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Affirming Placements

Caregiver Recruitment and Placement Selection

Finding appropriate and affirming placements for LGBT2SQ children and youth (e.g., foster, customary, kin, and group care placements) is critical for their safety and wellbeing. When LGBT2SQ children and youth are placed in settings that are not affirming, they are at greater risk of bullying and potential violence from their peers, and may face rejection or denial of their identity by their caregivers. Affirming placements, on the other hand, can help build a child or youth’s self-esteem, confidence, and self-advocacy, which all can assist with long-term positive outcomes. For Two-Spirit and LGBTQ Indigenous, Black, and racialized children and youth, culturally appropriate placements and facilitating connections with community members, mentors and cultural spaces that affirm and support their sexual and gender identities is critical to providing good care.

With the goal of finding affirming placements, child welfare professionals may consider the following questions, whether they know the child or youth’s identity or not:

• Has the caregiver or family received adequate information and training on LGBT2SQ-inclusiveness?
• Is the caregiver willing to educate themselves about gender and sexual diversity, and examine their own biases?
• Does the caregiver or members of the family openly identify as LGBT2SQ?
• Does the caregiver have knowledge and awareness of LGBT2SQ communities and issues that may uniquely affect LGBT2SQ children and youth?
• Does the caregiver have any experience providing a positive home for LGBT2SQ children and youth?
• Are there currently any other LGBT2SQ children, youth or adults in the placement?
• Does the caregiver model LGBT2SQ-affirming and inclusive behaviour (e.g., referring to children and youth by their chosen name(s) and pronouns, encouraging children and youth to utilize the washroom that best aligns with their gender identity)?
• Is the caregiver open and willing to affirm the child or youth’s choice of name, pronouns, clothes, hairstyle, and/or other indicators of identity?
• Is the caregiver willing to support and promote LGBT2SQ cultural inclusion in the home (e.g., posting LGBT2SQ-positive symbols and posters, making LGBT2SQ-positive resources, books, and films available)?
• Will the caregiver support a child or youth to access LGBT2SQ social functions or support groups specifically for LGBT2SQ people, as well as any health appointments related to their identity?

Families and caregivers can create and maintain open, safe, and inclusive homes through various strategies, such as:

• Creating an environment where it feels safe and comfortable to speak openly and honestly about sexual orientation and/or gender identity (e.g., through modelling positive behaviour for other family members and peers, not tolerating incidents or expressions of homophobia, transphobia, or biphobia, having day-to-day conversations that affirm the child or youth).
• Inviting the child or youth’s friends and/or partner home and to family events and activities.
• When the child or youth is ready, reaching out for peer supports (e.g., family to family, parent to parent, caregiver to caregiver) and supportive community groups that welcome LGBT2SQ children, youth, and families.⁷³
• Not tolerating any homophobic, biphobic, or transphobic language, messaging, or media in their home, from family members, visitors, or anyone who may have contact with the children or youth in their care.

Affirming Placements for Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Youth

Transgender children and youth have distinct needs and often face multiple barriers and placement changes.⁷⁴ Child welfare practitioners may wish to consider the following when recruiting caregivers and selecting placements for transgender children and youth:

• Transgender children and youth should be consulted about their preferred type of placement. In general, they should be provided with placements according to the gender with which they identify, or mixed gender placements, and should not be placed according to their legal sex/sex at birth. Exceptions may be made in some circumstances in consultation with the child or youth (e.g., if they are in a stable placement when they come out and prefer to stay; if they are just beginning to transition and would be uncomfortable or unsafe in a placement based on their gender identity).
• Transgender children and youth should have access to appropriate washroom facilities (e.g., all-gender, single-stall washrooms) and private spaces. If washrooms are segregated by gender, transgender children and youth should be permitted to use the washroom that feels most comfortable, based on their lived gender identity and safety.
• Placements should be supportive of the transition of transgender children and youth.
• Transgender children and youth should be asked their preference regarding sharing a room with another child or youth of the same birth assigned sex.

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Last Modified: 4/26/2018 5:43:27 PM