Exploring Lesbian perspectives and experiences of gender and sexuality in leadership in social work and social care

This presentation builds on the limited literature on diversity in social work and social care leadership particularly around gender and sexual identities.

Speaker: Professor Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Professor of Social Work, University of Strathclyde

Our exploratory study draws on qualitative research with women in senior leadership positions in social work and social care across England who identify as lesbian. We explored how their perspectives and experiences of leadership, leadership styles and approaches used and identified how gender and sexual identities impacts on ‘doing’ leadership. Leading transformative change and changing organisational cultures requires different skill sets from more managerial leadership in traditional hierarchies. This exploratory study will be used to stimulate further discussion and debate on whether the approaches offered by the participants provide insights into how these leaders have negotiated the complexities of leading in current multifaceted environments. (study co-investigators:  Lynn Romeo, Adi Cooper, Christine Cocker)

Biography

Trish Hafford-Letchfield is Professor of Social Work at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. She has been involved in leadership education and practice for many years, having authored several key textbooks on various aspects of management, leadership and organisational practice in social work and social care. Trish’s key research interests are in ageing in marginalised communities, LGBT research, the arts in social work, and co-production. She is a founder member of the LGBT+ international network of Sexuality in Social Work.