Creating Safe, Caring and Inclusive Schools for LGBTQ Students: A guide for counsellors

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Tsutsumi, Michelle L.
  • Wells, Kristopher

• The role of the modern school counsellor is increasingly complex, multifaceted and vital in the creation of healthy, vibrant and resilient schools. Because of their diversity of experiences, school counsellors are in a unique role to be leading change agents and advocates for inclusion, human rights and social justice in their schools. The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities believes that lesbian, gay, bisexual,
  trans-identifi ed and queer (LGBTQ) students or those who are labelled as such are among the most at-risk groups in today’s schools. Schools must become safe, caring and inclusive environments for LGBTQ students and
  their families and school counsellors can play a catalytic role in
  creating welcoming environments. Counsellors can help schools make the transition from risky to resilient spaces that accommodate and respect the
  needs and concerns of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or
  gender identity. The information, strategies and ethical guidelines presented in this resource are designed to help counsellors show and model respect and
  caring, develop supports and services for LGBTQ students, and identify policy gaps or absences in school programming and services.
  While this guide is primarily written to build the professional capacities of school-based counsellors, it will also be of value to school
  administrators and teachers who teach career and life management, personal perspectives or health classes. In addition, preservice teachers
  and professional counselling schools may also fi nd this material a useful resource in discussions of informed consent, ethical conduct and reflective
  practice.

• Date created

  2005

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Sexual minorities
  • Education
  • Queer youth
  • Gender minorities
  • Sexual minority students
  • Inclusive education

• Type of Item

  Report

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3TQ5RQ99

• License

  © 2005 Kristopher Wells and Michelle Tsutsumi. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.