Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ+).

All children and young people have the right to be protected and kept safe from abuse and neglect.

LGBTQ+ children and young people face the same risks as all children and young people, but they are at greater risk of some types of abuse. For example, they might experience homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying or hate crime. They might also be more vulnerable to or at greater risk of sexual abuse, online abuse or sexual exploitation (Barnardo’s and Fox, 2016; McGeeney et al, 2017; Xu and Zheng, 2014).

What does LGBTQ+ stand for?

LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and more. This term covers a broad range of people who have different lived experiences and may be at different stages in exploring their identity. It includes people who are asexual or have differences in sex development (sometimes known as being intersex).

Adults who work with LGBTQ+ children and young people need to understand the challenges they might experience and know what action to take to support and help keep them safe.

The NSPCC has this useful guidance:

Safeguarding LGBTQ+ children and young people | NSPCC Learning

CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory Service) have put together some helpful advice for professionals:

Working with LGBTQIA+ children and young people | Cafcass