Find resources and information in this section for use by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. This section is designed to help LGBTQ youth answer a variety of questions related to their out-of-home care experience and includes information on organizations that support LGBTQ youth.
Affirming and Supporting LGBTQ Children and Youth in Child Welfare (PDF - 236 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2016)
Provides statistics on increased risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth as well as information on how child welfare systems can avoid harmful practices and use healthy approaches when working with LGBTQ children and youth.
Child Welfare: LGBTQ
youth.gov
Provides information and resources to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the foster system, including resource to recruit LGBTQ families, resources for child welfare professionals who work with LGBTQ youth, and resources to help LGBTQ youth understand their rights in the child welfare and other systems.
Considerations for LGBTQ Children and Youth in Foster Care: Exploring Normalcy as It Relates to P.L. 113–183 [Webinar]
Capacity Building Center for States (2016)
Provides an overview of normalcy as it is addressed in the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (P.L. 113-183) and as it relates to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) children and youth. This resource requires free registration.
Getting Down to Basics
Child Welfare League of America & Lambda Legal (2010)
Offers practical tips and information for LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care as well as for caregivers and professionals working with LGBTQ youth. This toolkit provides guidance on an array of issues affecting LGBTQ youth, including Information for LGBTQ Youth in Care (PDF - 96 KB) and LGBTQ Youth Resources (PDF - 293 KB). The complete toolkit (PDF - 1,219 KB) is also available for download.
GSA Network
Connects readers to the GSA Network, a national resource for student-run advocacy groups focusing on LGBTQ, racial, and gender justice issues. The GSA Network focuses on equipping queer, transgender, and allied youth leaders to advocate, organize, and mobilize an intersectional movement for safer schools and healthier communities.
It's Your Life
American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law (2011)
Provides LGBTQ youth in foster care with resources to help them understand and navigate the child welfare system. The website covers topics such as youth's rights and expectations related to safety, health care, and fair treatment and points to resources for youth that need help.
It’s Your (Sex) Life: LGBTQ
MTV
Discusses various topics related to LGBTQ sexuality, including coming out, practicing safe sex, and understanding transgender identities.
Represent and YCteen Stories
Youth Communication (2013)
Shares personal stories from youth in foster care related to LGBTQ issues in an effort to inspire and inform other youth in care, as well as offer staff and policymakers insights into youth concerns.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health (2016)
Describes the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescents and connects readers with resources for STD services and for more information.
Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Children and Youth [Webinar]
Capacity Building Center for States (2016)
Explores ways to provide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) children and youth with supportive messages related to sexual development, gender identity, and gender expression; discusses the impact of both affirming and harmful interventions; and reviews a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report released in October 2015 entitled “Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth.” This resource requires free registration.
Youth in Out-of Home Care Project
Lambda Legal
Raises awareness and advances reform on behalf of LGBTQ youth in child welfare, juvenile justice, and homeless systems of care. The project aims to increase the will and capacity of youth-serving organizations to prepare and support LGBTQ youth as they transition from adolescence to independence. Lambda Legal also supports the Know Your Rights: LGBTQ Teens and Young Adults website, designed to help youth know their rights and ensure those rights are respected.
Organizations that support LGBTQ youth
Questions and Answers for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth (PDF - 6,473 KB)
Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (2006)
Identifies questions and answers that LGBTQ youth have shared regarding sexuality and covers topics such as how to talk to parents, guardians, and friends; how to deal with harassment; what gender identity means; and more. The booklet also includes a list of support and educational materials and resources.
It Gets Better Project
Provides inspirational videos and personal stories from users around the world in support of LGBTQ youth. The videos aim to show youth, as they experience their teen years, that they are not alone and that they have the potential to be happy and have positive futures.
LGBT Youth and Schools
American Civil Liberties Union
Seeks to make public schools safe and bias-free for LGBT students, defend their free speech in school, and help students start gay-straight alliance clubs. This website educates LGBT youth about their rights and provides resources and support for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Teens: Facts for Teens and Their Parents
American Academy of Pediatrics (2015)
Provides answers to questions commonly asked by gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens and their parents, including definitions, statistics, and additional resources.
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Supports and provides resources to student organizers and more than 4,000 gay-straight alliances. The information and resources on GLSEN's website focus on ensuring safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.
On Our Own: A Survival Guide for Independent LGBTQ Youth
Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Time Out Youth Center, & True Colors Fund (2016)
Prepares LGBTQ youth to negotiate important decision-making processes related to leaving their homes. This resource includes information pertaining to physical and financial independence, connecting with resources, and continuing education.
The Trevor Project
Offers crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth, as well as information on warning signs, risk factors, and resources for educators and parents. The project also offers free live help through chat and a telephone hotline.