DSS Gay Foster Home Results in Molestation Charges

DSS Gay Foster Home Results
in Molestation Charges

By Nev Moore
September 2001

Two 16-year-old boys have been removed from the foster home of Ronald L. Hewitt, 57, after he was charged with showing his foster children pornographic materials and sexually assaulting at least one of them. He was charged with two counts of rape. Hewitt has been a single foster parent for about a year and has had five or six children living in his home.

He was recruited as part of the DSS “Safe Homes” project, which does active recruitment of gay men and lesbian women as foster and adoptive parents for adolescents. The program is focused in the Worcester area, where Hewitt’s foster home was.

In an article released by the Associated Press in 1999, Benetta Kuffour, central Mass. foster care liaison for DSS, is quoted: “The department is expanding a campaign they believe could be the first of its kind in the nation: active recruitment of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and trans-gendered men and woman, along with heterosexual ‘allies,’ to be foster parents for ‘gay’ kids. The pilot program was initiated in Boston in the mid-90’s, and offers a special, additional two week training course addressing the special concerns of gay fostering.”

The “Safe Homes” literature states that they not only offer recruitment and training of gay foster parents, but gay “mentors” for the children for one-on-one companionship and friendship between a gay adult and gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered or “questioning” youth.

Both mentors and foster parents receive special training so they may guide the foster children placed in their care through exploration and acceptance of their sexuality, particularly the confusion that may occur in a “questioning” adolescent, who could find clarity on sexual issues with the help of their adult DSS “mentor.” There is no corresponding program to offer “mentoring” to help children explore and accept their heterosexual “feelings” as this would be considered inappropriate, perverted sexual misconduct, if not criminal abuse.

The “Safe Homes” project also offers a drop-in center for youth, where they can network with other “questioning” youth and find friendship and guidance; as well as gay social events throughout the year for children in DSS custody. One such event is called “Out-All-Night.”

The mission statement of the program includes: “To recruit and train foster parents and mentors who can provide support and nurturing environments for GLBTQ youth, and to create safe and supportive services where they can feel supported in all aspects of their identity.”