Component: provincial initiatives

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)

Service objective

The purpose of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two Spirit and queer (LGBT2SQ[1]) Initiative project is to support the development and implementation of sector-wide initiatives that help to support improved outcomes for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families in the child welfare system.

Service description

The Transfer Payment Recipient will develop and manage the time limited LGBT2SQ Initiative project with a goal of working to improve the outcome disparities and disproportionalities experienced by LGBT2SQ children, youth and families involved in Ontario’s child welfare system.

People served

  • Child welfare staff and leaders to help them better understand and support LGBT2SQ children, youth and families
  • LGBT2SQ child welfare staff to ensure they feel included and accepted within their organizations
  • LGBT2SQ children and youth involved in the child welfare system to ensure they feel heard, supported and can build peer relationships

Program/service features

The Transr Payment Recipient will complete the following activities throughout the full duration of the time-limited LGBT2SQ Initiative project (2021-22 to 2023-24)

  • Working with LGBT2SQ communities and key stakeholders to identify key priorities and areas of work to improve outcomes for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families in the child welfare system
  • Building an understanding of decision points within service delivery that result in disparities for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families, and developing and implementing decision-making tools to address and interrupt these inequities
  • Coordinate and lead strategic committees and tables to inform and receive ongoing feedback on work to date, and to identify opportunities to address outcome disparities, disproportionalities, and improve outcomes for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families
  • Provide financial support to send LGBT2SQ children and youth to Camp Lifting Leaves, a specialized camp for LGBT2SQ children and youth involved in Ontario’s child welfare system
  • Developing and implementing of a LGBT2SQ intersectional service delivery framework to ensure services provided to youth are inclusive and affirming of the needs and experiences of LGBT2SQ children, youth and families
  • Planning and holding events for LGBT2SQ youth and LGBT2SQ staff to ensure their needs and experiences are heard, and to support developing peer relationships
  • Developing and implementing sector-wide accountability measures to set expectations for the intersectional services that should be provided to children, youth and families from equity-deserving communities, including LGBT2SQ communities
  • Continuing to maintain, support and advise the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Child Welfare Curriculum to improve sector understanding of 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities, needs and experiences
  • Supporting societies to build enhanced partnerships with local LGBT2SQ communities and organizations
  • Developing and implementing inclusive and affirming tools and resources to improve outcomes for LGBT2SQ children and youth, and their parents and caregivers

Specific service provided

The Program / Services contracted by the ministry and delivered by the Transfer Payment Recipient will reflect the following features.

Program goals

  • Increased sector capacity to address heterosexism, cissexism as well as homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all intersectional forms of oppression and discrimination experienced by LGBT2SQ communities in child welfare in Ontario
  • Increased inclusive, affirming and culturally relevant services and supports for LGBT2SQ children, youth and their families, that addresses intersectionality and reflects the heightened risk for self-harm, isolation and houselessness through violence and trauma-informed practice
  • Increased sector engagement with LGBT2SQ communities and organizations
  • Increased sector accountability in providing inclusive, affirming and culturally relevant services and supports for LGBT2SQ children, youth and their families

Ministry expectations:

To support the overarching project goals and features of the LGBT2SQ Initiative, the Transfer Payment Recipient will undertake the following activities

  • Engage with LGBT2SQ communities, LGBT2SQ staff sector advocates, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) partners, the Provincial Roundtable, and youth focus groups to improve consistency across systems for prevention of child abuse and neglect and protection of LGBT2SQ children and youth through an intersectional lens and to identify key priorities and areas of work to improving outcomes for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families in the child welfare system
  • Work with sector advocates, key stakeholders and researchers to build an understanding of decision points within service delivery that result in disparities for LGBT2SQ children, youth and families, and develop decision-making tools to address and interrupt these inequities
  • Provide ongoing support to societies to implement the Decision-Making Tool to help the sector identify potential disparities and where oppression against LGBT2SQ children, youth and families can be disrupted within the child welfare system
  • Monitor and evaluate the Decision Making tool
  • Coordinate and facilitate meetings of strategic committees and tables to identify opportunities to address outcome disparities, disproportionalities, and improve outcomes experienced by LGBT2SQ children, youth and families to inform, and to receive feedback on current and inform future work
  • Develop and implement SOGIE Intersectional Framework including accountability measures, to ensure services provided to youth are inclusive, intersectional, and affirming of the needs and experiences of LGBT2SQ children, youth and families
  • Continue to maintain the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Child Welfare Curriculum to improve sector understanding of LGBT2SQ identities, needs and experiences, including developing a “train the trainer” model to expand the number of trainers and increase training delivery
  • Support societies to send LGBT2SQ children and youth to Camp Lifting Leaves, a specialized camp for LGBT2SQ children and youth involved in Ontario’s child welfare system
  • Deliver tailored events for LGBT2SQ youth involved in the child welfare system, including a 2SLGBTQQIA+ Child and Youth in Care Symposium LGBT2SQ Child and focus event(s), to ensure they feel heard and supported, to support the development of peer relationships, and to inform future work
  • Deliver tailored events for LGBT2SQ staff to support the development of peer relationships, and to ensure they feel included and accepted and to inform future work
  • Incorporate lessons learned from events/meetings scheduled to build on shifting organizational culture for LGBT2SQ staff in the sector
  • Develop sector-wide accountability measures to set expectations for the intersectional services that should be provided to children, youth and families from equity-deserving communities, including LGBT2SQ communities
  • Develop tools and/or resources that help societies to build enhanced partnerships with local LGBT2SQ communities and organizations, and help to support improved outcomes for LGBT2SQ children and youth, and their parents and caregivers

Reporting requirements

The Transfer Payment Recipient is expected to monitor and evaluate program performance and to confirm that project objectives and deliverables are being met

At each reporting period, the Transfer Payment Recipient must complete a service data report on the program objectives, services, and targeted outcomes. The report should also include an explanation where there is a variance between the approved budget and actual expenditure for all budget lines as agreed with the ministry

At a mid-term (due by November 15  each year) and annual basis (due June 15 each year), the Transfer Payment Recipient must complete

  • An Executive Summary of project progress and identification of variances from project activities for the reporting period
  • A completed Project Report, including detailed identification of variances from project activities, milestones, results and timelines for the reporting period and mitigation strategies
  • Confirm completion of the project activities, timelines and outcomes, including submitting relevant supplementary materials as requested by the ministry
Service Data Name Definition

# of LGBT2SQ staff who participated in staff events

Number of society staff who participated in LGBT2SQ staff events.

# of LGBT2SQ youth involved in the child welfare system, who participated in youth-focused events

Number of LGBT2SQ youth who participated in LGBT2SQ youth-focused events.

# of LGBT2SQ engagements held with societies, Provincial Roundtable and community partners

Number of engagements to support improved outcomes for LGBT2SQ children and youth, and their parents and caregivers.

# of LGBT2SQ children and youth who attended Camp Lifting Leaves

Number of LGBT2SQ children and youth who attended Camp Lifting Leaves with OACAS funding.

LGBT2SQ initiative: Ministry-funded agency expenditures

Total ministry-funded expenses for the transfer payment recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the reporting year (cumulative).

[1] The acronym 2LGBT2SQ is meant to be inclusive and affirming of all diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions including, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, and queer identities. Other variations of this acronym may be used throughout this initiative, including those that order identities differently and/or those that give visibility to additional identities (e.g., 2SLGBTQ+, 2SLGBTQQIA+).