About the Course
Caring for an LGBTQI+ youth doesn't happen in isolation. It also means navigating relationships with birth families, who may themselves identify as LGBTQI+, and connecting to the right community and cultural resources. This course moves beyond the caregiver's own household to focus on engaging the full circle of support around an LGBTQI+ youth. Participants will learn how to talk with birth families about a child's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (SOGIE), resolve related concerns collaboratively, and locate culturally specific services and support networks for the youth, the family, and themselves.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Build a working knowledge of LGBTQI+ families, communities, and terminology.
- Talk with children, adolescents, and birth families about SOGIE and the societal challenges it can raise.
- Help children, adolescents, and birth parents resolve concerns related to a child's SOGIE.
- Locate culturally specific services and programs relevant to LGBTQI+ youth and families.
- Identify sources of support for themselves, the birth family, and the child or adolescent.