My Pride and Joy

We need everybody—gay or straight—to step up to provide safe and stable care in an accepting and welcoming family environment for our LGBTQ youth

What Are the Needs of LGTBQ Youth in Foster Care?

All young people need the love, nurturing, stability, commitment, and unconditional acceptance offered by family, but for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, the need is particularly acute.

·*Many run away to live on the streets because they say they feel safer there

·*They feel forced to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity

·*They frequently lack emotional support

·* They may have been abused or rejected by their family because of their sexual orientation or gender identity

·*They are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, sexual abuse and violence from both peers and caregivers
 

Facts About LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care

·*There are thousands of children and youth in the nine Bay Area Counties who are in foster care. Nearly half are in Alameda and San Francisco Counties.
 

·*LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system, and are more likely than other foster youth to be placed in group homes and other congregate care facilities.

·*An overwhelming majority of LGBTQ youth report they were victims of violence, and all have been victims of verbal abuse, based on their sexual orientation or gender identity while in group care.

·*LGBTQ youth may be more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, and  are at a higher risk for substance abuse.

·*Between 25% and 40% of homeless and runaway youth identify as LGBTQ.

·*We need everybody—gay or straight—to step up to provide safe and stable care in an accepting and welcoming family environment for our LGBTQ youth.

How You Can Help

You can help LGBTQ youth by opening your heart and home to become a foster or adoptive parent. Family Builders will prepare you to provide LGBTQ youth with safety and stability while we are moving them toward a secure future, whether through reunification with their families (when appropriate), or through placement with another permanent family. Your family will receive a stipend to help defray the costs of fostering a youth in your care, and you will be a welcomed member of our community of families, who all receive ongoing support from each other and from our highly experienced clinical staff.

Celebrating LGBTQ Families

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) 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.  LGBT families often bring particular strengths to meet many of the special needs that children from the foster care system have.

In the state of California, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have the same rights as anyone to adopt a child.

The process of adopting a waiting child is an intrusive and emotional undertaking, so if you are considering adoption, you will want to know that your organization is committed to you and will be supportive throughout the process—and beyond.  At Family Builders, we take pride in the fact that many of the families with whom we work are LGBT families.

·         Our welcoming and mission statements make clear our commitment to serve all families equally with dignity and respect, and this includes LGBT couples and single parents.  We welcome you to be a part of our organization.

·         We offer special support groups for LGBT families, and our staff is knowledgeable about resources in the community that are available for LGBT families.

·         Family Builders has been in the forefront of advocating for public policy and practice changes in the adoption field to provide the opportunity for LGBT families to adopt.

·         Family Builders has developed a training curriculum and has provided training locally and nationally on the subject of LGBT adoption to professionals in the field.

·         Our executive director is a member of the Child Welfare League of America’s National Advisory Network for LGBTQ Youth and Adults Involved With the Child Welfare System.

If you are considering building your family by adopting a waiting child, give us a call.  We will be privileged to become your full partner on the journey.  

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