The LGBTQ+ learning framework was launched in February 2023 by Skills for Care. It was co-produced with the University of Strathclyde and the LGBT Foundation.
The framework aims to provide a base for identifying the insights, knowledge, understanding and skills that the social care workforce needs to work affirmatively, inclusively and effectively with individuals from gender and sexually diverse communities later in life.
It covers issues including intersectionality, dementia, HIV/AIDS, and intimacy and sexuality in later life.
The framework is intended to be used by social care employers, employees, training providers, regulators, commissioners, and policy makers.
Throughout LGBT History Month, Skills for Care is hearing from organisations who’ve utilised the framework so far about how it’s supported their teams.
Examples from providers of how the framework has supported them includes making staff feel more confident and open when having conversations around LGBTQ+ issues, introducing new training around LGBTQ+ equality and diversity, and making changes to the way they work to best support LGBTQ+ people.
Providers who are sharing their experiences of using the framework have provided positive feedback:
“The framework is fantastic, a very comprehensive piece of work. I refer back to it when I go to design anything around wellbeing and inclusion.”
Aaron Ingham, Learning and Development Consultant
“The biggest impact of the framework for me was thinking of how we need to just integrate elements from it into everything we ‘re doing, so that was my big take away.”
Jo Cleary, Learning and Development Manager
“One of the benefits for us is that staff themselves have been more open, and one member of staff really wanted to talk about their own experiences and why they never came out in their life, so the learning framework has encouraged us to be more inclusive about ourselves.”
Truly Pinkarchevski, Team Manager
This comes following a formal evaluation into the use of the framework.
The evaluation looked at how the framework was being used by adult social care organisations and learnings that can be taken from early adopters to improve the framework.
The evaluation findings stated that endorsement of LGBTQ+ affirmative care was seen as a significant achievement for adult social care and workforce development.
Providers who participated in the evaluation noted that the framework had been a positive trigger for better discussions about LGBTQ+ issues, and that it had improved staff confidence.
Participants also mentioned improvements in support for both LGBTQ+ people who draw on care and LGBTQ+ staff, as well as planned or established strategic changes being made in light of learnings from the framework.
The evaluation also noted that the framework had played a significant role in normalising diverse identities across all training areas.
Skills for Care will be sharing further insights from care providers on how they’ve used the framework as part of their weekly #GoodNewsFriday segment on their website.
