Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

1250 Maryland Avenue, SW

Eighth Floor

Washington, DC 20024

800.394.3366

Email: info@childwelfare.gov

https://www.childwelfare.gov

FACTSHEET 

FOR FAMILIES

May 2013

Supporting Your 

LGBTQ Youth: A Guide 

for Foster Parents

Use your smartphone to 

access this factsheet online.

What’s Inside:

• About LGBTQ youth

• LGBTQ youth and the child 

welfare system

• Creating a welcoming home for 

youth

• Supporting your youth in the 

community

• Conclusion

• Resources

There are approximately 175,000 youth ages 10–18 in 

foster care in the United States.1 Of these youth, an 

estimated 5–10 percent—and likely more—are lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ).2

1	 The total number of youth in care comes from The AFCARS Report (http://www.

acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport19.pdf). It is based on the number of

youth ages 10–18 in care on September 30, 2011.

2	 The estimate comes from the assumption that 5–10 percent of the general

population is LGBT. John C. Gonsiorek & James D. Weinrich, “The Definition and

Scope of Sexual Orientation,” in Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public 

Policy (Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1991); Courtney, Dworsky, Lee, and

Raap, (2009) found a much higher percentage of youth in foster care who identified

as something other than fully heterosexual (see http://www.chapinhall.org/research/

report/midwest-evaluation-adult-functioning-former-foster-youth).
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

2

Like all young people, LGBTQ youth in 

foster care need the support of a nurturing 

family to help them negotiate adolescence 

and grow into healthy adults. However, 

LGBTQ youth in foster care face additional 

challenges. These include the losses that 

brought them into care in the first place, 

as well as traumas they may have suffered 

while in foster care. They also include 

stressors unique to LGBTQ youth, including 

homophobia or transphobia3 and the need 

to evaluate (often with little or no support) 

the safety of their communities, schools, 

social networks, and homes in order to 

decide whether to disclose their LGBTQ 

identity, when, and to whom. 

Despite these challenges, LGBTQ youth—

like all youth in the child welfare system—

can heal and thrive when families commit 

to accepting, loving, and supporting them 

as they grow into their potential as adults. 

This factsheet was written to help families 

like yours understand what they need to 

know to provide a safe, supportive, and 

welcoming home for an LGBTQ youth in 

foster care.

In this factsheet, you will learn about 

LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system, 

the unique risks they face, and the 

important role that foster parents can play 

in reducing those risks. You will discover 

specific actions that you can take to create a 

welcoming home for all youth in your care 

and to promote your youth’s health and 

well-being in the community. At the end of 

this factsheet are links to many resources for 

more information and support.

3	 Transphobia refers to fear of people who are transgender.

About LGBTQ Youth

The acronym LGBTQ is a general term used 

to describe people who are lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, transgender, or questioning their 

gender identity or sexual orientation.

Definitions

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual describe a person’s 

sexual orientation—emotional, romantic, or 

sexual feelings toward other people. Lesbian

refers specifically to women who love 

women, while gay can refer to any person 

who is attracted to people of the same sex. 

(The term homosexual is considered outdated 

and offensive by many gay people.) Bisexual 

people are attracted to men or women 

regardless of their anatomy. People do 

not need to have any particular sexual 

experience (or any sexual experience at 

all) to identify as bisexual, gay, or lesbian, 

because sexual orientation and sexual 

behavior are not the same thing. 

Transgender refers to a person’s gender 

identity—an internal understanding of one’s 

own gender. A transgender person’s gender 

identity does not match the sex (a biological 

characteristic) assigned to him or her at 

birth. Many, but not all, transgender people 

choose to alter their bodies hormonally and/

or surgically to match their gender identity. 

Some people’s experience, perception, or 

expression of their gender evolves and 

changes over time. Gender identity and 

sexual orientation are separate aspects of a 

person’s identity: A transgender person may 

be bisexual, gay, or straight (or may identify 

in some other way).

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Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents

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Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

https://www.childwelfare.gov

Some youth (and adults) identify as 

questioning when they start to recognize that 

they may be part of the LGBT community. 

This does not mean that sexual orientation 

or gender identity is a choice. These youth 

may need time to process what being LGBT 

means for them; to reconcile any anti-LGBT 

stereotypes they have internalized; and 

to decide if, when, and how they should 

identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

or transgender to others.

Some people’s gender expression (meaning, 

the ways in which they express their 

gender identity to others) does not conform 

to society’s expectations for their sex. 

This might include choices in clothing, 

mannerisms, names, hairstyles, friends, and 

hobbies. It is important to understand that 

society’s gender expectations are cultural, 

not biological, and they change over time 

(for example, women used to be expected 

to wear only dresses; now teens of both 

genders wear jeans, sweatshirts, and tennis 

shoes). In any case, not all gender-variant (or 

gender nonconforming) youth will continue to 

express themselves this way into adulthood, 

and many will never identify as gay, lesbian, 

bisexual, or transgender. 

In other words, it is best not to make 

assumptions. Respecting your youth’s selfidentification is very important. As youth 

grow to trust their foster families, many will 

eventually share their feelings about gender 

identity or sexuality more openly. 

“Gaining that trust takes time, 

patience, and consistency. That’s what 

[my foster mother] gave me.”

— LGBTQ youth in foster care

Addressing Common Misconceptions

There is a lot of misinformation about 

sexual orientation and gender identity. Here 

are some things that are important for you 

to know about LGBTQ youth in your home:

LGBTQ youth are a lot like other 

youth. In fact, the similarities that LGBTQ 

youth in foster care share with other youth 

in care far outweigh their differences. Most, 

if not all, youth in foster care have been 

affected by trauma and loss; they require 

acceptance and understanding. Making sure 

your home is welcoming to all differences, 

including race, ethnicity, disability, religion, 

gender, and sexual orientation, will help 

ensure that all youth in your home feel safe 

and that the youth in your care grow into 

adults who embrace diversity in all of its 

forms.

This is not “just a phase.” LGBTQ 

people are coming out (acknowledging 

their sexual orientation/gender identity 

to themselves and others) at younger 

and younger ages. Studies by the Family 

Acceptance Project have found that most 

people report being attracted to another 

person around age 10 and identifying as 

lesbian, gay, or bisexual (on average) at 

age 13. Gender identity may begin to form 

as early as ages 2 to 4.4 Someone who has 

reached the point of telling a foster parent 

that he or she is LGBTQ has likely given 

a great deal of thought to his or her own 

identity and the decision to share it.

No one caused your youth’s LGBTQ 

identity. Sexual orientation and gender 

4	 Ryan, C. (2009). Helping families support their lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children. Washington,

DC: National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown

University Center for Child and Human Development.
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

4 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit

Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

identity are the result of complex genetic, 

biological, and environmental factors. Your 

youth’s LGBTQ identity is not the result 

of anything you (or a birth parent, or any 

other person) did. LGBTQ people come from 

families of all religious, political, ethnic, 

and economic backgrounds. Experiencing 

childhood trauma or reading about, hearing 

about, or being friends with other LGBTQ 

people did not “make” the youth become 

LGBTQ.

LGBTQ youth are no more likely 

than other youth to be mentally ill 

or dangerous. These unfortunate myths 

and stereotypes have no basis in truth. Gay 

or transgender people are not more likely 

than heterosexuals or gender-conforming 

people to molest or otherwise pose a threat 

to children. And although it is true that 

LGBTQ people experience higher rates of 

anxiety, depression, and related behaviors 

(including alcohol and drug abuse) than the 

general population, studies show that this 

is a result of the stress of being LGBTQ in 

an often-hostile environment, rather than 

a factor of a person’s LGBTQ identity itself.5

Professional mental health organizations 

agree that homosexuality is not a mental 

disorder and is a natural part of the human 

condition.

Your youth’s LGBTQ identity cannot 

be changed. Medical and psychological 

experts agree that attempting to change 

someone’s sexual orientation or gender 

identity does not work and often causes 

harm.

5	 Schlatter, E., & Steinback, R. (2010). 10 anti-gay myths

debunked. Intelligence Report, no. 140. Retrieved from

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/

browse-all-issues/2010/winter

Many religious groups embrace 

LGBTQ people. Some people fear that 

they will have to choose between their 

faith and supporting their youth’s LGBTQ 

identity—but this is not always the case. 

Many religious communities welcome 

LGBTQ youth, adults, and their families. It 

may be important to know that there are 

other options if your family does not feel 

welcomed or comfortable at your place of 

worship.

LGBTQ Youth and the 

Child Welfare System

LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the 

child welfare system: While approximately 

5 to 10 percent of the general population is 

estimated to be gay, a study conducted in 

three Midwestern States found that a greater 

percentage of those aging out of the child 

welfare system reported a sexual orientation 

other than heterosexual (24 percent of 

females and 10 percent of males). These 

numbers are likely to be underreported 

because youth who come out often risk 

harassment and abuse.

Some LGBTQ youth enter the child welfare 

system for the same reasons that other 

children and youth enter care: Their birth 

families are unable to provide a safe, 

stable, and nurturing home for them due 

to a parent’s incarceration, drug or alcohol 

abuse, mental illness, or other reasons 

unrelated to the youth’s LGBTQ identity. 

Others, however, are rejected (and in some 

cases, neglected or abused) by their families 

of origin when their families learn that they 

identify as LGBTQ. Some youth experience 
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents

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Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

https://www.childwelfare.gov

repeated losses—originally adopted as babies 

or toddlers, they are returned to the system 

by their adoptive families when they come 

out. 

Youth who are rejected by their families may 

experience greater risks than other youth 

in care. Studies show that these youth have 

lower self-esteem and a much greater chance 

of health and mental health problems as 

adults. Compared to other LGBTQ youth, 

those who are highly rejected by their 

families because of their sexual orientation 

or gender identity are:

• More than three times as likely to 

use illegal drugs or be at high risk for 

contracting HIV and other STDs 

• Nearly six times as likely to experience 

high levels of depression

• More than eight times as likely to attempt 

suicide6

Unfortunately, a high percentage of 

LGBTQ youth in foster care experience 

further verbal harassment or even physical 

violence after they are placed in out-ofhome care. As a result, many of these youth 

experience multiple disrupted placements, 

compounding the trauma associated with 

leaving their families of origin. In one study, 

as many as 56 percent of LGBTQ youth in 

care spent some time homeless because 

they felt safer on the streets than in their 

6	 Ryan, C. (2009). Helping families support their lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children. Washington,

DC: National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown

University Center for Child and Human Development.

group or foster home.7 This maltreatment is 

partially responsible for the fact that LGBTQ 

youth make up as many as 40 percent of 

homeless teens.8 Homelessness, in turn, 

increases the youth’s risk of substance abuse, 

risky sexual behavior, victimization, and 

contact with the criminal justice system.

The good news is that these risks can be 

mitigated by foster and adoptive families 

who are willing to nurture and protect 

the health, safety, and well-being of these 

young people. It is essential for child welfare 

agencies to identify and ensure access 

to family foster homes that can provide 

stable, supportive, and welcoming families 

for LGBTQ adolescents, where youth can 

develop the strength and self-confidence 

they need to become successful adults.

Creating a Welcoming 

Home for Youth 

All youth in care need nurturing homes that 

provide them with a safe place to process 

their feelings of grief and loss, freedom 

to express who they are, and structure to 

support them in becoming responsible, 

healthy adults. Creating a welcoming 

foster home for LGBTQ youth is not much 

7	 Mallon, G. P. (1998). We don’t exactly get the welcome 

wagon: The experience of gay and lesbian adolescents in North 

America’s child welfare system. New York: Columbia University

Press. Cited in Wilber, S., Ryan, C., & Marksamer, J. (2006).

CWLA Best Practice Guidelines: Serving LGBT Youth in Out of 

Home Care. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.

http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/bestpracticeslgbtyouth.

pdf?docID=1322

8	 Administration on Children, Youth and Families. (2011).

Information memorandum: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender 

and questioning youth in foster care. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services.
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

6 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit

Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

different from creating a safe and supportive 

home for any youth.

“The most important thing is to allow 

any youth to feel safe enough to 

blossom into whoever they are meant 

to be.”

— Foster parent

In fact, youth in care may have difficulty 

trusting adults (many with good reason), 

so you may not know a youth’s gender 

identity or sexual orientation until he or 

she has spent some time in your home 

and has grown to trust you. Avoid making 

assumptions about gender identity or sexual 

orientation. Any steps you take to make 

your home welcoming to LGBTQ youth will 

benefit all children and youth in your care—

both by giving LGBTQ youth the freedom 

to express themselves and by helping 

heterosexual and gender-conforming youth 

learn to respect and embrace diversity. 

Behaviors that openly reject a youth’s 

LGBTQ identity must be avoided and 

not tolerated. This includes slurs or jokes 

about gender or sexuality and forcing 

youth to attend activities (including 

religious activities) that are openly hostile 

or unsupportive of LGBTQ people. Wellmeaning attempts to protect youth from 

potential harassment, such as “steering” 

them toward hobbies more typical for 

their sex (football for boys, for example) or 

isolating them for the sake of safety, also are 

experienced as rejection by LGBTQ youth 

and can have devastating consequences for 

their self-esteem and well-being.

Consider the following suggestions to make 

your home a welcoming one, 

whether or not a youth in your care 

openly identifies as LGBTQ:

• Make it clear that slurs or jokes based 

on gender, gender identity, or sexual 

orientation are not tolerated in your 

house. Express your disapproval of 

these types of jokes or slurs when you 

encounter them in the community or 

media.

• Display “hate-free zone” signs or other 

symbols indicating an LGBTQ-friendly 

environment (pink triangle, rainbow 

flag).

• Use gender-neutral language when asking 

about relationships. For example, instead 

of, “Do you have a girlfriend?” ask, “Is 

there anyone special in your life?”

• Celebrate diversity in all forms. Provide 

access to a variety of books, movies, and 

materials—including those that positively 

represent same-sex relationships. Point 

out LGBTQ celebrities, role models who 

stand up for the LGBTQ community, and 

people who demonstrate bravery in the 

face of social stigma.

• Let youth in your care know that you are 

willing to listen and talk about anything.

• Support your youth’s self-expression 

through choices of clothing, jewelry, 

hairstyle, friends, and room decoration. 

• Insist that other family members include 

and respect all youth in your home.

• Allow youth to participate in activities 

that interest them, regardless of whether 

these activities are stereotypically male or 

female.

• Educate yourself about LGBTQ history, 

issues, and resources. 
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents

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Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

https://www.childwelfare.gov

“At [my foster mother’s] house, I was 

able to feel safe and focus on being 

who I was.”

— LGBTQ youth in foster care 

If a youth in your care discloses his 

or her LGBTQ identity, you can show 

your support in the following ways:

• When a youth discloses his or her LGBTQ 

identity to you, respond in an affirming, 

supportive way. 

• Understand that the way people identify 

their sexual orientation or gender identity 

may change over time. 

• Use the name and pronoun (he/she) your 

youth prefers. (If unclear, ask how he or 

she prefers to be addressed.)

• Respect your youth’s privacy. Allow him 

or her to decide when to come out and to 

whom.

• Avoid double standards: Allow your 

LGBTQ youth to discuss feelings of 

attraction and engage in age-appropriate 

romantic relationships, just as you would 

a heterosexual youth.

• Welcome your youth’s LGBTQ friends or 

partner at family get-togethers.

• Connect your youth with LGBTQ 

organizations, resources, and events. 

Consider seeking an LGBTQ adult role 

model for your youth, if possible.

• Reach out for education, resources, and 

support if you feel the need to deepen 

your understanding of LGBTQ youth 

experiences.

• Stand up for your youth when he or she 

is mistreated.

LGBTQ youth in foster care need permanent 

homes; they do not need additional 

disrupted placements. If you are being 

asked to consider providing foster care to 

an LGBTQ youth and you feel—for any 

reason—that you are not able to provide 

a safe and supportive environment, be 

honest with your child welfare worker for 

the sake of both the youth and your family. 

If you are able to provide an affirming 

environment, remember that you can talk 

with your child welfare worker about any 

questions you may have or support you may 

need.

Supporting Your Youth 

in the Community

The support your LGBTQ youth receives 

in your home is important. However, you 

also must be prepared to advocate for your 

youth when needed to ensure that she or 

he receives appropriate child welfare, health 

care, mental health, and education services 

to promote healthy development and 

self-esteem.

Working With the Child Welfare 

System

The overwhelming majority of child welfare 

workers, like foster parents, have the best 

interest of the children and youth they serve 

at heart. However, workers are human, and 

they have their own feelings and biases. 

While there is no need to assume problems 
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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will arise, it is important to be aware of your 

youth’s rights.9 For example: 

• Your youth has the right to 

confidentiality. Agencies should not 

disclose information regarding his or 

her sexual orientation or gender identity 

without good reason (e.g., development 

of a service plan) and the youth’s 

permission. 

• Your youth has the right to an 

appropriate service plan. This should 

include the same permanency planning 

services provided to heterosexual or 

gender-conforming youth: The youth’s 

sexual orientation or gender identity 

alone should not be a reason for a worker 

to forego attempts to reunite the youth 

with his or her birth family or seek a 

permanent adoptive placement. It also 

includes helping the youth access LGBTQ 

community programs, if desired.

• Your youth should be supported 

in expressing his or her gender 

identity. The child welfare agency 

should respect your youth’s preferred 

pronoun and name.

• Your youth has the right to request 

that a new caseworker be assigned,

if the current worker is not addressing his 

or her needs appropriately.

Health Care and Mental Health 

Providers

Your youth, like all youth in foster care, has 

the right to health care and mental health 

services that address his or her individual 

needs. In the case of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

9	 For more information, see Wilber, Ryan, & Marksamer, 2006, in

note on page 5.

or transgender youth, finding a competent, 

supportive provider may require some 

additional research. Consider the following:

• Check with your youth to see 

whether he or she feels comfortable 

at agency-recommended service 

providers. Although your agency may 

have preferred providers, you can inquire 

about other options that work better for 

your youth. Begin with those who accept 

Medicaid; however, if the provider your 

youth needs does not accept Medicaid, 

the child welfare agency may be able 

to authorize additional funding for 

necessary services.

• Sexual health should be part 

of every youth’s wellness exam. 

Competent health-care providers will be 

able to offer frank, nonjudgmental, and 

comprehensive education about sexual 

health that is relevant to LGBTQ youth. 

• Transgender youth need health-care 

providers who are appropriately 

trained to address their health 

concerns. This includes the ability to 

discuss, provide, and obtain authorization 

for medically necessary transition-related 

treatment, if desired.

• Be aware of the possibility that 

your youth might benefit from 

mental health counseling about 

issues that may or may not be related 

to sexual orientation or gender identity. 

In addition to typical adolescent 

concerns, many LBGTQ youth struggle 

with depression or anxiety as a result 

of experiencing stigma, discrimination, 

or harassment. If that is the case, seek 

a provider who is experienced and 
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents

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Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/LGBTQyouth

https://www.childwelfare.gov

competent in helping LGBTQ youth cope 

with trauma.

• Under no circumstances should 

your LGBTQ youth be forced or 

encouraged to undergo “conversion 

therapy.” Practices intended to change 

a person’s sexual orientation or gender 

identity have been condemned by 

every major medical and mental health 

association. 

Your Youth at School

Unfortunately, bullying and harassment at 

school are everyday experiences for many 

LGBTQ youth. In many schools, negative 

remarks about sexual orientation or gender 

identity are common from other students, 

and even faculty or staff. A 2011 survey of 

more than 8,500 students between the ages 

of 13 and 20 found that nearly two-thirds 

of students felt unsafe at school because of 

their sexual orientation, and 44 percent felt 

unsafe because of their gender expression.10

School harassment can have devastating 

consequences for youth’s education and 

general well-being. Absenteeism and 

dropout rates are higher and grade point 

averages lower among LGBTQ youth 

experiencing harassment at school.11

If your youth is being bullied or harassed, 

you may need to work with his or her 

caseworker, school administrators, school 

board, and/or PTSA to address the problem. 

10	 The	Gay,	Lesbian	&	Straight	Education	Network	[GLSEN].	

(2012).	The 2011 national school climate survey: Executive 

summary.	New	York:	Author.

11	 Ibid.	Also	see,	for	example,	Lambda	Legal.	(n.d.)	

Facts: Gay and lesbian youth in schools.	New	York:	

Author;	and	Mental	Health	America	(2012).	Bullying	

and	Gay	Youth	[webpage].	http://www.nmha.org/index.

cfm?objectid=CA866DCF-1372-4D20-C8EB26EEB30B9982

The following practices have proven 

effective for preventing anti-gay harassment 

and improving school climate for LGBTQ 

youth:

• Gay-straight alliances (GSAs). 

Students at schools with GSAs hear fewer 

homophobic remarks, experience less 

harassment, feel safer at school, and 

are more likely to receive help when 

reporting bullying to school personnel.12

• Anti-bullying policies that 

specifically reference sexual 

orientation and gender identity. 

Students in States with comprehensive 

safe school laws report fewer suicide 

attempts.13

• LGBTQ-friendly teachers, 

curriculum, and resources. Students 

in schools with an inclusive curriculum 

were about twice as likely to report 

that classmates were somewhat or very 

accepting of LGBTQ people.14

Conclusion

The evidence shows that LGBTQ youth are 

overrepresented in the foster care system 

and that these youth face serious risks and 

challenges beyond those experienced by 

other youth. Rejection by their families 

and other caregivers exacerbates these 

risks. If LGBTQ youth are to reach their full 

12 GLSEN, 2012.

13 Espelage, D. L. (2011). Bullying & the lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) community. Proceedings of

the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. Retrieved

from: http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/groups/lgbt/white_

house_conference_materials.pdf

14 GLSEN, 2012.
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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potential and become healthy, happy adults, 

they—like all youth in care—need families 

who can provide permanent, supportive 

homes during their critical adolescent 

years. With a little additional education 

and training, your family can successfully 

provide a welcoming home to LGBTQ youth 

in need.

Resources

For Families

• Helping Families Support Their 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and 

Transgender (LGBT) Children.

Research showing that families have a 

major impact on their LGBT children’s 

health, mental health, and well-being. 

http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/

gucchd/nccc/documents/LGBT_Brief.pdf

• Family Acceptance Project. A 

research-based, culturally grounded 

approach to help ethnically, socially, 

and religiously diverse families increase 

support for their LGBT children. 

http://familyproject.sfsu.edu

• PFLAG. A national nonprofit 

organization that supports families 

through more than 350 chapters in major 

urban centers, small cities, and rural areas 

in all 50 States. Selected resources include:

○ Coming○Out○Help○for○Families,○

Friends,○and○Allies 

http://community.pflag.org/page.

aspx?pid=539

○ Our○Trans○Children. Answers to 

frequently asked questions and support 

for family members just learning of 

their loved one’s gender differences.

http://www.pflag.org/fileadmin/user_

upload/Publications/OTC_5thedition.

pdf

○ Be Not Afraid: Help Is on the Way!

A faith-based resource from PFLAG’s 

Straight for Equality program.

http://community.pflag.org/sfe-test/

document.doc?id=649

• Advocates for Youth: GLBTQ Issues 

Info for Parents. Tips for parents of 

LGBTQ youth, including resources on 

talking about sexuality.

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/

glbtq-issues-info-for-parents

• LGBTQ Youth Resources for 

Families. Resource list from the 

Maternal & Child Health Library at 

Georgetown University.

http://www.mchlibrary.info/families/

frb_LGBTQ.html

• Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. Education, information, 

resources, and health services for LGBTQ 

youth and adults. 

http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/

• American Psychological 

Association. Answers to questions 

about...

○ Transgender People, Gender Identity,

and Gender Expression.

http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/

transgender.aspx

○ Sexual Orientation and

Homosexuality.

http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/

orientation.aspx
Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

• LGBTQ Youth in the Foster Care 

System and Legal Rights of Lesbian, 

Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender 

Youth in the Child Welfare System.

Factsheets from the National Center for 

Lesbian Rights.

http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/

LGBTQ_Youth_In_Foster_Care_System.

pdf?docID=1341 and 

http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/

LGBTQ_Youth_In_Child_Welfare_System.

pdf?docID=1581

• Getting Down to Basics. Toolkit from 

Lambda Legal with resources for those 

supporting LGBTQ youth in foster care.

http://www.lambdalegal.org/publications/

getting-down-to-basics

For LGBTQ Youth

• Be Yourself: Questions & Answers 

for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual 

& Transgender Youth. Clear, 

straightforward answers for LGBTQ 

youth. 

http://www.pflag.org/fileadmin/user_

upload/Publications/Be_Yourself.pdf

• Represent and YCteen Stories. 

Personal stories from youth in foster care.

http://www.representmag.org/topics/

gay+slash+lesbian.html

• The Trevor Project. Crisis intervention 

and suicide prevention services for 

LGBTQ youth. 

http://www.thetrevorproject.org

• It Gets Better Project. Videos created 

to show LGBTQ youth that they are not 

alone and that they have the potential for 

happy, positive futures, if they can just 

get through their teen years.

http://www.itgetsbetter.org

• Get Busy. Get Equal. ACLU resources 

for LBGT youth about their rights 

at school and how to advocate for 

themselves effectively. 

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights

• Know Your Rights: Youth. Legal 

resources regarding out-of-home care 

and school issues for LGBTQ youth (from 

Lambda Legal). 

http://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/teens

• Gay, Lesbian, and Straight 

Education Network. The leading 

national education organization focused 

on ensuring safe schools for all students.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/

student/index.html

Acknowledgment: This factsheet was 

developed by Child Welfare Information 

Gateway, in partnership with Jill Rivera 

Greene.

Suggested citation: Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. (2013). 

Supporting your LGBTQ youth: A guide 

for foster parents. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Children’s Bureau.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth and Families

Children’s Bureau