Council on Social Work Education

This study by the Council on Social Work Education and the Lambda Legal sought to determine the level of preparation for social work students to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, especially young people. An Internet-hosted, two-stage survey collected data from a random sample of social work program directors (N=299) and faculty members (N=547). Results indicated that most programs do not formally assess student competence in serving LGBT individuals; do not contain content on LGBT youth; do not provide field placements in LGBT-specific, youth-oriented settings; and do not have faculty members with sufficient awareness of LGBT issues. Recommendations include infusion of content on LGBT youth throughout the curriculum, particularly in child welfare courses; additional field experiences that involve work with LGBT youth; more attention to gender-identity issues; increased faculty development opportunities that focus on LGBT issues; and assessments of support systems for LGBT students at the program, institution, and community levels