Both Jersey and Guernsey have decided to drop laws that prevented same sex couples from adopting children.
Guernsey decided that its adoption law, which was introduced in the mid- 1960s to prevent same sex couples from adopting children was now inappropriate. The recent change in the law will see same sex couples being free to adopt children for the first time in Guernsey and Jersey.
The change in the law allowing same sex couples to adopt will be viewed as a major step forward and put an end to discrimination as well as bring the Channel Islands into line with the UK and most other European countries.
The laws over same sex adoption while liberal in most countries are still under debate or ambiguous in some countries particularly in many Eastern European countries and Italy.
In Jersey, children aged 14 will be able to veto adoption orders and the law change also means that unmarried same sex couples can now jointly adopt a child even if a child aged 14 or over needs to be in agreement for the adoption to commence.
As reported on the BBC website Andrew Green, Health and Social Services Minister of Jersey said, “It makes Jersey’s law fit for purpose and compliant with our own discrimination laws. At the heart of the legislation is the welfare of the child and the right to a loving and secure home.”