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LGBTQ Youth in the Child Welfare System

Authors

Movement Advancement Project

Recommended Citation

Movement Advancement Project. February 2018.  INFOGRAPHIC: LGBTQ Youth in the Child Welfare System. https://mapresearch.org/infographic/lgbtq-youth-in-the-child-welfare-system/ June 12, 2026.

This infographic outlines the overrepresentation of LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system and the criminal justice system, and their experiences while involved with these systems.

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