Social work with LGBTQIA+ youth from the perspective of child protection professionals in France and Italy

This article examines the issues and challenges facing child protection professionals in France and Italy as they work to meet the needs and rights of LGBTQIA+ youth in care. The data analysed were collected during the exploratory phase of an ongoing research project. The research methodology involved administering an online questionnaire over a seven − month period (from July 2022 to January 2023) in France and Italy. This source of data was supplemented by focus group discussions in both countries, to provide an in-depth understanding and to extend the scope for interpreting primary quantitative and qualitative data in a structured and focused collective discussion (Sim & Jackie, 2019; Robinson, 1999). The thematic analysis highlights the challenges faced by professionals in their ordinary work with LGBTQIA+ youth in care. The expression of youth gender identity, particularly transgender identities, has emerged as a reality that generates significant concern among professionals. Youth gender expression may pose challenges in the context of group childcare, but also in the interaction between young people and their immediate environment, particularly their families.