Context:

Washington state reached a permanent injunction allowing religious families who object to gender ideology to become or renew foster parents. The settlement follows the DeGrosses, who lost a full license in 2022 for refusing to use a child’s preferred pronouns and were barred from fostering older children unless they abandoned their religious convictions. The agreement forbids denying or conditioning foster licenses based on religious beliefs and directs updates to licensing rules to prohibit requiring pronoun usage. It signals a shift toward protecting religious liberty within the state’s foster system, with a broader aim of expanding qualified foster families. The arrangement sets a path for similar considerations in future licensing decisions and policy updates.

Dive Deeper:

• Shane and Jennifer DeGross had served as Washington foster parents for nine years before the 2022 license renewal was denied under a rule requiring use of the child's chosen pronouns, citing religious objections.

• The state previously prohibited them from caring for a foster child above the age of five unless they abandoned their religious convictions, a point highlighted by the ADF in representing the couple.

• The DeGrosses filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging religious discrimination, prompting a settlement that culminated in a permanent injunction by the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

• Under the settlement, DCYF cannot deny or condition a full foster license renewal solely because of an applicant’s or licensee’s religious beliefs, including views on marriage, gender, or sexual relationships.

• The DCYF must update its administrative code to remove requirements that compel foster parents to use prescribed language or pronouns to align with gender identity or sexual orientation beliefs.

• A separate prior case regarding a family seeking care for a great-granddaughter but resisting gender transition was noted in the settlement as part of broader actions affecting licensing and religious liberty.

• The agreement reflects a broader policy shift toward recognizing religious diversity in foster care and aims to expand the pool of eligible foster families while preserving core beliefs.