E13

"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME":  SUPPORTING YOUTH WITH SEXUAL IDENTITY ISSUES IN CHILD WELFARE

Presenters: Thomas Murphy, Priscilla Rodriguez

Abstract Category: Diversity

Instruction Level: Intermediate

Presentation: Not Provided

Description:      

Permanent connections that last a lifetime for youth in care is a goal we all strive for. Yet for youth in the child welfare system, a goal of permanency is often elusive. This workshop provides information and resources to prepare professionals to understand the challenges of sexual minority youth in care and better assess caregivers' abilities to meeting their needs for affirmation, support and stability. Attendees will come away from the workshop with a toolbox of resources that will assist in their work with youth and families and promote safety, permanency, and child well-being.

Abstract:

The goal of Casey Family Services Move to Greater Permanency model is to use a customized and timely process in achieving the optimal degree of physical safety, emotional security, and legal permanency within the context of a family relationship. 

In this workshop we will share the 5 core elements of permanency planning: youth centered/family focused approach, collaborative planning amongst team members, a belief in shared decision making, the differential use of self, and belief in the process. Effective permanency planning starts with a safety plan for all youth regardless of the youth's sexual orientation or identity. Addressing issues of sexual orientation and gender identity with youth and families must occur to assure the safety of youth in planning for future care.

All youth in care have 5 key questions that must be answered in order to successfully achieve permanency: what happened to me, who am I, where am I going, how will I get there, and when will I know I belong? How do GLBTQI youth in care answer these questions and answer a sixth question: will I be safe for being who I am?

As youth often don't self identify as gay until about age 13 and girls a bit later, age 14 or 15 (Ryan & Futterman 1998), these youth often "come out" to parents after they have been in placement for several years.  Adolescence is a period of enormous shifts in relationships, emotions, and identity thus making the process of coming out to parents very difficult, especially for children in foster placements trying to establish their own sense of permanency. There are parallel grief processes that occur both for caretakers and youth with the awareness of that a youth’s sexual orientation.

Children healthy adjustment depends overwhelmingly on three factors: the quality of parenting affection, quality of the relationship between the parents, and the availability of economic resources. These three factors, in addition to the quality of the caretaker/child relationship, and factors such as: political beliefs, cultural perceptions of homosexuality, parental expectations, moral/religious values, experience with ethnic community, also impacts if and how youth disclose. Workers need to feel competent discussing issues of sexual identity and orientation with foster parents and youth.  On-going training is needed to enhance workers knowledge of the population in order to prevent the trauma of foster care placement disruption from happening due to the child's gender identity and/or sexual orientation.