Published in 2017 and developed as a result of the LGBT+ Health Needs Assessment, our LGBT+ Toolkit aims to help public sector organisations improve their practice and outcomes for LGBT+ people:
LGBT Toolkit (PDF)
Whether you work in the health, social care, housing, education, policing or any other sector, use the Toolkit to understand how ‘LGBT+ friendly’ your organisation is, and set objectives to achieve outcomes that are relevant for your service.
Use the information, glossary and terminology sections for staff training/awareness raising. After reading the Toolkit you should have a good understanding of LGBT+ people’s needs and expectations!
Feel free to raise awareness of the Toolkit with colleagues!
[accordion id=”1″ first=”1″ title=”LGBTQ Young People resources” tag=”h3″ ]
If you are aware of useful guidance or organisations that can work with young people/service providers in Devon please do let us know.
X-Plore Youth Group provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ young people to meet in Exeter and North Devon. Their website has some great resources.
Proud2Be run a Youth Group in Totnes and work with a number of schools in the area on training/awareness raising.
Early Help for Mental Health is a service commissioned by the County Council providing face-to-face and online counselling (via Kooth) as well as resources to support young people. We know that LGBTQ+ young people are at a higher risk of mental health problems and, working with X-Plore Youth Group, provided feedback to the service to ensure it is “LGBTQ+ friendly.”
The Intercom Trust is a member of the County Council’s Equality Reference Group which acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the authority. They run a Helpline and LGBT+ surveys/engagement, provide training, resources, have a directory of LGBT+ organisations, and support LGBT+ organisations.
Transfigurations runs support groups for transgender people of all ages – as well as the parents of trans children and young people (based in Torbay but providing support beyond the bay).
TransUnite run a national directory of Trans and non-binary support groups.
Library:
The Intercom Trust have developed a very popular guide on supporting Trans Pupils in Schools. Although developed in Cornwall it can be used anywhere.
Briefing for school governors: how to support transgender pupils
Article: Transgender Pupils In Primary Schools: Would You Be Ready To Provide The Right Support?
Article: Children’s Rights Alliance for England – Children Speak Out On Transgender Issues.
LGBTQ+ inclusive Sex and Relationships Education policy and report 2016/17, written by Taylor Simmonds (16 yrs), a member of X-Plore LGBTQ+ Youth Group in Devon
[/accordion]
[accordion id=”2″ last=”2″ title=”Care Homes Toolkit and Adult Social Care resources” tag=”h3″ ]
Age UK have published a guide on meeting the needs of older LGBT people in health and social care called Safe To Be Me. Like the DCC LGBT Toolkit, it provides a range of relevant information and a checklist.
The Intercom Trust and George Coxon (Classic Care Homes and Devon Dementia Quality Kite Mark Steering Group Chair) have developed some resources for Care Homes to become ‘LGBT friendly’. This project was funded by Public Health Devon.
Care home resources
Poster – display the poster to show a visible commitment to LGBT equality and inclusion.
Service user feedback and Staff feedback – use these feedback forms to gain an understanding of how ‘LGBT friendly’ your Care Home environment is. You can then use the feedback as a basis for opening up a discussion about how to make the Care Home more LGBT friendly and/or celebrate areas of good practice, building any improvement actions into your business plan. You may find it helpful to assign lead responsibility to LGBT equality to a member of the management team and to purchase the services of a trainer, agency or consultant to help with improvements.
Social Care Institute for Excellence: LGBTQI and disabled people – personal assistants and support workers
[/accordion]