The principles of the LGBTIQ+-friendly social service (Reading)

If a social service identifies itself, or is interested in identifying itself, as LGBTIQ+-friendly, it should comply with the following principles in the areas of communication, care for clients, personnel matter, social service rules, cooperation with other organisations and other topics.

The area of communication:

• A social service provider listens to how a client describes their identity, gender, partners and relationships, and responds to the client’s choice of language.
• They avoid assumptions about the sexual orientation or gender identity of the client – uses gender neutral terms; if they are unsure, asks about the preferred gender; the gender sensitive language is used also regarding the employees.
• A social service provider avoids using words and phrases that are perceived as negative or hurtful (for example “homosexual” or “transsexual”, and others depending on different cultures norms, nations and languages).

Care for clients:

• The offer of leisure activities should be accessible to all clients regardless of their gender identity (e.g., baking should be accessible to men if they are interested in it).
• Clients can choose a person who will care for them with respect to the care of intimate body areas, and when a method of care is being selected, their requests are considered.
• As part of a social service, LGBTQI+ clients are encouraged to establish support groups.
• The LGBTQI+ topic is included in user satisfaction surveys, and there are more than two options for a question on gender in surveys.
• A social service monitors the sexual orientation of its users who are willing to provide such information and does so in compliance with the legislation on the protection of data and privacy. Such a procedure will enable a social service to identify the unused reserves it may have in providing services. However, a social service always clearly states what the information is used for. Without such data, the potential exclusion of LGBTQI+ persons in social services will continue to be ignored.

Personnel matter:

• A social service regularly trains all (paid and unpaid) employees on LGBTQI+ topics.
• More than two gender categories are provided in recruitment and staff questionnaires.
• The respectful approach to, among others, LGBTQI+ individuals and culturally sensitive care for them are also reflected in the advertisements placed to recruit new staff and in recruitment interviews with potential employees; they also make part of employees’ job contracts.
• Any information disclosed about the sexual orientation and gender identity of recruits and employees is confidential and accessible only to HR departments.
• A social service seeks to integrate LGBTQI+ topics into job duties instead of avoiding them or considering them to be complementary to other duties.

Social service rules:

• The social service has a declaration of its accessibility to all, including LGBTQI+ people, prominently displayed. Its wording may be for example as follows: “Our organisation provides care to all people regardless of their age, disability, gender, gender identity, faith or sexual orientation.” At the same time, they also make sure that their employees really know what this means.
• Respectful approach to LGBTQI+ persons is an integral part of the social service’s code of ethics, standards of quality and, in the case of residential social services, house rules. Provisions are also made to ensure that any homo/transphobic incidents will be addressed, whether they concern clients or employees.
• The social service encourages its employees to challenge negative comments and jokes about LGBTQI+ persons, while urging them to report any homo/transphobic incident, whether it occurs at the workplace and outside of it. The social service has information about where and how such incidents can be reported (to a manager, the police, a third party, etc.) prominently displayed.

Cooperation with other organisations:

• The social service regularly exchanges experience regarding the care for LGBTQI+ persons with other facilities.
• It establishes cooperation with local LGBTQI+ organisations, assists them in offering and implementing leisure and educational activities for clients and employees.

Other topics:

• Clients and employees have access to information materials about LGBTQI+ topics.
• The social service sensitively responses to the needs of trans people as regards the sex-segregated facilities located within its premises (toilets, changing rooms, etc.). Gender-neutral toilets are a standard. In case this raises concerns in some people, the concerns must be considered and discussed with the individuals and addressed where relevant.