Why LGBTQ Youth?

IDENTIFYING, IDENTIFYING, SUPPORTING, AND SUPPORTING, AND

MEETING MEETING THE THE

NEEDS OF LGBTQ NEEDS OF LGBTQ YOUTHYOUTH

Why are we here?Why are we here?Why should we Why should we

care?care?

Why LGBTQ Youth?Why LGBTQ Youth?

Why are we here?Why are we here?

Why should we care?Why should we care?

One Gay Young Person’s One Gay Young Person’s ExperienceExperience

I couldn't live at home with my I couldn't live at home with my family once they found out that I family once they found out that I was gay so I was sent to live in a was gay so I was sent to live in a group home. group home.


That was worse than living at home. I That was worse than living at home. I didn't fit in at home and then I didn't fit in didn't fit in at home and then I didn't fit in at the group home either. I was living in at the group home either. I was living in my fourth group home in like six months my fourth group home in like six months and it was horrible. The teasing, the and it was horrible. The teasing, the tormenting, the harassment really got to tormenting, the harassment really got to me and one day I just decided that I me and one day I just decided that I couldn't take it any more and I left. I had couldn't take it any more and I left. I had no place to stay, but I didn't even care. no place to stay, but I didn't even care.


I knew that I just I knew that I just couldn't stay one more couldn't stay one more minute in that group minute in that group home …home …


I lived with friends, I stayed on people's I lived with friends, I stayed on people's sofas, I prostituted - I'm not proud of sofas, I prostituted - I'm not proud of that, but I did what I had to do - to get that, but I did what I had to do - to get money to rent a place. I even lived in money to rent a place. I even lived in an abandoned trailer truck with ten an abandoned trailer truck with ten other people, slept in railroad tunnels, other people, slept in railroad tunnels, and anywhere that was warm. and anywhere that was warm.


As bad as things got on As bad as things got on the streets - it was the streets - it was better than the group better than the group homes that I had lived in homes that I had lived in - at least people on the - at least people on the streets cared about me.streets cared about me.

Williams Institute and Holarchy Williams Institute and Holarchy ConsultingConsulting

conducted the study, with funds from conducted the study, with funds from

Children’s Bureau, a telephone interview Children’s Bureau, a telephone interview

study with 786 randomly sampled youth study with 786 randomly sampled youth

ages 12-21 living in foster care in LA ages 12-21 living in foster care in LA

CountyCounty

Around 7,400 youth, ages 12-21, Around 7,400 youth, ages 12-21, are in are in

out-of-home care in Los Angeles out-of-home care in Los Angeles County County

in any given month (LA-DCFS,2014)in any given month (LA-DCFS,2014)

19% or about 1,400 of these youth19% or about 1,400 of these youth

identify as LGBTQ.identify as LGBTQ.

The majority of LGBTQ youth in the The majority of LGBTQ youth in the

sample were youth of color. Further, sample were youth of color. Further, aboutabout

10% of LGBTQ youth reported being 10% of LGBTQ youth reported being born born

outside of the U.S. and nearly one outside of the U.S. and nearly one thirdthird

had a biological mother or father that had a biological mother or father that hadhad

Been born outside of the U.S.Been born outside of the U.S.

13.6% of foster youth identify as 13.6% of foster youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning;questioning;

13.2 % reported some level of 13.2 % reported some level of same sex attraction;same sex attraction;

5.6% identify as transgender.5.6% identify as transgender.

This means that there are This means that there are

between 1.5 to 2 times as many between 1.5 to 2 times as many

LGBTQ youth living in foster LGBTQ youth living in foster carecare

as LGBTQ youth estimated to be as LGBTQ youth estimated to be

living outside of foster care.living outside of foster care.

Homelessness, Mental Health, Homelessness, Mental Health, Multiple PlacementsMultiple Placements

LGBTQ youth have a higher average number ofLGBTQ youth have a higher average number of

foster care placements and are more likely to foster care placements and are more likely to be be

living in a group home. living in a group home.

They also reported being treated less well by They also reported being treated less well by the child the child

welfare system, were more likely to have been welfare system, were more likely to have been

hospitalized for emotional reasons.hospitalized for emotional reasons.

Homelessness, Mental Health, Homelessness, Mental Health, Multiple PlacementsMultiple Placements

They have had:They have had:

Multiple placements; Multiple placements;

Mental health concerns;Mental health concerns;

Homelessness, Homelessness,

Placements in group homes are barriers Placements in group homes are barriers to to

permanency faced by all youth, and permanency faced by all youth, and LGBTQLGBTQ

youth in particular.youth in particular.

What do we still need to What do we still need to know?know?

We need to know more about the ways that LGBTQ youth in foster care have different experiences than non-LGBTQ youth.

Future studies should examine other areas:

1. Conditions surrounding entry into care

2. Permanency rates and differences in experience by placement settingto LGBTQ or gender non-conforming youth

3. How do race, culture, sex, and gender interact to affect other relevant factors

4. Identifying resiliency factors that allow some LGBTQ youth to thrive and transition out of foster care into permanency

When I told my parents I was gay, my father When I told my parents I was gay, my father just stared at me and my mother just cried. just stared at me and my mother just cried.

It was really painful. When I realized that It was really painful. When I realized that my own family couldn't accept me, my own my own family couldn't accept me, my own

flesh and blood, I thought, why should I flesh and blood, I thought, why should I expect the rest of society to cut me any expect the rest of society to cut me any slack. I felt hopeless, disillusioned and slack. I felt hopeless, disillusioned and

worthless. My own family . . . how could worthless. My own family . . . how could they do that to me, be so cold, so uncaring, they do that to me, be so cold, so uncaring,

it was as if they were saying they didn't it was as if they were saying they didn't care if I lived or died. care if I lived or died.

I don't think I'll ever get over that. . . I don't think I'll ever get over that. . .

I was sent to the first place when I was I was sent to the first place when I was eight. I was raped there by this counselor. eight. I was raped there by this counselor. He told me that if I told anybody that they He told me that if I told anybody that they would just keep me there or put me in would just keep me there or put me in another group home. I was there for five another group home. I was there for five months and then I ran away, I was tired of months and then I ran away, I was tired of being raped, and I was repeatedly raped. being raped, and I was repeatedly raped. Then I went to a foster home and it was real Then I went to a foster home and it was real strict, I left there and went to another strict, I left there and went to another group home and there somebody tried to group home and there somebody tried to set me on fire. I was sleeping and they put set me on fire. I was sleeping and they put lighter fluid on my bed and threw a match lighter fluid on my bed and threw a match on me, I got burned on the leg [he points to on me, I got burned on the leg [he points to an eight inch burn mark] The staff didn't do an eight inch burn mark] The staff didn't do nothing, they knew about it, they just nothing, they knew about it, they just moved my bed. I didn't feel safe there, you moved my bed. I didn't feel safe there, you kinda had to sleep with one eye open. I kinda had to sleep with one eye open. I finally left. I was tired of that shit. finally left. I was tired of that shit.

What Makes Child Welfare Services for What Makes Child Welfare Services for LGBTQ Young People in Foster Care LGBTQ Young People in Foster Care

Positive?Positive?

At Green Chimneys they told me it was OK to At Green Chimneys they told me it was OK to be gay. I didn’t believe them at first, but be gay. I didn’t believe them at first, but after being there a few days I felt safe, I after being there a few days I felt safe, I didn’t always have to watch my back – they didn’t always have to watch my back – they other kids there were just like me and the other kids there were just like me and the staff had rules and they enforced them, but staff had rules and they enforced them, but they really cared for the kids that lived there. they really cared for the kids that lived there. I learned to trust again at Green Chimneys I learned to trust again at Green Chimneys and I build some great friendships there.and I build some great friendships there.

Recommendations for Competent Recommendations for Competent Practice with LGBTQ YouthPractice with LGBTQ Youth

1.1. Realize, if you see youth in your court room, Realize, if you see youth in your court room, you see LGBTQ youth, they may not be out to you see LGBTQ youth, they may not be out to you, but they are there!you, but they are there!

2.2. Create environments which are LGBTQ Create environments which are LGBTQ affirming and safe for all youth.affirming and safe for all youth.

3.3. Realize that some LGBTQ youth are open and Realize that some LGBTQ youth are open and out; some are not open or out; and some are out; some are not open or out; and some are not sure yet if it is safe to be open and out.not sure yet if it is safe to be open and out.

4.4. Don’t be afraid to say the words, Gay, Lesbian, Don’t be afraid to say the words, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning – it is Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning – it is powerful when you do.powerful when you do.

Recommendations for Competent Recommendations for Competent Practice with LGBTQ YouthPractice with LGBTQ Youth

5.5. Do not tolerate or excuse anti- LGBTQ Do not tolerate or excuse anti- LGBTQ practices, policies, or staff in your programs; practices, policies, or staff in your programs;

6.6. Clinically, not all LGBTQ youth need to process Clinically, not all LGBTQ youth need to process their sexual orientation or gender expression, their sexual orientation or gender expression, they may be are clear about it even if you are they may be are clear about it even if you are not.not.

7.7. Train yourself and your staff about trauma Train yourself and your staff about trauma informed and competent practice with LGBTQ informed and competent practice with LGBTQ youth: be aware of “your stuff” about LGBTQ youth: be aware of “your stuff” about LGBTQ people.people.

8.8. Research or create LGBTQ youth resources and Research or create LGBTQ youth resources and supports in your court room.supports in your court room.

Gerald P. Mallon, DSWGerald P. Mallon, DSW

Julia Lathrop Professor of Child WelfareJulia Lathrop Professor of Child Welfare

Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter CollegeCollege

Executive DirectorExecutive Director

National Center for Child Welfare National Center for Child Welfare ExcellenceExcellence

[email protected]

www.nccwe.orgwww.nccwe.org

mailto:[email protected]

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Why LGBTQ Youth?