Sexuality and religion: a challenge for diversity strategies in UK social care service development and delivery

This paper is an exploratory and critical discussion of a particular aspect of the mainstreaming equalities social policy agenda and local authority diversity strategies in social care. The specific example of the potential difficulties involved with engaging both religious groups and sexual minorities in community engagement, service user participation initiatives and social care service development and delivery is investigated. The discussion includes an overview of the possible effects of institutionalised homophobia on strategic level activity and future research into cultural competency of social care practitioners to work with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) service users and carers. The paper concludes by exploring the potential impact of the new LGBT equality regulations and the personalisation agenda on the development of more equitable social care services.