Pioneering LGBT social work: The formation of a new role through practice in institutional contexts

Introduction : In 2017 Israel pioneered a globally novel position: LGBT social workers within the welfare system, shifting service provision from NGOs to direct governmental responsibility and creating new professional roles for a historically marginalized population. This study examined how practice-driven processes shape professional role development when serving marginalized communities. Methods : Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 current or former LGBT social workers across 49 local authorities (78 % national coverage) between February and September 2024. Data were analyzed thematically. Results : Four themes emerged. (1) From ambiguity to practice-driven design - the absence of clear formal definitions enabled workers to become active architects of their own positions through locally responsive approaches. (2) Active outreach and visibility - institutional denial required continual outreach and visibility work, obliging workers to prove the population’s existence while delivering services. (3) Knowledge translation and brokering - the lack of professional LGBT knowledge transformed workers into institutional knowledge authorities and inter-system coordinators, fostering new professional discourse across municipal departments. (4) Structural factors - client quota systems, part-time allocations, and confidentiality requirements actively shaped role boundaries and functions. Conclusions : Professional roles for marginalized populations develop through practice-driven processes operating across three interconnected dimensions: Role Genesis, System Transformation, and Practice under existential role threat. These dimensions operate simultaneously, compelling workers to construct roles while educating systems and defending their existence. Structured ambiguity, combined with outreach, visibility work, and knowledge brokering, can enable comprehensive institutional innovation. Policy Implications : The Israeli model offers insights for developing responsive services for marginalized communities within mainstream welfare systems and provides policy guidance for creating specialized professional roles serving excluded populations in other national contexts.