Critical Commentary Out and Proud? Social Work’s Relationship with Lesbian and Gay Equality Christine Cocker and Trish Hafford-Letchfield Christine Cocker is a principal lecturer in social work at Middlesex University, where she teaches on the qualifying and post qualifying social work programmes. Christine’s research interests include: the experiences of looked after children; sexuality issues in social work; and fostering and adoption. Her co-authored book with Helen Cosis Brown ‘Sexuality and Social work: Theory and Practice’ will be published by Sage in 2010, as will a co-edited book with Lucille Allain ‘Advanced Social Work with Children and Families’, published by Learning Matters in 2010. Trish Hafford-Letchfield is a senior lecturer in social work at Middlesex University where she teaches on the Post Qualifying Award. Trish has a wide interest in social inclusion and participation, management and organisational development. Trish has two publications in 2010; ‘Social Care Management: Strategy and Business Planning’ with Jessica Kingsley alongside as well as a co-edited book with Priscilla Dunk-West ‘Sexuality and Sexual Identities in Social Work; Research and reflections from women in the field’ with Ashgate Press. Correspondence to Christine Cocker, Department of Mental Health and Social Work, Middlesex University, Archway Campus, 2–10 Highgate Hill, London N19 5LW, UK. E-mail: c.cocker@mdx.ac.uk Abstract Major changes in the UK legislative framework to promote the rights of lesbians and gay men have challenged and challenge long-standing heteronormative and heterosexist frames of reference in both social work practice and professional education and the way these are organised. At the same time, government policy within ‘transformation’ and ‘integrated’ agendas and recent reviews of the role of social work provide many opportunities for social work to respond in new and different ways to the proposed changes. This Critical Commentary looks at the implications for increased visibility of sexu- ality within social work and the complexity of managing identities. We will examine how these are debated within the current social, political and legislative environment. Keywords: Lesbian, gay, sexuality, social work, person-centred Accepted: December 2009 # The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved. British Journal of Social Work (2010) 40, 1996–2008 doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcp158 Advance Access publication March 10, 2010 at Middlesex University on December 2, 2010 bjsw.oxfordjournals.org Downloaded from