Fostering a disabled child
The role of an independent fostering agency
What support is available for foster carers?
How to choose a foster care agency
Foster Care Fortnight: How to raise awareness about children in foster care
Can I choose who I foster?
How to foster
What are the benefits of fostering with an independent fostering agency?
What happens when a child is taken into care?
Fostering process: what happens on an initial home visit?
Can you foster if you have mental health issues?
Fostering with local authority vs independent agency
Interview: Life as a foster parent during the pandemic
A complete guide to becoming a foster carer
How Are Children in Foster Care Matched with Carers?
Foster Care Budgeting Tips
Becoming A Foster Carer
Benefits of becoming a foster parent
What is a Care Leaver?
What is a Foster Carer?
What is Foster Care?
Do I become a Foster Carer?
Fostering Regulations
How much do Foster Parents get paid?
How to Foster a Child
How long does it take to become a Foster Carer?
How to foster – everything you ever wanted to know
Facts about Foster Care
What are the Foster Care requirements?
Foster Care Handbook
Foster Carer Job Description
Changing IFA - Transferring to Capstone
Fostering Definition
Foster Care Statistics
What does Every Child Matters Mean for Foster Parents?
Fostering Stories
Fostering Children UK
Children needing Fostering
8 reasons why a child may be taken into care
Fostering as a Career
Looked after Children
Can you foster if you smoke or vape?
A guide to fostering assessments
LGBTQ+ Fostering
Equality, Inclusion & Anti-discriminatory Practice in Foster Care
What can disqualify you from foster care?
Can you foster if you’re on benefits?
Top transferable job skills to become a foster carer
Fostering as a same sex couple
Fostering while renting
Is there an age limit for fostering in the UK?
Do foster carers get a pension?
How to foster a child: A step by step guide
How do DBS Checks Work?
Can I foster if...?
Mythbusting the top 10 Foster Care Myths
Can I foster if I am disabled?
LGBT Fostering Mythbusting
Can I foster if I have pets?
Can I Foster A Child?
Can I Foster and Work?
Can you Foster with a Criminal Record
Can Single People Foster?
LGBT Family and Foster Care
Fostering across Cultures
Muslim Fostering
Christian Foster Care
Sikh Fostering
Empty Nest Syndrome and Foster Care
Can I Foster?
Fostering Babies and Young Children
Fostering Babies - Myths
Focusing on Parent & Child Fostering
Fostering Siblings
Fostering Teenagers
Fostering Teenagers - Breaking down the Myths
Fostering Unaccompanied and Asylum Seeking Children
Mother and Baby Foster Placements
Private Fostering
Therapeutic Fostering - Multi-disciplinary Assessment Treatment & Therapy Service (MATTS)
Young Children Fostering Placements
Difference between short and long-term fostering
Reunification and Birth Parents: A Guide for Foster Carers
How to prepare a child for becoming a care leaver
Children who foster: impact of fostering on birth children
Fostering LGBTQ+ Youth
How to prepare your home for a foster child
How to help a lonely child: A Guide for Foster Carers
What are the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services?
10 tips for foster children's education
How to prepare your foster child for secondary school
Tips for coping when foster placements end
Tips for foster parents during Coronavirus
What happens if foster parents get divorced?
5 ways to manage Mother's Day with foster children
Tips for managing foster children's bedtime routines
How to handle foster child bullying
Fostering allowances and the gender pay gap
What discounts can foster carers get?
How to adopt from Foster Care
5 ways to manage Father's Day for children in foster care
8 most common fostering challenges
FosterTalk Membership with Capstone Foster Care
Supporting foster children's contact with birth families
A guide to independent fostering
Keeping Children Safe Online: A Guide For Foster Carers
Foster Care in TV and Film
Play-based learning strategies for foster carers
A Guide to the Staying Put Program
How to deal with empty nest syndrome
How to recognise signs of depression in foster children
Can you take a foster child on holiday?
Tips and advice on fostering with a disability
10 tips on connecting with your Foster Child
Fostering vs Adoption - What's the difference?
How Fostering can change a future
How to adopt from Foster Care
How to encourage children to read in Foster Care
How to prepare a Foster Child's bedroom
Reading and Storytelling with Babies and Young Children
Supporting Children's Learning
The 20 most recommended books Foster Carers and young people should read
Things you can do when your children leave home
The impact of early childhood traumas on adolescence and adulthood
Anxious Disorders in Foster Children
What is sexual abuse and sexual violence
Foster Child behaviour management strategies
Foster Parent Advice: What to expect in your first year of fostering
Capstone's twelve tips at Christmas
10 celebrities who grew up in Foster Care
Celebrating our Children and Young People
Could Millenials be the solution to the Foster Care crisis?
Do you work in Emergency Services?
Form F Assessor and Assessment Training
Foster Care Fortnight
Improving Children's Welfare - Celebrating Universal Children's Day
It's time to talk about Mental Health and Foster Care
New Year - New Career - Become a Foster Carer
Promoting the rights and wellbeing of persons with Disabilities
Refugee Week
Young people and Mental Health in a changing world
Young People Charities
The latest data from the Office of National Statistics states that 1% of 16-24-year-olds identify as Transgender, and 6.9% of 16-24-year-olds identify as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual - the highest prevalence among all age groups surveyed. Given the challenges young people face when exploring their sexual and gender identity, being in foster care can make this process even more complex. In our guide, we’ll address common questions our carers have about fostering LGBTQ+ youth and provide you with guidance on how to support them as an ally.
Here at Capstone Foster Care, we prioritise the well-being of the children and young people in our care by carefully matching them with foster carers who can support their needs. While there is an increased likelihood that if you are from the LGBTQ+ community, you’ll be matched with a young person from the same community, this is never guaranteed. Factors such as education, location and type of foster care needed are also considered.
As a foster carer, your number one priority is to develop a safe and loving environment for your foster child regardless of their gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity or race. Here, we’ll explain some of the ways you can be an ally for your foster child.
The terminology and identities concerning the LGBTQ+ community are constantly evolving and changing. Making an effort to educate yourself on the terminology used by the community and the issues they face can help you better understand your foster child’s experience and become a better support to their needs.
It’s also important to remember that as a foster carer with Capstone, you’ll have access to an incredible level of support through the training you receive including;
You'll also benefit from working with our network of foster carers, meaning whatever the situation, it’s likely there’ll be someone who’s had the same experience
Even if you don’t fully agree with or understand your foster child’s gender identity or sexuality, you should validate your foster child’s feelings and experiences without judgment.
If your foster child is questioning the gender they were assigned at birth and wants to use a different name or pronoun that aligns with their identity, you should address and refer to them according to their preference.
As a foster carer, your main priority is to create a safe and loving environment for your foster child. Your foster child is likely to be feeling a range of emotions as they explore their gender and sexuality, including confusion, worry, denial and shame. It’s important to create an open dialogue between you and your foster child so that they feel supported and validated. Have a conversation with your foster child about what you can do to support them and make them feel more comfortable.
You should make it clear that you are a safe person to talk about LGBTQ+ topics and that you are here to support them unconditionally. You should ensure your foster child understands that you are here to help them navigate their journey and will be patient and understanding along the way.
As an ally, it’s important to advocate for your foster child by addressing any bullying or discrimination they may face due to their LGBTQ+ identity. Read our guide on dealing with bullying for more information. You should ensure your foster child has the level of support they need, whether that be through support networks, therapy or at school.
For many children and young people in foster care, reunification with their families is the end goal. However, relationships can be strained and further challenged if their family is not supportive of their gender identity or sexuality.
Your foster child’s well-being is our primary concern. Your social workers, therapists and fellow professionals will work with you to prioritise the safety and emotional and psychological health of your foster child. If your foster child’s safety and well-being are at risk due to their LGBTQ+ identity, it will be considered when deciding whether to reunite the foster child with their family.
In some cases, it might be helpful for both parties to explore mediation and counselling to come to terms with the child’s gender identity.
If you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community and are interested, learn more about LGBTQ+ fostering in our guide. Or ready to start fostering? Contact us today.
If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.
Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you.
