We Need LGBTQ+ Foster Parents!
It’s no secret that LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in foster care. According to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families 2022 Annual Report, 45.2% of youth in foster care (ages 3 to 22) identify as non-heterosexual and 4.9% of youth in foster care identify as a gender other than that assigned to them at birth. Since children are often slow to come out to their foster parents and caseworkers, these already large numbers may be higher. In order to help these youth feel validated, we need warm, accepting foster parents who celebrate their experiences.
At Bridges Homeward, we want our foster families to reflect the diversity of the children we serve. When LGBTQ+ youth are placed with nurturing, supportive parents who share their identity, they can live without fear of being judged. One of the most important things a youth in the child welfare system can have, especially LGBTQ+ youth, is a positive role model who shares their identity.
Bridges Homeward is supportive and affirming of foster families of all constellations. We have helped many LGBTQ+ families to adopt and foster children over the years. And we are proud to work with many affirming foster parents who are cheerleaders for LGBTQ+ youth, even if these parents do not identify as LGBTQ+ themselves. We team up with these families so that marginalized youth in our communities have adults who will support them no matter what. A caring, dependable adult can make the biggest difference in the life of a child. Our doors are always open to LGBTQ+-identifying and affirming foster families.
Becoming a foster parent can seem intimidating. But we know better than anyone that you do not have to be a superhero to be a good foster parent. And at Bridges Homeward, our expert social workers will be with you every step of the way to guide you through the intricacies of foster care!
If you want to support LGBTQ+ youth in foster care across Massachusetts, become a foster parent with Bridges Homeward today. Together, we can make a difference in a child’s life!
https://family.binti.com/users/signup/bridges-homeward-ma-foster