Help your child access community
Meeting other people like yourself can be a hugely validating and empowering experience for rainbow young people. Many rangatahi draw strength from having a community of like-minded peers, and it can help them to develop resilience.
Your child might be understandably very nervous about initiating this, and also have no idea where to start. Helping them to access community is a small thing you can do as a parent which could have a big impact on your child's wellbeing and happiness.
Things to consider:
Get in touch with your local rainbow organisation and see what is available for your child in your area (check out our groups and organisations page for a list of organisations)
Encourage your child to participate in local groups or engage with support communities online, and talk to them about fears they might have
Find out about rainbow community events happening and take your child there - for example an event as part of the local Pride Festival or a screening of an LGBTI+ film
When choosing a school for your child, find out whether they can provide an inclusive environment eg. a rainbow diversity group, gender neutral uniform options, and policies that support rainbow students
Some questions to ask yourself:
How could I build my child’s confidence to reach out?
How could I make it easier for my child to access community?
What kind of support is available in my child’s school or future school?
What kind of support is my child asking for or telling me they want?