advocacy. Last year, Proud 2 b Parents received funding through the Adoption England Community Development Fund to deliver our Families Through Adoption project. This provides peer support, community connection and tailored guidance for LGBT+ individuals and couples across Greater Manchester and surrounding areas.
This work benefits the whole sector. More inclusive services strengthen the adopter pool, encourage more people to come forward, support practitioners to feel more confident and improve outcomes for children. Children thrive in environments where their families are respected and celebrated. Research shows that LGBT+ parents are just as capable of providing safe and loving homes, and often bring additional strengths shaped by lived experience. These qualities are especially valuable when parenting children who may have experienced trauma, loss or identity challenges. Inclusion must continue beyond placement. Many LGBT+ families still face challenges, including exclusionary language in schools, lack of representation and concerns about discrimination. There are still forms that only recognise “mother” and “father”. Some parents feel unable to be open in everyday spaces. Others feel isolated without seeing families like theirs. At the same time, inclusive practice makes a real difference. Practitioners who listen, challenge assumptions and create safe spaces help families feel valued. Those moments matter.
Through my involvement with the National Adoption Recruitment Strategy and the Department for Education’s Adoption Reference Group, I see the importance of continuing to strengthen inclusive practice across the sector. Adoption services have an opportunity to lead by example by not only welcoming LGBT+ adopters but ensuring they are supported to thrive. This is about belonging. It is about children seeing their families reflected positively in the world around them. It is about LGBT+ parents feeling safe to be themselves within the services that support them. When families feel affirmed and connected, children benefit. I have seen the impact of visibility through my work and through my role as family consultant on the children’s programme “Rafi the Wishing Wizard.” Representation across communities, schools, media and services helps children feel seen and valued. Many LGBT+ parents grew up without that visibility, and its absence created feelings of isolation. Positive representation changes that. It builds confidence, identity and belonging.
My son’s words stay with me. “I’m just really happy to have two dads.” Not because we are extraordinary, but because he feels loved. That is what every child deserves. As a sector, we all have a role in making that possible.
Adoption England hosts a lot of relevant information, resources and support for prospective and current adopters through our website, alongside our nationwide recruitment campaign #YouCanAdopt. The campaign works to raise awareness of adoption and challenge common myths about who can adopt, including a strong focus on encouraging more LGBT+ people to come forward and feel confident that they are welcomed, valued and supported throughout their journey.
Proud 2 B Parents is an inclusive charity led by and for LGBT+ parents, carers, and their families. They regularly run meet-ups, youth sessions, family support, seasonal parties, and Pride family spaces, alongside online groups. They also provide training, consultancy, and bespoke services for professionals and organisations, helping build understanding of LGBT+ families. Know more here: www.proud2bparents.co.uk.