New home to open in Red Deer as provincial Advocate calls for more to help LGBTQ youth
More can be done for sexually and gender diverse youth in Alberta’s child welfare and justice systems, according to a report out Monday from the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate.
Entitled Speaking OUT, the report outlines five recommendations for helping LGBTQ2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Indigenous two-spirit, plus) youth who still experience higher rates of homelessness, suicide, mental illness, addictions and violence.
Recommendation two, which calls for the Minister of Children’s Services and the Ministry of Justice to create LGBTQ2S+ specific living options for young people, is already seeing some progress locally.
Shay Vanderschaeghe with Heritage Family Services says their Haven program will see the opening of a new three-unit group living space for gender and sexually diverse youth in Red Deer sometime in the near future. The home will be fully staffed 24/7 and provide clinical therapy to those living there.