Social media influencer spreads misinformation via recent post
Sunday, December 22, 2024
This week, a standard foster care transfer request for youth already in custody was taken out of context and shared widely by a social media account with nearly 4 million followers. The post has been shared more than 600 times, perpetuating incorrect information.
Transfer requests are fairly routine as we and Utah Foster Care strive to match youth with families where both will feel comfortable.
In this case, the foster family didn’t feel comfortable caring for a youth who identifies as transgender, and the ensuing tension in the home meant that a transfer was best for both the family and the youth. But the social media post authors misunderstood the context and assumed the request was to remove youth from their biological family home and place them in custody. This is not the case.
All requests (original and transfers) are based on finding the best and safest placement for the child.
Youth and children only come into state custody to keep them safe from abuse and neglect as defined in state law. The statute that lists the definitions for abuse and neglect can be found at https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title80/Chapter1/80-1-S102.html
A disagreement over gender identity does not meet the definition of abuse in state code and in fact is explicitly prohibited under state law (HB 157 text). DCFS does not take custody of children based on gender identity. We are always focused on what is in the best interest of children at one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Our public response
Our official X (formerly known as Twitter) account (@utahdhhs) replied to the original post on Friday, posted about our processes, and sent a direct message to the account owners offering clarification.
Here is the text of our response:
“Please let us clarify: Children are NOT removed from their home because their parents disagree with their gender identity or because they refuse to use certain pronouns. Children are removed if it is the only way to keep them safe from abuse and neglect as defined in state law.
This email was related to a foster home transfer, not a child entering custody. With every foster care placement, we strive to match youth and children with families where both feel comfortable and can thrive together.”
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