LGBTQ+ families

Supporting families in the LGBTQ+ community

It is important to support parents and children/young people so they can talk to you safely. Having a non-judgmental space to explore open and honest discussion is vital to enable you to provide appropriate support.

Practical tips for supporting LGBTQ+ families

1. Do you have a set of inclusive terms that you can use with parents? For example, ‘parents’, ‘carers’, and ‘partners’ might be used instead of ‘mothers’ and ‘fathers’, ‘husbands’ and ‘wives’.
2. Avoid saying something is 'normal' when discussing sexual orientation and behaviour.
3. Do you ask participants how they want to be addressed?
4. Can you introduce yourself including your preferred pronouns? Or include your pronouns in your email signature?
5. Ensure any written communication or documentation uses gender-neutral language and gives inclusive options. For example, are there enough options for gender identities and sexualities? Do you provide the option to self-identify?

If you are new to supporting families in the LGBTQ+ community, you should familiarise yourself with LGBTQ+ and inclusive terminology. Stonewall has a list of LGBTQ+ terms to help you understand the terminology you may not know.

Parents can access advice and information on LGBTQ+ on the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service website.