Q&A
Foster care intake process and LGBTQ+ youth identification
0:26:31
·
168 sec
Commissioner Dannhauser explains the process of identifying LGBTQ+ youth during foster care intake and placement. The discussion covers how youth preferences are considered in placements.
- ACS does not ask for LGBTQ+ information upon entry into placement
- Staff and case planners get to know youth over time to understand their needs
- About half of youth in care go directly to family members
- Young people have input on their placement and can object to a family member placement
Jess Dannhauser
0:26:31
So first of all, thank you, and thank you for uplifting that young person we we too are meeting with young people, hearing from them, understanding their experience, and trying to make it as affirming as possible in all of their experiences and and their full life We do not ask for that information upon entry into placement.
0:26:51
We have determined that the better way to approach understanding the needs of young people is for our staff to get them to know them well.
0:27:00
Obviously, the case planners at provider agencies, coaches now who I think are an even safer place for young people to have conversations because they're not responsible for things like court and other parts of the the foster care system.
0:27:14
We also provide them know your rights, pamphlets, which include contact information for equity strategies and for Steven and his office to make sure that young people know there is a place to turn.
0:27:26
You need redundancies when you're working with young people by arms up and someone who works with young people a lot.
0:27:31
Right?
0:27:31
And so we are constantly trying to reinforce the message that they're available, that we are available, that we are listening.
0:27:38
So we have activities to bring young people together, young people are our best recruiters of other young people to get them to the table, to understand that there are supports here.
0:27:48
We start in the placement process, of course, by first, by looking for family.
Althea V. Stevens
0:27:52
Mhmm.
Jess Dannhauser
0:27:53
And so about half of young people who come into our care are going directly to a family member.
0:28:00
That doesn't mean that that is necessarily a family member who's fully trained, who's those those family members do get trained before they become
Althea V. Stevens
0:28:11
interested in education.
0:28:12
To think about that.
0:28:13
And when and I know, like, you guys have made a huge effort to place young people in in family care.
0:28:20
And that has been really important.
0:28:23
But let's say that is the case.
0:28:26
Does a young person be would they be able to say, like, that's not a good person?
0:28:30
Absolutely.
0:28:30
Okay.
Jess Dannhauser
0:28:31
Absolutely.
0:28:32
So if they
Althea V. Stevens
0:28:32
Does that look like?
Jess Dannhauser
0:28:33
So our child protective specialists are having that conversation with them if they're coming into care as a teenager.
0:28:42
So it's a
Althea V. Stevens
0:28:43
The only Are you a teenager?
Jess Dannhauser
0:28:45
With with all young people.
0:28:46
So they'll depends on sort of the young person's developmental stage.
0:28:50
We usually engage parents.
0:28:51
We engage the young person.
0:28:53
We engage siblings to really understand what who in their life do they trust.
0:28:58
So that's the first question and if we're moving towards placement.
0:29:01
There are child safety conferences where this is discussed.
0:29:04
Sometimes families will someone will step forward right away.
0:29:07
Sometimes it'll happen weeks later, but we absolutely make sure young people if they don't feel safe going to a family member, we're not gonna send them there.
0:29:18
Okay.
