Q&A
Addressing homophobia and transphobia in foster homes
0:51:17
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76 sec
Council Member Farah Louis inquires about additional guidance for staff on identifying and addressing homophobia and transphobia in foster homes. Commissioner Jess Dannhauser explains ACS's approach to ensuring appropriate behaviors and supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
- ACS is revising its policy and focusing on implementation
- Multiple systems are in place to encourage youth to share their experiences
- Emphasis on building trust between young people and their support systems
- Addition of trained coaches for young people
- Agencies are expected to understand and support LGBTQ+ youth
Farah Louis
0:51:17
Okay.
0:51:18
Is ACS considering providing additional guidance for staff on how to identify homophobia, transformer, and forced to homes.
0:51:26
What methods of intervention are being explored to ensure that these inappropriate behaviors are being addressed and corrected?
Jess Dannhauser
0:51:34
For us, and as chair Steven's opened with, it's, you know, it's really about implementation.
0:51:39
We are revising our policy, but it's around having these redundant systems that continue to communicate out to to young people that they can share with us, share with someone that they trust, the addition of coaches for for young people, and them all being trained in this as well.
0:51:57
So what we're really think is sort of the foundational basis of this is that the young person is somebody that they trust and that they can have these conversations with.
0:52:07
So we are constantly working to build that and bring more resources to bear to young people.
0:52:12
And so, you know, we expect that our our agencies They're they really understand young people.
0:52:21
There are times when young people are first coming into foster care or have had an experience in foster care with that trust wanes.
0:52:27
And it's our job to make sure that they have any avenue that they wanna take to connect with us and to get the support that they need.
