Importance of language

When training to be a Social Worker we do talk about the importance of the language we use and focus on not using jargon because we don’t want to confuse people, but I don’t think this is a topic that is discussed or delved into as much as it should be.

We know that we should speak professionally, not swear and be respectful. These are a given but the finer nuances of interactions with people can make a big difference to how the relationship develops and how involved that person feels in working with you.

When we first visit someone, it is important to know how they wish to be addressed. Are they happy for you to use their first name, do they go by a middle or different name or do they prefer Mrs X. This demonstrates from the beginning of your interaction with them not only that you care about their preferences but also it can do a lot in terms of respect.

I had a conversation not long after starting my final placement with my practice educator about a specific case. I am White British and the person who I was working with in this case was from a different cultural background which my practice educator is also part of. I asked my practice educator about the best way to refer to this person because I wanted to make sure that I did not start the conversation off in what could be seen as a disrespectful way. She was able to explain to me that if she was to refer to this person, she would use auntie as a sign of respect but that would not be respectful coming from me and that I would be best to refer to her as Mrs X.

This allowed me to expand my knowledge which then led to a better relationship being built with that person because we were not starting on the back foot by me being disrespectful without meaning to be. The language that we can use can make people feel scared or worried and that is not our intention.

If I go into a situation talking about an assessment and referrals to a specialist service etc then that person may feel completely overwhelmed. They may question what they have done wrong that they need to be assessed or what is wrong with them that they need to be referred. Whereas if I reword the same sentence then it reframes the situation into something much more relaxed and less scary. If I mention wanting to come and have a chat about what has been happening that feels much more welcoming and less stiff. If I talk about putting them in touch with someone who can support them that feels less bureaucratic. This can make a big difference on how willing that person is to engage with you in the future.

Speaking about something using jargon, acronyms and stiff language can make the person you are speaking with feel that they must be stupid because they don’t understand. I work in the profession and even I feel overwhelmed by the number of acronyms that are used. When people feel they do not understand what is happening in a situation that can make it much scarier and make it much more anxiety inducing and worrying than it needs to be.

I know from personal experience this can happen in medical situations where they are explaining what is happening or what they are going to do, and you sit there thinking what are they talking about? I personally have enough confidence to speak up and say can you explain this clearer; I don’t understand but the people we support are not always that confident. I also work with people with Dementia and similar cognitive impairments who struggle with simple information let alone once it has all the extras in there.

Approaching situations like this does not make them inclusive and does not take into consideration the principles of Social Work practice because they exclude those, we should be working in partnership with instead of making them feel involved and included. We need to make sure that we are addressing potential power imbalances as much as possible not making people feel uninvolved and unsure.

We are there to work with people and making sure that they understand is an important part of that. I make sure when I have explained a particularly tricky to understand process or concept I always end with “does that make sense?” and “do you have any questions” so I am opening up the opportunity to flag that they aren’t sure, or they need something explaining further without them having to do that themselves if they don’t feel comfortable. I try to reassure them by saying I know it is tricky to understand and that I only know because I work in the role. I also leave it open by saying if they think of any questions afterwards to get in touch because when put on the spot it can be difficult to think. I feel this helps support strong relationships and makes me approachable to those I am supporting.