Support and resources provided by the chosen family of queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, people of colour: a scoping review

Families of origin can provide young people with emotional support and advise, housing, and financial stability. A chosen family is a type of family that has been associated with Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Colour. This review examines what support and resources chosen families provide this population. We searched Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar. Twenty-five studies were selected which identified the resources provided by a chosen families. Chosen families provided three main types of support and resources: (1) Relational support (social, emotional and cultural); which included a safe, non-judgemental environment; love and acceptance; someone to talk to and receive advice, someone who understands what it means to be a queer trans Black Indigenous person of colour; and a safe refuge from family of origin rejection; (2) material support (economic including, housing, food, and finances, and (3) Structural support (access to health, education and social services). In some cases, the chosen family was critical to young people feeling a sense of belonging, acceptance, and resilience in the face of adversity. The review findings suggest that the kinds of support and resources provided by chosen families are many, and can significantly help younger members as they enter adulthood.