Reaching Higher: Increasing Competency in Practice with LGBTQ Youth in Child Welfare Systems

Child welfare staff working with LGBTQ youth

This curriculum focuses on improving service delivery for LGBTQ youth and their families and aims to increase the competence and enhance the skill of child welfare staff working with LGBTQ youth in all types of out-of-home situations. It consists of eight modules that will provide information on the importance of improving child welfare practice with LGBTQ youth, including the impact and scope of LGBTQ youth in the foster care system; help participants to assess their own values and beliefs to identify strategies for balancing personal views with professional responsibilities; and increase competency in using accurate and culturally appropriate terminology. The modules also guide child welfare workers in assessing, supporting, and affirming young people in the process of “coming out,” provide effective engagement strategies for working with LGBTQ foster youth and families; describe strategies for advocating for LGBTQ youth in their homes, schools, foster care settings, and communities; and help participants identify ways that they can increase their learning and competence in working with LGBTQ youth and families.

National Center for Child Welfare Excellence

• Website: http://www.nccwe.org/ET/cw-training-curricula.html
• Email: gmallon@hunter.cuny.edu
• Phone: (212) 396-7562

Manual Information

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

• There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies on outcomes with the appropriate target population for the topic area(s) in which Reaching Higher: Increasing Competency in Practice with LGBTQ Youth in Child Welfare Systems has been reviewed.

There are currently no references available for Reaching Higher: Increasing Competency in Practice with LGBTQ Youth in Child Welfare Systems.