adoption advocacy

Virginia Board of Social Services reopens comment on proposed adoption rules

Mon, 08/22/2011 - 11:34 | Point of Policy

The Virginia Board of Social Services has unanimously agreed to reopen comment on state regulations of private adoption agencies for 30 more days. The proposed changes will take out language barring discrimination against prospective parents based on gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status, but leave in language to block discrimination based on race, color or national origin. Read the Full Article

Executive Director
Families Like Ours, Inc

FLO SAFE project for LGBT&Q foster youth

No single agency, program or state can reach the goal of providing a home for every at-risk youth without strategic partnerships. Families Like Ours was built on just that premise starting with the most important partner – family. The promise of Families Like Ours is our steadfast resolve to break down the barriers that prevent good, solid individuals from becoming a family for an at-risk youth. 

But it isn't just families we can help. Since 2004 FLO has been actively used in child specific recruitment, education and support of foster and adoptive families for LGBT&Q foster youth needing permanency.
 
These are not just teenagers were talking about but children from 5 – 17 years old that need welcoming, affirming families.
 
We need all the help we can get for these kids. In Washington State alone 14.5% of of current foster youth are self identifying as LGBT&Q (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning). On any given day there are between 9,700 – 12,000 foster you in Washington. That means as many as 1,700 LGBT&Q kids are at-risk and need your help!
 
Our SAFE LGBT&Q youth and family project provides direct and indirect family recruitment, support, education, case consulting and resource management mainly for Washington State LGBT&Q foster youth (if you're outside the state of WA, we may be able to help you as well).
 

How can you take action to help an LGBT&Q foster youth? 

Become a Welcoming Professional & Office

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 15:49

First, let's get some basics out of the way. When working with an LGBT&Q youth, it isn't about sex it is about the individual. We're also not talking about just teens, but kids from 5 – 17 years of age; yes we said as young as five years old. 

How FLO can help your caseload

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 14:28

Families Like Ours has been used as a referral resource for LGBT&Q families since 2000, but since 2004 we have also been used by child case manager’s as a resource for LGBT&Q foster youth. FLO has been able to connect social service professionals, and resource families with community youth programs, counseling and provide community outreach. Since 2005 FLO has been actively used in child specific recruitment, education and support of foster and adoptive families for LGBT&Q youth needing permanency. 

FLO LGBT&Q: SAFE youth & family project

Sun, 08/14/2011 - 12:51

The SAFE project is a private—public partnership between FLO, a long term community partner and stakeholder of DSHS, and private community agencies. SAFE provides support, recruitment consulting and education assistance in the permanency planning for:

  • LGBT&Q foster youth
  • Families providing support for these youth
  • Adoptive and foster families
  • Professional teams working with LGBT&Q youth and families
Why is this program needed
LGBT&Q youth and the families that support these youth require specialized support services from caseworkers and agencies. FLO is able to work with the professional team to provide:
  • Permanency placement recruitment for identified LGBT&Q youth
  • Family and Professional placement & youth support
  • A frontline resource for professional teams working with LGBT&Q youth and families
  • Pre and post placement support network and mentoring for LBT&Q youth & families
Families like ours experience with LGBT&Q Youth and families
Since October 2000 FLO has assisted hundreds of LGBT&Q youth and families in the Pacific Northwest as well as nationally. FLO’s ongoing recruitment, retention and education of families and professionals is well established. Working closely with professional teams, FLO has become an instrumental resource for caseworkers and agencies in providing the specialized services these youth and families require. This experience and the critical need to support these youth and families has lead to the SAFE program first introduced in King County, Washington. As a national adoption exchange, FLO continues to support the needs of LGBT&Q adoptive families throughout the United States. 

 

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