Christian doctor clashes with adoption authorities
Christian doctor clashes with adoption authorities
Published Date: 19 July 2009
A Northamptonshire paediatrician is to be removed from an adoption panel after asking to be excused from voting on cases involving same-sex couples because of her Christian beliefs.
Dr Sheila Matthews is now seeking legal advice after being told that she cannot continue to act as a medical advisor to the county's adoption service.
The community paediatrician, based in Kettering, has 18 years of experience working with parentsADVERTISEMENT
and children in the county.
She had asked to be able to abstain from voting on the "rare" occasions when she would be asked to recommend children for adoption by same-sex couples, but has been told that her stance would create "significant problems" for the adoption service and may even breach the law.
As a professional doctor for the past 28 years and as a Christian, she said she believes that a household with same-sex parents is not the best environment in which to raise children.
The 50-year-old said: "Using my professional judgment and having done a lot of reading around the subject, I am satisfied that there are research findings which support my position that a same-sex partnership is not the best family setting to bring up children.
"Therefore professionally and personally I cannot recommend placement in a same-sex household to be in the best interest of a child, despite what politicians may have legislated for, and as those on the panel have a legal obligation to do what they believe is in the best interests of the child, then I cannot support a recommendation with which I do not agree."
Dr Matthews, who has been a medical adviser to the adoption panel for five years, said: "I try to make fair and unbiased assessments and recommendations about the individuals who apply to adopt.
"My work involves preparing reports on the health of both children and adult applicants and giving advice on health issues to the Adoption Service.
"I am happy to carry out that role in full."
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2009, All Rights Reserved.
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