Parents Stripped Of Foster License For Christian Beliefs

The state of Massachusetts has stripped another Christian foster care couple of their foster licensing after they declined to sign a state-enforced gender affirming policy. The state's policy, which puts Christian foster care families in its crosshairs for their Biblical beliefs on sexuality, is the subject of lawsuits from a Christian legal firm and a letter of warning from the Trump administration.

The latest couple to face revocation of their foster licensing is Heath and Lydia Marvin, who have fostered eight children since 2020, all under the age of 4. The Marvins' social worker called the couple "uniquely dedicated," as they had successfully looked after children most foster families would not take in. The Marvins cared for multiple children with complex medical needs, including their last child, whom they had for 15 months. Because of the infant's health complications, the couple said they were up during the night at least three times to care for the child's needs. 

In April, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) told the Marvins that their license would not be renewed, due to their refusal to sign the policy.

"We were told, 'You must sign the form as is or you will be delicensed,'" Lydia said in a WBZ interview. "We will absolutely love and support and care for any child in our home, but we simply can't agree to go against our Christian faith in this area."

"Our Christian faith, it really drives us toward that," Heath said. "The Book of James says that true, undefiled religion is to care for the fatherless."

The DCF began enforcing the "Foster Care Agreement," which includes the LGBTQIA+ Nondiscrimination Policy, in June 2022. By signing the agreement, foster care parents agree to provide "gender-affirming clothing ... in a timely manner" and "medical care, mental health care, and community resources, including gender-affirming care when applicable" to the foster child. 

The document prohibits any "attempts to convince LGBTQIA+ children/youth to reject or modify their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression" or attempts to "impose ... personal, cultural, and/or religious beliefs on children and families involved with the Department."

"We would love and care and support any child," Heath said, "but if there was an issue where we knew that we would have a different position than DCF, we would just be open and talk to them about it."

"Now it seems like there's no path forward," Lydia said. "We certainly thought we would have young children in our home for a long time. We weren't done having young children."

The Marvins are weighing legal options. 

The DCF has been subject to lawsuits due to the policy change. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Massachusetts Family Institute are fighting for the rights of two other evangelical Christian families, Greg and Marianelly Schrock and Audrey and Nicholas Jones, whose licensing has been revoked or facing revocation because they would not sign the policy. A Catholic couple, Mike and Kitty Burke, who refused to sign the policy, filed suit in August 2023.

The Marvins' licensing woes and the ADF lawsuit on behalf of the Schrocks and the Joneses have caught the attention of the Trump administration. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) sent a letter to the Massachusetts DCF, announcing the DCF was subject to an investigation.

In the Sept. 30 letter, Andrew Gradison, ACF's acting assistant secretary, called the policy "deeply troubling, clearly contrary to the purpose of child welfare programs, and in direct violation of First Amendment protections."

"I am saddened to see that this policy has already discriminated against loving, qualified parents," Gradison wrote, "including Heath and Lydia Marvin, whose license was revoked, and Nick and Audrey Jones, who are currently being threatened with license revocation and the forced relocation of their foster daughter."

Massachusetts has about 5,500 licensed foster parents, according to foster nonprofit HopeWell. However, some 8,000 to 9,000 children are in Massachusetts's foster care, 47% of whom move more than twice a year to new homes. 

"No child is made safer when the state shuns willing, stable, and loving homes," the letter continued. "No child is better off when hyper-partisan policies are placed above permanency and what is best for the child. I urge Massachusetts to pursue policies that reflect the values we share: liberty, compassion, and the unwavering belief that every child deserves a family. Let us not allow ideology to stand in the way. Let us not allow bureaucracy to block loving homes."

Originally published at Harbinger's Daily