Promoting good practice when working with gay, lesbian and bisexual service users

Learning Objectives

After considering this resource, you should be more aware of how you can work anti-discriminatively and promote good practice when working with gay, lesbian and bisexual service users.

As Thompson and Thompson (2008, p.71) note: 'Although we have made significant progress in terms of gay, lesbian and bisexual identities becoming more socially acceptable, the reality is still one of ingrained patterns of discrimination.' As social workers, you have a responsibility to acknowledge and address such discrimination.

In the following video, Trish Hafford-Letchfield discusses the different ways in which social workers can work confidently with gay, lesbian and bisexual service users and promote opportunities for social inclusion.

Download: Video transcript

Reflective Questions

  1. Do you feel confident in talking about issues surrounding issues of sexuality and sexual identity? Why? Why not? What can you do to improve this area of your practice?
  2. How can you as an individual encourage your organisation to promote good practice when working with gay, lesbian or bisexual service users?
  3. In what ways can you promote service user involvement in your practice?
  4. How can you take a positive stance against discrimination in your practice?

Reference:
N Thompson and S Thompson (2008) The Social Work Companion. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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