The head of the Sarnia-Lambton Children's Aid Society (SLCAS) is welcoming provincial funding for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families in the child welfare system.
The Ontario government announced an investment of $822,399 over three years for LGBT2SQ supports and services to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility, celebrated March 31.
SLCAS Executive Director Dawn Flegel said the funding is the first of its kind for the child welfare sector in Ontario and that it will impact three areas.
"They'll be able to expand a camp that's already been running for the past three years for kids across the province who identify as being a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community -- more kids will be able to participate," she said. "They'll be using the funding to help support Children's Aid Societies across the province to develop more partnerships and services and supports to support 2SLGBTQ+ kids and their families."
Flegel said it will also provide more training for staff on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. She said a few local organizations are already doing great work in that field.
"So one is Rebound -- they have a Spectrum group there that's been running for a number of years and that will continue to run and that's been done in partnership with other agencies. And then the other organization that's fairly new is Diversity Ed -- they are also going to be running a camp this summer for local 2SLGBTQ+ kids, which is great."
Flegel said the discrimination and the hate members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community sometimes face results in them feeling alone and not accepted.
"So, by bringing kids together, they can connect with one another, realize they're not alone, there are lots of other kids like them and it just provides a really safe environment for them to connect."
Flegel said not all kids and youth feel safe to disclose their identity and that this has been part of the challenge of knowing accurate data and information. She said some of the funding is hoping to go towards getting more accurate data on that. With files from Natalia Vega
