Safeguarding LGBT+ young people

Recent years have seen political and social progress for people who identify as LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender; the “+” indicating inclusion of other minority sexual and gender identities). Yet international evidence shows ongoing health and social inequalities in this group, many of which emerge during adolescence and represent unique safeguarding risks. In this podcast, Kate Addlington, psychiatry trainee and associate editor at The BMJ is joined by Ginger Drage, expert patient educator at University College London, Jessica Salkind, academic clinical fellow in paediatrics & teaching lead for LGBT+, at Imperial College London and Rosanna Bevan, psychiatry trainee from East London Foundation Trust They discuss the the risks faced by LGBT+ young people, which include increased rates of self harm, suicide, and family rejection or abuse, and what steps clinicians can take to support and intervene if necessary. Read the full practice article: https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l245