To ensure the well-being of gender non-conforming youth within the child welfare system, inclusive and affirming policies and practices that respect their gender identity are crucial. Collaboration among child welfare agencies, healthcare providers, and advocacy organizations is essential to address these complex intersections and meet the rights and needs of gender non-conforming youth.
For example, in some states, bans on gender-affirming care have further defined the actions of parents who seek such care for their gender non-confirming children as child abuse. In Texas, for example, Governor Abbott instructed the Attorney General’s Office to investigate cases of gender-affirming care as child abuse. This could result in unnecessary foster care placements and inflicting the trauma of removal from a supportive family onto gender non-conforming youth
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