Post submitted by Darryn Green, child welfare consultant and expert training for HRC’s All Children - All Families program

HRC’s All Children - All Families (ACAF) project recently launched a new webinar series for the adoption and foster care field, consisting of five webinars covering promising practices in serving LGBTQ children, youth, and families. These webinars will be offered free of charge throughout 2017.

I have the pleasure of co-presenting the next webinar in the series, “Caring for LGBTQ Youth: An Introduction for Foster & Adoptive Parents,” which will be held today, July 27 from 5 - 6 p.m. EST. Designed for foster and adoptive parents, it’s perfect for building LGBTQ vocabulary and reviewing the latest research on LGBTQ youth. My co-presenter, Adam McCormick, a professor of Social Work at St. Edward’s University, and I will also provide information on how to create supportive home environments.

As a former foster youth, I know first hand how empowering it is when LGBTQ youth are placed with affirming and supportive foster families. Since 2005, I have served as a child welfare training consultant and focused on improving practices of adults that work with emerging adults from marginilized communities, including LGBTQ youth.

LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system and they report higher rates of discrimination and rejection while in care. Foster parents support and care for children and youth during some of the hardest times in those young people’s lives. It is incredibly important that foster parents understand the experiences of LGBTQ youth and are prepared to meet their needs. This upcoming webinar is a great start for caregivers looking to learn more about LGBTQ youth in foster care. Are you a foster parent? Or do you know foster parents or other caregivers who would benefit from this webinar? Please share it today! To check out the full the webinar series and register today, click here.

Learn more about All Children–All Families’ work to promote LGBTQ cultural competency in adoption and foster care through our project at hrc.org/acaf. Want to stay up-to-date on All Children - All Families resources and activities? Subscribe to “Field Forward,” the program’s monthly e-newsletter at hrc.im/field-forward.