Social work with LGBTQI+ clients – introduction (Reading)

Social work in general promotes social change, development, cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. It focuses on the person within their environment and recognizes the importance of family, community, culture, legal, social, spiritual, and economic influences that impact the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities.

Social work practice involves the understanding of human development, behaviour and the social, economic and cultural institutions and interactions. Social work practice responds to needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities and addresses barriers and injustices in organizations and society.

Social work also collaborates with other professionals, communities, and organizations to provide services, improve conditions, and create opportunities for growth, recovery, and personal development.

The requirement that social workers should support social justice for, amongst other groups, also LGBTQI+ persons, is part of the code of ethics jointly created by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) in 2004:

“Social workers challenge discrimination, which includes but is not limited to age, capacity, civil status, class, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, nationality (or lack thereof), opinions, other physical characteristics, physical or mental abilities, political beliefs, poverty, race, relationship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, spiritual beliefs, or family structure.”

In a response to abuse and discrimination of LGBTQI+ persons were created The Yogyakarta Principles (2006) – https://yogyakartaprinciples.org/. They are the global charter on human rights in the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity.