Identity

 

There are many things to take into consideration when working with people and it can be easy sometimes to forget small details. As I have mentioned previously intersectionality is an important concept to keep in mind. Intersectionality discusses where the different parts of a person’s identity meet. The difference between one person’s experience and another even though they have something in common they don’t have everything in common, so they experience situations differently.

When first being allocated a new case, I always have a read about the person and find out any background information that we have. I do this for two reasons, one to make sure I have a starting point and do not make people repeat the same information to me as they have already given. Also, because it makes me aware of any issues with communication such as a language barrier or sensory impairments. This can also include cognitive impairments such as if someone has a dementia diagnosis, they may struggle over the phone so would require a face-to-face visit. This allows to personal the type of intervention to that person instead of a one size fits all mentality.

Communication is a big part of social work, and it is important to make sure that when communicating with someone you are doing it in the best way for them. There is no point in providing someone information in writing if they can’t see or can’t read. We can talk to someone but if they struggle with hearing, they may not know what we are trying to say. If they do not speak English, they may have no idea what is happening and that does not allow them to be involved. It is mentioned throughout legislation and law for Social Work about partnership working (Care Act 2014) and making sure you have taken all practicable steps (Mental Capacity Act 2005) to involve someone. It is not as simple as just going and talking to them.

I have worked with people with severe hearing loss who had been deemed to lack capacity to make a specific long-term decision for themselves. I found that when I completed a new capacity assessment not long after for a similar decision, I deemed him to have capacity because I used a different approach. I knew that he struggled with his hearing, so I had the questions printed out. This was something that took a few minutes but allowed this person to be involved in conversations about his own future. Whereas if I hadn’t done that it would have been easy to say he couldn’t retain information when actually the issue was that he couldn’t hear it so it was the same as if he had never heard it in the first place.

There are many other things to take into consideration too such as religion. I have been involved in many debates about whether you should bring up religion with someone you are supporting and that some people would not feel comfortable to do so, same as sexual orientation. People feel that such things are none of their business but by not knowing we could be overlooking something that impacts other areas of that person’s life. If they have a religious faith that means they do not eat certain foods or have a specific dietary need that needs to be met, how would we know if we never discussed it. It doesn’t work placing someone into a care home for example that cannot meet their dietary or religious needs. This could leave someone feeling that they have not been shown respect because the person supporting them has not taken something important to them into consideration.

Also, there are other aspects such as preferences, allergies, or intolerances. It’s helpful for me to know if that person has a specific dietary need so when I am looking for somewhere to place them, I can have those conversations with the place and explain that they will need a certain type of food. This not only allows the person to feel listened to and that they can access nutrition the same as everyone else it also allows the place to prepare for their arrival and order the necessary things. Although allergies would show up on a medical record intolerance may not because some people work out on their own that they are intolerant to something and do not involve the doctors. So, unless they have told the GP and have agreed for their records to be shared, we wouldn’t know and the place could not prepare. Also, this could include the type of diet the person has such as soft or pureed due to swallowing difficulties.

There may also be parts of their identity that people do not feel comfortable sharing because they are not sure what type of reaction they would receive. I work predominantly with older people who grew up in a time when being gay was illegal so they may be much more unlikely to share a detail such as this for fear on negative reactions. At least if we have those open conversations, it gives people the chance to be supported or be given options to support them in whatever way they need it. If they choose not to tell us that is entirely up to them (Human Rights Act, Article 8) but if they change their minds, they know that we are someone they can come to and have those conversations with because we opened up those lines of communication.