It’s time to develop inclusive care for LGBTQ+ young people

By Charlotte Andrew, LGBTQ+ Youth in Care and Beckie Burn, Social Finance

It’s Pride month, and we wanted to share some insights from one of the projects we’ve loved working on recently.

It’s hard to believe that three months have passed since the launch of our report on the experience of LGBTQ+ care experienced people. The report has generated some real waves of momentum, with over 60 organisations signing up to work with us.

The findings from this project clearly made the case for developing more inclusive care. The report focuses on how this can be achieved through three recommendations:

• Data about gender identity and the sexual orientation of young people in care should be collected in a trauma informed and person-centred way
• There is a need for new approaches to enable and nurture positive relationships between children and young people and those who care for them
• Training is necessary to equip those who work with care experienced people with the awareness and tools they need to support the specific needs of LGTBQ+ children and young people

The stories of LGBTQ+ care experienced people reverberate throughout the report, bringing a much needed and authentic perspective on how the care system can move forward in a more cohesive way for LGBTQ+ young people.

So many proud moments are at the heart of this journey. The intention from the outset was to undertake the research in a trauma-informed participatory way with a view to developing meaningful insights. For this reason, wellbeing was at the centre of it all. This meant that the relationships that were developed with the group of LGBTQ+ care experienced people were founded on mutual respect and the emphasis remained on co-production throughout the completion of the report.

Partnering with LGBTQ+ Youth in Care brought insights from the care sector that were hugely influential. The partnership brought forth a chorus of voices from the LGBTQ+ care experienced community that we have been incredibly proud to amplify.

As momentum continues to build, we can already feel a shift in the care sector:

• The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care echoed our recommendation of inclusive data collection
• LGBTQ+ Youth in Care and The University of Teesside are collaborating to research the experience of LGBTQ+ care leavers
• University of Birmingham is undertaking two studies: the first researching the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in residential care, and the second exploring the effectiveness of training for improving social workers’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs when working with LGBTQ+ young people

The more we talk to each other, the more we are learning about what is happening out there, and there is so much great practice emerging. Our ambition is to find and scale what works, so that every child can realise their rights through getting the care they deserve. Every meetup, coffee morning or research project is another step closer to truly inclusive care and there are so many of you that want to commit to this great work.

Please take the opportunity to read the report and sign the pledge to start your own journey on the path to inclusivity.