At Innovate Care Group, we believe that every individual deserves to live with dignity, purpose, and pride in who they are. As we mark Pride Month this June, we recognise the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, reflect on the progress made toward equality, and reaffirm our commitment to delivering inclusive, person-centred care.
Many of the individuals we support live with complex health conditions and require specialist care. However, their care needs do not define who they are. Sexuality, gender identity, and personal relationships remain fundamental parts of their identity, and we are proud to support each person in expressing themselves freely, safely, and without judgment.
Understanding the Whole Person in Complex Care
Our clients are people first. Whether they are receiving 24/7 support at home or with us for a short period through respite, we see and support the whole individual. At Innovate Care Group, we do not separate clinical needs from personal identity. We understand that supporting someone’s physical health is only one part of our role. Their identity, including how they express their gender and sexuality, is equally important to their overall wellbeing.
We believe that person-centred care must be inclusive care. Our approach is rooted in listening, understanding, and empowering individuals to live the life they choose.
How We Support LGBTQ+ Clients in Their Homes
Providing inclusive, respectful support to LGBTQ+ clients is a key part of our care philosophy. This includes practical steps taken every day by our care professionals to uphold dignity, safety, and autonomy for the people we support.
Inclusive care planning
All care plans at Innovate Care Group are created in partnership with our clients and their loved ones. This allows us to incorporate important aspects of identity, such as preferred names, pronouns, personal presentation, and relationship status. We avoid assumptions and instead ask the right questions to understand what matters most to each person.
Training and development for care professionals
All Innovate care professionals receive ongoing training in equality, diversity, and inclusion. LGBTQ+ awareness is a key component of this, ensuring our teams are confident and sensitive when delivering care. Our goal is to provide support that is not only clinically excellent, but socially and emotionally affirming.
Creating safe and respectful environments
Living with complex needs can make it harder for some people to express their identity or build supportive social networks. We are committed to creating environments where LGBTQ+ clients feel safe, respected, and understood. This includes ensuring privacy, using inclusive language, and respecting boundaries around disclosure and personal history.
Supporting emotional and social wellbeing
In addition to clinical and physical care, our professionals support clients’ emotional and social needs. For LGBTQ+ clients, this might mean helping them connect with community groups, access LGBTQ+ resources, or maintain relationships that are important to them. We take the time to understand what gives someone a sense of belonging and help them sustain that connection.
Inclusion Among Our Care Professionals
Pride Month is also an opportunity to recognise the diversity within our own teams. We are proud to employ a wide range of care professionals from different backgrounds, and we value every individual’s contribution. We encourage openness and acceptance among our teams, and we foster a culture where care professionals feel safe to be themselves in the workplace.
An inclusive workforce leads to inclusive care. When our team members feel respected, supported, and empowered, they are better equipped to deliver the same experience to our clients.
Our Commitment Beyond Pride Month
While June gives us a focused opportunity to celebrate Pride, inclusion is a year-round commitment at Innovate Care Group. We continue to improve our practices, policies, and training to ensure we meet the evolving needs of both our clients and our teams.
We are actively working to embed LGBTQ+ inclusion across all areas of our service, including leadership, recruitment, governance, and client engagement. We listen to feedback and remain open to learning, because we know that inclusive care is something we must nurture every day.
A Message of Pride and Respect
This Pride Month, we stand with our LGBTQ+ clients, families, and care professionals. We celebrate the courage it takes to live authentically and the power of care that affirms and uplifts identity. We recognise that expressing who you are is a vital part of living well — and we are proud to support that journey.
At Innovate Care Group, you are always welcome, always respected, and always supported to be yourself. We’re always here to talk, if you would like to know more about our community at Innovate, or have a questions or concerns, please contact our team directly.
Happy Pride Month!
