Childwelfare and service providers face many challenges in their daily work.
In this resource HRC will provide information that will help your organization create a mission and values statement that is welcoming to perspective LGBTQ+ adoptive and Foster parents, how to create a welcoming and safe environment not only for LGBTQ+ clients but also LGBTQ+ staff members, training your staff advocates on how best to serve their LGBTQ+ youth and/or families as well as approaches to creating a data collection system that captures information about LGBTQ+ clients.
An organization’s mission or values statement publicly reflects and communicates its philosophical commitment. Many LGBTQ+ people mistakenly believe that the law prohibits them from adopting or foster parenting or that individual agencies are not welcoming to them. LGBTQ+ prospective adoptive or foster parents often look at an agency’s mission statement, values statement or non-discrimination policy to learn whether the agency is welcoming to LGBTQ+-headed families.
Extraordinary Families, “Who can become a foster (resource) parent through Extraordinary Families?” Section [www.extraordinaryfamilies.org]
Anyone over age 25 who is interested in providing a loving home to a child in foster care can participate in the certification process regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Family Builders, “Who can foster and adopt?” Section [www.familybuilders.org]
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) families are a valuable resource for the many children who are in the foster care system and who are waiting for a family to adopt them. LGBTQ families often bring particular strengths to meet many of the special needs that children from the foster care system have.
Child welfare agencies committed to working with LGBTQ+ communities must ensure a welcoming, safe environment not only for LGBTQ+ clients but also LGBTQ+ staff members. With a reputation as an LGBTQ+-friendly employer, agencies can recruit and retain talented employees who see their own values reflected in the agency’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.
The All Children - All Families Benchmarks of LGBTQ+ Inclusion focus on workplace inclusion policies and practices in several areas including:
The non-discrimination benchmarks include “Employment Non-Discrimination Policies.” This is the foundation for establishing an inclusive workplace. It guarantees equal treatment and opportunity in hiring, promotions and compensation, and informs prospective employees about the agency's values. Furthermore, this policy can help attract diverse staff, which in turn increases your agency's competency in working with all populations. To meet this benchmark, an agency’s employment non-discrimination policy must prohibit employment discrimination based on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."
Agencies may demonstrate innovation within the Sustainability & Capacity Building benchmarks by sharing information on additional workplace inclusion efforts.
Domestic Partner Benefits: Providing health care benefits to domestic partners of benefits-eligible employees.
Transgender-Inclusive Health Insurance: Providing at least one health plan to all employees that explicitly covers medically necessary services for transgender people.
Gender Transition Guidelines: Implementing written gender transition guidelines re: supportive policies and practices related to workplace gender transition.
LGBTQ+ Employee Recruitment Efforts: Targeting LGBTQ+ communities in staff hiring/recruitment efforts.
Building an agency’s capacity to best serve LGBTQ+ youth and/or families is an ongoing, long-term effort. Implementing a staff advocate role (sometimes called an ombudsperson or champion) at an agency is one strategy for ensuring this work is sustainable and prioritized.
Staff advocates are identified to all colleagues and clients and charged with resource collection and dissemination, advocacy, support and intervention. Those who serve in this role are especially important for LGBTQ+ clients receiving services who can face barriers and challenges due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression.
Agencies must demonstrate the existence of a staff advocate for LGBTQ+ clients and a description of how this person has fulfilled this role, their capacity for this work on top of any other responsibilities and their requisite knowledge to do so.
If your agency does not currently have anyone serving in this role, think about what is most needed at your agency before creating a role description. Tailor the position to the needs of your agency by thinking about how your agency's clients would benefit most from this role and the most effective way the role can be implemented at your agency.
Larger public agencies often have formalized staff advocate roles. These advocates may be working specifically on LGBTQ+ client advocacy, or on a range of client advocacy issues, with an explicit inclusion of LGBTQ+ client advocacy. For smaller agencies, the staff advocate role may be more informal and they may view all staff as being advocates for clients or the executive director may serve this role. Agencies that provide direct services to youth in out-of-home care should have a more formalized staff advocate role in place.
Supporting an agency’s efforts to provide LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming services is the most integral part of this role. This can include advocating for an LGBTQ+ client navigating the various services an agency offers, compiling comprehensive resources for staff, organizing efforts for continuing education on best practices for working with LGBTQ+ clients, leading the agency's All Children - All Families efforts, etc.
It's imperative that LGBTQ+ clients feel supported in their direct work with your agency as well as in experiences with services they are referred to, the challenges they may face as a result of becoming an LGBTQ+ foster/adoptive parent, and in any other capacity related to their foster care or adoption journey. For example, a staff advocate may intervene if an LGBTQ+ client has a grievance with an external service provider, or they may use their knowledge of resources in the community to assist a client.
In order for staff and clients to take advantage of the resources and assistance available to them through the staff advocate role, they need to know the role exists. Whenever appropriate, clients should receive clear communication informing them of their opportunities to connect with a staff advocate. Staff members should also be made aware of the staff advocate and the ways in which this person can assist them in performing their duties. Modes of messaging around staff advocates vary depending on the size and scope of an agency as well as formalized this role is at an agency.
Private Agency -
Illinois Center for Adoption and Permanency, Chicago, IL
State Level -
The Department of Children and Families (DCF), Boston, MA