Trauma-Informed Care and LGBTQ Youth: Considerations for Advancing Practice With Youth With Trauma Experiences

LGBTQ youth are disproportionately impacted by multiple forms of childhood trauma, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, and peer violence. The emerging practices of trauma-informed care and trauma-specific interventions have made significant contributions to the manner in which systems respond to the needs of traumatized youth. However, these youth are largely excluded from many trauma-informed conversations. This article seeks to use the Concepts for Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and Families, developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, to address the traumatic experiences and responses of LGBTQ youth.