Two local organizations are working together to help find foster homes for LGBTQ+ youth.
Kristian Wilson, executive director, Huron-Perth Children's Aid Society, approached Bruce Duncan Skeaff, president, Stratford Pride Community Centre, earlier this year to start a conversation about helping CAS get in touch with a specific demographic of foster parents.
"Sometimes (LGBTQ+ youth) come into our care and ideally we can place them with like-minded individuals and folks who are inclusive...maybe have lived experiences, can understand the lived experiences that youth are going through at the time," Wilson told StratfordToday.
Skeaff said the pride centre is ideally situated to help with the goal of getting the two groups of people connected because of their growing community profile and widespread access to queer organizations both in Huron and Perth counties and beyond.
Wilson said about 10 per cent of youth under the care of the CAS identify as non-traditional male and female.
"A lot of the time the reason they come into our care is because of their identity. They may come out or be living a different identity than a traditional male or female. It creates difficulties in family homes that don't have the understanding, are unable to support the needs of the children and youth at the time."
A big part of the Huron-Perth CAS strategic plan includes working with marginalized groups, so that work has already taken place and continues to do so.
Wilson said most of the youth, ages 14 to 18, under local CAS care require short term care.
"We have kids in care from several different gender identifications: transgender, gender non-conforming. Different sexual orientations: queer, bisexual, asexual, pansexual. Sometimes from a different race or culture and different marginalizations"
The CAS endevours to find homes with diverse backgrounds, Wilson said, where they can learn from mentors and allies.
That scenario can help educate about healthy relationships, boundaries, and helps increase self esteem in relationships, he said.
"They can be more confident in school and work and be able to succeed and have more positive outcomes."
Finding homes is difficult, particularly in a rural, conservative region, he said.
"Folks care but they haven't lived the experience and they do the best they can, but you don't have the lived experience to really understand what children and youth are going through in the system and the world we live in, that doesn't always accept them for who they are."
The lack of community acceptance is something Skeaff's organization is all to familiar with, though the specific issue around finding foster homes for LGBTQ+ youth was not something he had given a lot of thought before meeting with Wilson.
"There is a way of helping out it's just a matter of finding the right way," said Skeaff.
An ever-growing social media site helps with that, as does daily connectivity to the community, Skeaff added. To help find these matches, the pride centre has built a page on their website with fostering information.
"We’ll use our social media channels to promote awareness that this new outreach is available. "The awareness doesn't stop at the borders of the county. Getting the word out is the whole thing."
Community support through the centre and residents at large is important, Wilson emphasized.
"(Bruce) has the connections to the community, they know where to go to feel safe. We talked about the need in the community. He is absolutely willing to do that. Once folks agree to be foster parents or support providers, they need the support as well from their community. Folks want to do well but also need to be supported when they do this."
