LGBT Adoption “There are approximately 100,000 children and/or adolescents who are in the Child Welfare System waiting to be fostered or adopted” (Kreisher). The number of children living with a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) parent today ranges from six to fourteen million children or adolescents. Adoption consists of legally welcoming a person into your family and raising them as your own child. Although adoption is first mentioned in the Bible, the first recorded adoption occurs in 1693 in the colonial United States, when the governor of Massachusetts adopts a son, marking the first legal recognition. adoption (Sezun). Adoption began in the United States in 1851 when Massachusetts passed the first child adoption act (Herman). In 1920, the first Child Welfare League of America was founded. “From 1854 to 1929 there were many orphan trains traveling in the United States” (Meiser, Velen et al). At that time orphan trains were a common way in the United States for children without families to try to find a family. “Over the past 50 years, adoption has gone from being predominantly healthy, with white children adopted by married couples, to a much wider variety of children adopted and the parents are not always married or heterosexual” (Kreisher). , adoption professionals are placing more and more children with homosexual parents. New Jersey was the first state to establish non-discriminatory adoption policies. In addition to current adoption laws, there is also co-parental adoption which can take place where a same-sex parent can adopt in a state where it is currently legal and their domestic partner can adopt the same child, so that both parents are legal guardians of that child. “In 1977, Florida passed a law banning…… middle of paper……iser, Rita, Marcie Velen and others. "History of Adoption". Research etc., inc.. Arizona Children's Home Association, 1995. Web. February 27, 2012. "Stark: 'Every child deserves a family.'" U.S. Congressman Pete Stark. Network. 5 March 2012.Sezun, S.. Daughter of danag. 2003. Web. March 13, 2012. US Government. Internal revenue system. Topic 607 adoption. 2011. 0. 13 Mar 2012.102nd Congress. “Thomas Library of Congress.” S.268 -- Special Needs Adoption Assistance Act of 1991. January 24, 1991. Web. March 2, 2012. 110th Congress. “Thomas Library of Congress.” S.2395 – Adoption Improvement Act of 2007. November 16, 2007. Web. March 2, 2012.112th Congress. “Thomas Library of Congress.” S.1318 – Adoptive Families Support Act. 30 June 2011. Web. 2 March 2012.112th Congress. “Thomas Library of Congress.” S. 1770 – Every child deserves a family law. November 1, 2011. Web. March 13. 2012.