All Children – All Families

Child welfare agencies

For parents/caregivers of children ages: 5 - 21

All Children – All Families is a systems-level intervention that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning/queer (LGBTQ)-inclusive policies and affirming practices among public and private child welfare agencies. The policies and practices focus on services to LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care as well as on services for LGBTQ-headed families (foster parents, adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, etc.). Participating organizations gain access to comprehensive resources, including an online self-assessment tool, expert webinars on LGBTQ topics, group-based technical assistance and more. Agencies that lead the field with innovative approaches to inclusion are formally recognized annually.

Angela Weeks, DBA (she/her/hers)

• Title: Director
• Agency/Affiliation: National SOGIE Center
• Website: https://sogiecenter.org/offerings/training/
• Email: acaf@sogiecenter.org

The goals of All Children – All Families are:

• Remove institutional barriers to care for LGBTQ youth and LGBTQ-headed families through policy and practice change
• Increase service providers’ LGBTQ supportive and affirming behaviors

The essential components of All Children – All Families include:

• Policy & Practice Technical Assistance (TA):
  • Agency Self-Assessment Tool: Participating organizations get access to a customized online self-assessment tool focusing on key policies and practices for LGBTQ inclusion.
  • Individual TA: Participating organizations receive individualized TA from experts in LGBTQ policy and practice implementation.
  • Group-Based TA: Participating organizations are invited to join group TA sessions with other organizations working to implement policies and practices on LGBTQ inclusion. These TA sessions offer an opportunity to learn from peers, share opportunities, and challenges.
• LGBTQ Training Program:
  • 3-Part Training Series: Offers both foundational material and advanced content tailored for direct service professionals who work with LGBTQ children, youth, and families
  • Training of Facilitators (TOF) Program: TOF Program builds the capacity of child welfare agency staff to deliver internal LGBTQ competency training.
  • Online Learning Series: Both on-demand and live webinar offerings on introductory and advanced topics in LGBTQ inclusion are offered.
  • Online learning and In-person training: LGBTQ affirming and supportive behaviors training for foster parents and other caregivers are offered.
• Recognition Program:
  • Tiers of Recognition: Participating organizations are recognized at one of three tiers of recognition depending on the level to which they have implemented LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices.
  • National Report: All Children – All Families celebrates participating organizations in its annual report.

Parent/Caregiver Services

All Children – All Families directly provides services to parents/caregivers and addresses the following:

• Being a foster parent and other caregiver of a LGBTQ youth in child welfare

Recommended Intensity

Agencies are trained and then engaged with annually.

Recommended Duration

The annual cycle begins in August and ends in May. The participation process is self-driven by agencies, however a suggested timeline and deadlines for key process points is provided.

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Public Child Welfare Agency (Dept. of Social Services, etc.)
• Virtual (Online, Smartphone, Zoom, Telephone, Video, etc.)

Homework

This program does not include a homework component.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• Computer with internet and preferably with webcam to enable Zoom meetings
• Phone
• Training space
• Projector
• Flip charts
• Facilitator candidates that meet baseline qualifications for facilitating material

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

There are no educational requirements. All Children – All Families does look for agency leadership buy-in. The official submitter of online assessment must be a program manager or above. Candidates for Training of Facilitator program should demonstrate specific skills and traits, including: proven track record of strong facilitation skills and proven LGBTQ-related knowledge and cultural competence (e.g., affirming behaviors and language use, familiarity with research on LGBTQ youth and families and organizational policies).

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

For Training of Facilitators, there is a training manual: Human Rights Campaign Foundation. (2019). All Children – All Families training of facilitators guide. Setting the foundation: LGBTQ competency for child welfare professionals. Washington, DC: Author.

The above guide can be requested through program contact (information located at the bottom of this page).

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact

Training Type/Location:

Onsite at trainee’s organization

Number of days/hours:

3-Part Training Series – delivered in 1-3 days depending on agency’s goals, each day is approximately 6 hours.

Training of Facilitators – delivered over 8 days (including the 3-part training series)

• There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies on outcomes with the appropriate target population for the topic area(s) in which All Children – All Families has been reviewed.

• Barker, J. (2018, June 29). A seal that helps LGBTQ community to become foster, adoptive parents. Retrieved from https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2018/06/29/seal-helps-lgbtq-community-adopt-foster-children/746173002/

• Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.). Working with LGBTQ families in adoption. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/working-lgbtq-families-foster-care-and-adoption/

• The National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirit Children and Youth in Foster Care (QIC-LGBTQ2S). (n.d.) Category: Curriculum. Retrieved from https://www.qiclgbtq2s.org/category/resources/curriculum/