Best Practice

Helping gay students who come out at school

Pastoral issues Pupil wellbeing
School for students who are gay can be a difficult time ― especially if they decide to come out. The right support can play a crucial role in helping teenagers through this difficult period. Linda Aitchison looks at best practice for teachers and s

The charity Stonewall paints a sombre picture of help available for young people who want to come out about their sexuality while still at school.

They say homophobic bullying remains rife and too many victims say that teachers and schools do not intervene. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Stonewall says that the experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people differ greatly but that they have the same needs as any other young person – they want to feel included and supported.

A spokesman told SecEd: “They also need information relevant to them which enables them to make safe choices, but four in five gay young people do not have access in school to resources that can help them. 

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