Child Welfare Resources
This page features new child welfare resources focused on serving LGBTQ+ children, youth, and families. If you do not find the information or tools you are looking for, we encourage you to search our full document library or submit a Technical Assistance (TA) request for direct, tailored support.
This infographic highlights disparities faced by LGBTQ+ young people in out-of-home care and the importance of affirming, knowledgeable support. Data shows many LGBTQ+ youth experience higher rates of residential placements, mental health hospitalizations, and challenges feeling treated well within the foster care system. More than half of youth report that their social worker either does not know their LGBTQ+ identity or they are unsure, often due to fear of negative reactions or placement changes. These findings underscore the need for culturally responsive practices that build trust, improve engagement, and support positive outcomes.
Now more than ever, it’s essential to support LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents. This new infographic highlights key strategies for agencies to create welcoming, affirming, and equitable experiences for LGBTQ+ resource families and prospective parents. Based on professional standards and lived experiences, it offers practical guidance on values, practices, and structures that foster collaboration and inclusion. By implementing these approaches, agencies can strengthen family support and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. This resource is part of the All Children, All Families program through the National SOGIE Center, dedicated to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in child welfare.
The Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children (“the rule”) clarifies how title IV-E and IV-B agencies (“agencies”) must appropriately serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, non-binary, Two-Spirit, and gender non-conforming (LGBTQI+) children placed out-of-home while in the foster system. To find out more about this rule and read our answers to frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ page.
Safe Havens II: We Must Affirm and Support Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Diverse Youth in Out-of-Home Systems
Safe Havens II is a call to action from trans, nonbinary and gender diverse (“TNGD”) youth with experience in child welfare, juvenile legal, and youth homelessness systems who share their experiences and system improvement recommendations via video with co-author Elliott Hinkle, principal and co-founder of Unicorn Solutions, who also has lived experience with out-of-home systems. Safe Havens II also updates current research about TNGD and LGBQ+ youth; summarizes recent supportive and harmful federal and state law and policy developments; describes efforts to prevent system-involvement; shines a light on the needs of system-involved nonbinary youth; and captures existing measures to hold systems accountable to law and policy requirements.
Federal Funding for Gender Affirming Materials for Transgender & Nonbinary Youth in Foster Care
In 2022, the Administration for Children and Families published an Information Memorandum offering guidance to title IV-B and IV-E agencies on serving LGBTQIA2S+ children and youth, with explicit support for gender affirming care. Further guidance from the Children’s Bureau indicates that child welfare agencies may be able to use Chafee funding to purchase gender affirming items for young people in their care, especially in consideration of the health benefits that access to these materials bring. This resource offers a list of common gender affirming items that may be purchased using Chafee funding.
Tip Sheets on Working with LGBTQ+ Young People and their Families
2017 National Scan and Review of Best Practices
The QIC-LGBTQ2S conducted a literature review of programing and best practices that were being implemented nationally before the project launched. The purpose of this literature review was to provide the QIC-LGBTQ2S sites relevant information needed on LGBTQ+ young people in foster care so that the work of the QIC-LGBTQ2S would build on existing efforts. The review provides national guidelines on the following topics:
- Safety and Supportive Relationships
- Organizational Partnerships
- Supportive Environment and Structure
- Client Services and Referrals
- Youth Efficacy and Opportunities to Belong
- Existing EBPs, Resources, and Toolkits
Cuyahoga County, Ohio's Roadmap through System Transformation and LGBTQ+ Best Practices
This illustrated roadmap shows how Cuyahoga County implemented their systems transformation effort to better serve LGBTQ+ young people in their child welfare system. The roadmap contains important strategies for a phased training approach and strategic group coaching. These steps and more are discussed in detail in the AFFIRM.ME. Implementation Guide.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio's Implementation Guide on System Transformation and LGBTQ+ Best Practices
This AFFIRM.Me guide documents the efforts, successes, and lessons learned that Ohio’s Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services experienced in implementing organizational change efforts within the county to better serve LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Cuyahoga County was successful in identifying LGBTQ+ youth in their care, which enabled them to provide those youth and their families with much-needed services around sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.
Two-Part Issue Brief: Nonbinary Youth in Binary Systems
In this issue brief series, Youth Move National explores what it means to be nonbinary, focuses on mental health research, and offers some considerations and reflection questions for those looking to better serve these youth within mental health services.