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Abstract

This thesis explores the experiences of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (2S/LGBTQ+) former youth in care and the perspectives of child welfare practitioners who have worked with this population. Using interpretive description, the research draws on in-depth interviews and photo elicitation with former youth in care (n = 5), and interviews with practitioners (n = 3), to capture how identity, survival, and affirmation intersect within the child welfare system. Former youth in care described care as both a site of survival and a place of interrupted isolation. Survival was not only about escaping immediate harm but also about negotiating imposed institutional silence, stigmatization and sometimes the pathologization of sexuality and gender identity, racism, and religious or cultural erasure of their identities. Identity self-making became possible only when safety was secured. Moments of connection that disrupted silence and offered glimpses of belonging and possibilities. Such interruptions – whether through queer or queer-affirming foster families, supportive teachers, or culturally grounded connections – did not erase systemic harm but allowed identity exploration, imagination, and hope. The findings show that affirmation is not simply passive acceptance; it is strategic, intentional, risk-taking, and rooted in unconditional and relational care. Practitioner interviews echoed these dynamics. Child welfare practitioners emphasized the importance of humility, consistency, and the willingness to reflect on biases. They also identified training gaps, particularly in supporting caregivers to accept and embrace gender and sexual minority youth. Across the accounts of 2S/LGBTQ+ former youth in care, affirmation emerges as a practice of safety-making, visibility, and imagination, challenging both systemic inertia and societal conservatism.