Promoting Equality for Clients Good Practice for Carers

Good Practice Health and social care practitioners must uphold public trust and confidence in social care services, in particular, by not discriminating or condoning discrimination unlawfully or unjustifiably against service users, carers or colleagues.

Importance of Supporting Equality in Care Vulnerable individuals. Care situation puts power in hands of carer not client or service user. Mechanisms/strategies are needed to counteract this in the care setting.

Key Roles of HSC Workers Interact with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities to achieve change and development and to improve life opportunities. Address behaviour which presents a risk to individuals, families, carers, groups and communities. Advocate with, and on behalf of, individuals, families, carers, groups and communities. Manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts.

Empowerment & Advocacy Quality care seeks to address equality and prevent discrimination through advocacy and empowerment. Empowerment – giving back power to client or service user. Advocacy – speaking on behalf of client or service user.

Avoiding Discriminatory Terminology Consider the language used when referring to or communicating with people. Infantilisation takes away the identity of an individual. Avoid labelling individuals/groups and the categorisation of people as ‘THEM’.

Equality in Care Endeavours to promote a “level playing field”. Recognises differences positively. Involves positive action being taken in order to identify, recognise and maintain the rights of individuals.

Legislation Policy and Procedures Care service providers must adhere to Local, UK and European Legislation and organisational Codes of Practice for: Data Protection Health and Safety Risk Assessment and Management Employment Practices Protection of individuals from danger, harm or abuse (POVA)

Legislation Policy and Procedures Making and dealing with complaints and whistle blowing for staff and service users. Multi-disciplinary and Multi-agency work, where appropriate.

Organisational Requirements All staff need to be aware of, and put into practice legal and organisational requirements on: Equality Diversity and Rights Discrimination Confidentiality Sharing of information (Data Protection)

Organisational Requirements Staff also need to ensure the needs of individuals are met when promoting: Choice Well being Protection

Holistic Person Centred Approach Individual preferences and the best interests of service user are recognised and met. Active support provided for individuals who need it. Recognise the uniqueness of individuals and their circumstances. Empowerment – enabling the development of independence, personal responsibility and the making and communication of own decisions.

Methods of Working These should support: Equality and diversity Ensuring people’s rights are met An individual’s preferred method of communication. Respect for others’ ideas, views and principles. Ethics

Promoting Equality in the Workforce Respond appropriately to discriminatory incidents and promote a safe and positive working environment. Develop and support internal consultation, focus and self-support groups with staff. Ensure staff are adequately represented in relation to their rights and are able to seek redress.

Dealing with Conflict Staff need to follow organisational Code of Practice for : Managing ethical dilemmas Managing conflict Challenging discrimination Grievance procedure Whistle blowing

Equal Opportunities Policies Help Organisations: Comply with legislation. Express their ethical belief in equality. Promote better use of resources through policies which state entitlements and rights. Encourage diversity in the workforce and diversity perspectives on service provision. Acknowledge the pervasive nature of overt and covert discrimination in health and social care. Publicise an organisation’s intentions to provide services in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive way.

Reviewing Policies and Procedures Service delivery and employment practices should be systematically monitored, to eliminate discriminatory behaviours, policies and practices, and promote equality of opportunity. Combating discrimination has an intrinsic value, and this is known as the 'social justice‘ case for equality.

Reviewing Policies and Procedures The strengths of this position are: It enables effective monitoring of services and employment practices. It has produced positive action initiatives that have promoted greater equality of opportunity within organisations.

Reviewing Policies and Procedures To ensure ongoing good practice. To ensure currency and relevance. To ensure compliance with current legislation and government initiatives. Staff need to know how to access, evaluate and influence workplace policies.

Supportive Structures in the Organisation Access to training and learning can promote equality and diversity through a competent staff group. Use of positive action and mentoring schemes. Access to regular appraisal and supervision which includes active and critical reflection on practice.

Supportive Structures in the Organisation Celebrating diversity and skilled performance. Setting standards and publicising achievements and failures of the organisation with the community and staff, with a follow up action plan.

Staff Training and Development Maintaining currency of practice. Carrying out appropriate reading or research. Attending relevant training to update skills and knowledge. Provision of inductions, supervision, mentoring, and appraisal for staff.

Staff Training and Development Probably most important. Staff training underpins all issues. Training must be ongoing, and meet the needs of individual members of staff as well as organisational requirements.

Summary Equality, Diversity and Rights: Complex area which requires strong leadership and resources to support moral, legal and business reasons for equality. Knowledge of evidence based and critical reflective practice. Increasing service user involvement and participation strategies. Understanding relationships between wider political, economic and social factors, as well as individual ones to inform professional advocacy.

Summary Health and social care practitioners need to develop understanding of people they are trying to help and how they may be affected by discrimination. Assessment of health and social care needs need to consider sociological factors, such as sexism, racism, disablism and their impact on individuals/ groups.

Summary HSC Practitioners need to: Ensure their actions do not contribute to discrimination/oppression, or rely on discriminatory stereotypes. Take reasonable steps to prevent discrimination arising and challenge it when it does.

Summary Discrimination: Is not simply the result of prejudice. Can also be institutionalised – built into systems and structures as well as cultural patterns and assumptions. Can be unintentional “our concerns should be with outcomes, not simply intentions” (Adams, 2007:45)

Case Study In a seminar on anti-racism, George made the point that in his service, they dealt with people from such a wide range of ethnic backgrounds that they could not possibly hope to address everyone’s cultural needs. “It’s not racism”, he said, “it’s just the way it is.” Is this attitude to service users’ needs acceptable?

Response If people from ethnic minorities do not have their needs met to the same level as other service users, then this amounts to racism. It may not be deliberate or personal racism. The lack of resources produces an unfair outcome for individuals from different ethnic backgrounds – the result is racial discrimination. This is an example of institutional racism. (ibid)