Focusing on the pragmatic aspects of social work with gay and lesbian persons, this book offers a knowledge base of practice that will better prepare students and practitioners for working more competently and effectively with lesbians and gay men. Written by scholars and practitioners in the social work profession, Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons teaches you how to develop practice approaches that are sensitive to issues of sexual orientation as well as how to work with this population in the contexts of practice with individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, and organizations. The book's sensible strategies and case studies provide you with critical information that will help you deal with homophobia and heterocentrism and enact a professional commitment to pursuing economic and social equality for diverse and at-risk client populations.A foundation-level text on social work practice with gays and lesbians, this book is designed to provide social work students, academics, and practitioners with an understanding of the values and ethics fundamental to practice with this group of clients. Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons summarizes the variety of issues, dynamics, and techniques required to work effectively with gay and lesbian clients who are at different points in their development and life cycles. To further help you in your practice, it also discusses: providing skilled professional assistance to gay victims of hate crimes how homophobia can prevent lesbians and gay men from receiving adequate services the obstacles social workers sometimes face when trying to integrate the core set of professional values and ethical principles into their practice practitioner self-disclosure regarding sexual identity developmental milestones for lesbian and gay persons alcohol and substance abuse among lesbians family therapy concepts of fusion and enmeshment same gender socialization assessing issues of sexual expressionCounselors, social workers, and students and academics in gay and lesbian studies will find that Foundations of Social Work Practice with Lesbian and Gay Persons greatly expands the social work knowledge base to disrupt the impact of institutional, individualized, and internal homophobia on social workers, their clients, and the institutions in which social workers practice. Its flexible and creative treatment approaches to therapy with sexual minorities are sure to help you sensitize your therapeutic techniques and improve the quality of care you deliver.

This fully revised third edition explores the childhood and adolescent experiences of transgender persons, providing foundational knowledge for social workers and related professions about working with trans and gender expansive youth. Organized through the lens of four distinct forms of knowledge - knowledge of lived expertise, community-based knowledge, practice knowledge, and knowledge obtained through formal/traditional education - this text balances discussion of theory with a range of rich personal narratives and case studies. Updates and additions reflect recent changes to the WPATH guidelines and the NASW Code of Ethics, include brand new material examining the origins of gender identity and non-binary identities, explore intersectional identities, and offer expanded content considering trauma-informed interventions and ethical issues. Each featuring at least one trans or gender expansive author, chapters present concrete and practical recommendations to encourage competent and positive practice. With a focus on both macro and micro social work practice, this book will be a valuable resource to any social service practitioners working with children or adolescents.

This fully revised third edition explores the childhood and adolescent experiences of transgender persons, providing foundational knowledge for social workers and related professions about working with trans and gender expansive youth. Organized through the lens of four distinct forms of knowledge - knowledge of lived expertise, community-based knowledge, practice knowledge, and knowledge obtained through formal/traditional education - this text balances discussion of theory with a range of rich personal narratives and case studies. Updates and additions reflect recent changes to the WPATH guidelines and the NASW Code of Ethics, include brand new material examining the origins of gender identity and non-binary identities, explore intersectional identities, and offer expanded content considering trauma-informed interventions and ethical issues. Each featuring at least one trans or gender expansive author, chapters present concrete and practical recommendations to encourage competent and positive practice. With a focus on both macro and micro social work practice, this book will be a valuable resource to any social service practitioners working with children or adolescents.

Although the vast majority of LGBT persons are healthy, resilient, and hardy individuals who do not seek social work intervention, some have been or will be clients in social work agencies. The third edition of Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People updates this classic text and expands its scope to include new content on social work with older and younger LGBT people. Written by a team of highly experienced experts, this book provides a knowledge base for practice that will better prepare students and practitioners for working sensitively, competently, and effectively with LGBT individuals and groups. Comprehensive and practical, this unique text discusses the pragmatic aspects of social work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. It will improve and reinforce competent practice with LGBT persons and their families in multiple settings. Chapters focus on important topics such as: the profession's core values and ethical principles; social work and queer theory; LGBT and race-heterosexism, racism, and sexism; applying the life model and the stress-coping process; practice with bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming persons; relationship building between lesbian partners; the impact of creating family for lesbian couples; internalized homophobia, heterocentrism, and gay identity; group work practice with the LGBTQ community; clinical assessment for families where sexual orientation is an issue; and LGBT parenting. There are also new chapters on social work with LGBT young people and LGBT older people. Complete with a highly detailed appendix of symbols, definitions, and terms, Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People, third edition is an invaluable resource for social workers and mental health professionals as well as for students and educators at all levels of experience.

Although the vast majority of LGBT persons are healthy, resilient, and hardy individuals who do not seek social work intervention, some have been or will be clients in social work agencies. The third edition of Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People updates this classic text and expands its scope to include new content on social work with older and younger LGBT people. Written by a team of highly experienced experts, this book provides a knowledge base for practice that will better prepare students and practitioners for working sensitively, competently, and effectively with LGBT individuals and groups. Comprehensive and practical, this unique text discusses the pragmatic aspects of social work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. It will improve and reinforce competent practice with LGBT persons and their families in multiple settings. Chapters focus on important topics such as: the profession's core values and ethical principles; social work and queer theory; LGBT and race-heterosexism, racism, and sexism; applying the life model and the stress-coping process; practice with bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming persons; relationship building between lesbian partners; the impact of creating family for lesbian couples; internalized homophobia, heterocentrism, and gay identity; group work practice with the LGBTQ community; clinical assessment for families where sexual orientation is an issue; and LGBT parenting. There are also new chapters on social work with LGBT young people and LGBT older people. Complete with a highly detailed appendix of symbols, definitions, and terms, Social Work Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People, third edition is an invaluable resource for social workers and mental health professionals as well as for students and educators at all levels of experience.

Drawing on over twenty years of child welfare experience and extensive interviews with 54 gay and lesbian young people who lived in out-of-home-care child welfare settings in three North American cities -- Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto -- Gerald Mallon presents narratives of marginalized young people trying to find the "right fit." Mallon permits the voices of these young people to guide the research, allowing them to tell their own stories and to suggest what is important in their own words. Their experiences help the reader to begin to understand the discrepancies between the myths and misinformation about gay and lesbian adolescents and their realities in the out-of-home child welfare systems in which they live.

The first comprehensive examination of the experiences of gay and lesbian youths in the child welfare system, "We Don't Exactly Get the Welcome Wagon" makes solid recommendations to social work practitioners as well as to policy makers about how they can provide a competent practice for gay and lesbian adolescents, and offers a methods chapter which will be useful in classroom instruction.

Gay parenting is a topic on which almost everyone has an opinion but almost nobody has any facts. Here at last is a book based on a thorough review of the literature, as well as interviews with a pioneering group of men who in the 1980s chose to become fathers outside the boundaries of a heterosexual union -- through foster care, adoption, and other kinship relationships.

This book reveals how very natural and possible gay parenthood can be. What factors influence this decision? How do the experiences of gay dads compare to those of heterosexual men? How effectively do professional services such as support groups serve gay fathers and prospective gay fathers? What elements of the social climate are helpful -- and hurtful? "Gay Men Choosing Parenthood" challenges a great deal of misinformation, showing how gay fathers from different backgrounds adapted, perceived, and constructed their options and their families.