Kids in school have grown up in a climate where homophobia is the norm. On these matters Children's BBC has - up till now - been silent and non-inclusive, and the consequence is that children have just taken in the prevailing message that being gay is a bad thing.

A draft of the BBC Statements of Programme Policy 2007/2008 makes clear that, in order to successfully contribute to the quality of life in our society as a whole, the BBC must be inclusive. This commitment to be inclusive comes after four years campaigning about invisibilisation etc. The draft version of the Statements says:

The purpose of the BBC

The BBC is a unique institution, owned by the British people and independent of political and commercial interests.

The BBC’s purpose – largely unchanged in 80 years – is to enrich the life of every person in the UK with programmes that inform, educate and entertain.

The BBC is a major force in UK society, contributing through its programmes and services to the quality of life in our society as a whole. But in order to do this successfully, it must be inclusive and also strive to consistently offer value for people as individuals. It should touch people’s lives in ways that contribute fundamentally to their individual enjoyment, self-fulfilment and ability to participate in our society.

There are some early signs of the BBC taking inclusiveness seriously. On Sunday week, 29 April at 8.10am Radio 4 will broadcast a service from an lgbt-inclusive church in San Francisco. That is one day before the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 come into force.

But the BBC will have to do much more than that. They will need to look again at Stonewall's Tuned Out report. Inclusion means not simply gay presenters told to camp-it-up for effect. And not gay characters who appear fleetingly in BBC dramas to cause problems before disappearing.

There must be real representation of lgbt people of all ages, including early teens in the same way that the BBC has always been willing to represent straight kids.

And most important of all, lgbt people must not be invisibilised on children's programmes such as Newsround and CBBC dramas. Messageboards must stop weeding out or editing messages from gay kids, and there should be special advice to help understand developing sexuality.

Newsround is asking kids about their lives. Currently the question is What do you think makes a happy family?

Will they welcome responses about gay families, or responses from lgbt kids? The next few months will tell whether the BBC really intends to meet its firm commitment to be inclusive.