According to a recent study, more than 30% of youth in care identify as LGBTQ, compared to about 11% of the general youth population. This disparity is due in large part to the fact that for children, coming out to family members can lead to verbal and physical harassment, abuse and even full-on rejection, making them more likely than their non-LGBTQ peers to experience homelessness and/or end up in foster care.
Once they are in care, these youth face all the same challenges and barriers their non-LGBTQ peers face, such as dealing with trauma, placement changes, falling behind in school, mental health challenges and more – but with the added layer of fear of further rejection, abuse and harassment if they are open about their LGBTQ identity.
Resources for Advocates
Interested in learning more about how we can best support LGBTQIA+ youth? More resources and training opportunities can be found on the All Children – All Families website, and these count towards Advocate’s annual continuing education hours: https://www.thehrcfoundation.org/professional-resources/all-children-all-families-online-learning-archive
Tips when registering:
- Organization – CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County
- Yes – Our organization does currently participate in ACAF
- Organization participation tracking code – 67432
For questions or more information about All Children – All Families, please contact Erica Avedikian, CASA Case Supervisor and LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team Lead at Erica@CASASpeaks4Kids.com.
