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Care system fails to meet needs of LGBTQ+ young people, research warns

2 mins read Social Care Health
LGBTQ+ young people report significant health, mental health and well-being inequalities while living in foster and residential care, compared with their non-LGBTQ+ peers, a study finds.
Study finds that LGBTQ+ young people can experience rejection and discrimination within the care system, due to their identity. Picture: Adobe Stock/Martaklos
Study finds that LGBTQ+ young people can experience rejection and discrimination within the care system, due to their identity. Picture: Adobe Stock/Martaklos

Experts from the University of Birmingham have found that the children's social care system in England needs to improve how it cares for LGBTQ+ young people in residential and foster care placements, to reduce health and well-being inequalities.

These inequalities include discrimination from social care professionals, as well as more frequent care placement moves compared to non-LGBTQ+ young people.

The study, funded by What Works for Children’s Social Care, is the first of its kind to focus solely on LGBTQ+ young people in care.

The project involved research on existing literature and studies involving care-experienced LGBTQ+ young people. Care-experienced participants were asked questions which were co-produced by researchers and a young advisors group, who identified as LGBTQ+ and had lived experiences of England’s care system.

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