Q&A
Credible messengers, support systems, and clothing allowances for LGBTQ+ youth in foster care
1:16:17
·
3 min
Council Member Williams inquires about credible messengers within ACS and clothing budgets for LGBTQ+ youth in foster care. Commissioner Dannhauser explains the support systems in place and policies regarding clothing allowances.
- ACS has formal positions for credible messengers in providers and within ACS itself
- Many ACS staff have lived experience in foster care or as parents in the system
- Each agency has parent advocates, and many have youth advocates
- Initial and ongoing clothing allowances are provided, and young people are allowed to purchase what they want to wear
- LGBTQ+ trainings for foster parents include guidance on supporting youth's clothing choices
- Additional resources like college choice programs are available to support youth
Nantasha Williams
1:16:17
Yeah.
1:16:18
Just yeah.
1:16:18
I have more, you know, lots of questions about that.
1:16:21
Like, I I wanna understand, like, cadence, like, how often you're having these continuous care conversations.
1:16:26
Okay.
1:16:26
And then just two more things, somewhat on the hearing topic, but it could be more expensive.
1:16:34
Does ACRs have, like, credible messengers within ACS?
1:16:37
Because the foster care, former foster care, young person that chair Steven has mentioned.
1:16:43
One of the things she also noted was, like, wanting to be able to support other youth who identify as LGBTQIA.
1:16:54
And I'm just just wondering, like, do you have, like, individuals who have gone through the system that might identify that can sort of support young people who are currently in the system.
1:17:06
And then the last thing she had mentioned that I thought was quite interesting was the clothing budget.
1:17:12
So for instance, you, you know, you may present as a woman, but maybe you wanna wear men clothes.
1:17:20
And your your foster parent is telling you no.
1:17:23
You have to go by dresses.
1:17:25
And so she talked about, like, this sort of back and forth issue with clothes and the clothing budget.
1:17:31
And so just wanted to know, like, what stipulations or support can they have to say, like, especially if they're older.
1:17:39
Like, I don't want to buy that.
1:17:40
Can I buy something else?
1:17:42
And for them to be able to buy the types of clothes that were.
1:17:44
Again, if present as a male and they wanna wear a dress.
1:17:47
Like, how can we ensure that the things that they wanna wear that they're actually allowed to pay for and where those things do the budget?
Jess Dannhauser
1:17:53
Thank you.
1:17:54
And if this young person's looking for a job unless I'd love to meet with them, this is really, really important to deputy commissioner Mendez.
1:18:02
The young people get what they they want that they have an individualized experience that's tailored to their needs, what what their interests are, So not only is there an initial clothing allowance, there's also in the rate sort of ongoing clothing allowance, young people are allowed to purchase what they want to wear.
1:18:23
That's also sort of part of the many of the trainings that we're doing for for foster parents, including the LGBTQA plus trainings.
1:18:33
We also are looking at some some of the ways in which young people get stipended.
1:18:38
We have college choice.
1:18:40
And we make sure that young people can can access that kind of that kind of resource.
1:18:47
I think as far as credible messengers, we have both formal positions in the providers and at ACS We have the youth leadership committee.
1:18:55
There's the youth advisory board at at Fair Futures, but there's a a lot of staff at ACS who are credible messengers, but aren't in roles that are specifically to that.
1:19:06
So if you come to the Children's Center.
1:19:08
There's a lot of of our staff who have had lived experience, who have been in foster care.
1:19:14
We obviously also care deeply about lived experience for parents, and so have staff that are in our advocacy office that have experience in that way.
1:19:25
And it's deeply, deeply important that they're seen and that young people and families know that they're in our system.
1:19:31
Each agency has parent advocates, many of them have youth advocates, And I we've really, really been lucky to have a wonderful YLC and the youth advisory board.
1:19:40
So we're trying to find every way to hear from young people.
