ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE
المؤلف:
ALAN RANDLE
المصدر:
Caring for People with Learning Disabilities
الجزء والصفحة:
P34-C2
2025-10-07
251
ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE
Carers and students need to have a raised awareness of anti-discriminatory issues with regards to communication. We started by outlining a basic model of communication and proceeded to explain the difficulties that may be encountered when interacting and communicating with adults with learning disabilities.
There are also other influencing factors that could affect any communication with an adult with a learning disability from a discriminatory perspective. A cultural difference may be that the service user and the practitioner are from different cultural backgrounds and that they may not have a thorough understanding of each other’s cultural considerations. There could be a mis understanding in relation to non-verbal communication, as discussed previously, such as eye contact, personal space (proxemics) and touch (Ferris-Taylor 2004). Verbal communication may be impeded by dialects and by the fact that individual members of staff may use words in different ways (Thompson 2003). These are very important issues to consider, particularly if the service user is also significantly learning disabled and has very limited communication abilities. The Department of Health (2001) report on Learning Difficulties and Ethnicity cautions us on broader issues relating to ethnicity and service provision which can be interpreted on an individual level. We need to be aware that individual service users may not be able to communicate their needs associated with their ethnicity. However, they may be in the ‘most need’.
Whilst these issues are very important, there are much more subtle ways in which adults with learning disabilities can experience discrimination when communication or interaction is taking place. The words used to communicate and the speed or pace at which communication is delivered are two very powerful ways in which people with learning disabilities can be discriminated against. Developmentally, from the outset, adults with learning disabilities may have moved though the communication milestones at a slower rate (Cuskelly et al. 2002; Fraser 1997; Graves 2000) than those without a learning disability. This is an indication that an individual with a learning disability may not have as extensive a range of words or vocabulary as someone of a similar age might have. This has been described and discussed in terms of a ‘core’ vocabulary and research has identified that adults with learning disabilities have a limited core vocabulary (Graves 2000). Therefore, if a carer expects or overestimates someone’s receptive skill (Kevan 2003) and believes she or he should understand something, this is indirect discrimination. The skill here is to attempt to use simpler, easier and uncomplicated sentences to communicate. It is discriminatory to use very sophisticated words that people are unlikely to be able to comprehend. Perhaps use language that is more obvious to the situation or utilize the use of what are known as objects of reference. Broadly, ‘objects of reference are used alongside other means of communication such as natural gestures and/or pictures’ (Park 1995, p. 41 and Kevan 2003). Park (1995) also suggests that they are considered as ‘bridges’ that assist communication. A natural gesture might be miming drinking when asking someone if they would like a drink. Pictures can also provide more information. For example, a photograph of a local café that is familiar to the service user would offer assistance in helping an individual to understand that you might be suggesting having a drink at the café. Including other objects of reference such as the service user’s coat will provide clues for the service user about what is being communicated. Offering these in the order in which they will happen may also be beneficial. Staff members need to use objects of reference for individual service users in a consistent fashion otherwise they could become confusing for a particular service user and will not assist communication.
In general use words and language are often spoken at some considerable speed. This can add to difficulties experienced if someone is trying to understand or decode the first word in any given sentence. Above, we discussed, briefly, Pörtner’s (2001) thoughts about ‘pace’. These issues are very relevant here. However, Cuskelly et al. (2002, p. 44) identify studies that have considered that adults with learning disabilities, specifically those with Down’s syndrome, ‘experience the power of communicating a message earlier than their speech difficulties will allow’. Therefore, what we need to consider here is the issue of time and timing. We need to allow service users time to respond to our requests or communications and it would be considered discriminatory to rush someone to respond at our pace. We need to allow more time for service users with limited cognitive abilities to process the information and respond at their own speed. The danger here could be that if service users were not given enough time to respond, they may eventually give up trying to communicate. Communicating with service users with learning dis abilities at speed, at a level that they do not understand and in an overly sophisticated manner is discriminatory. This does not indicate that they need to be patronized. Taking someone’s pace, understanding and abilities into consideration is being sensitive to their needs and is an endeavor to negotiate and interact with someone in an inclusive manner (Cuskelly et al. 2002).
These factors may also affect the ways in which service users and staff communicate with one another and may implicitly be discriminatory. Having an awareness of some of these factors will enhance communication endeavors with service users. These may not be able to be addressed in every circumstance. However, your attempts to understand and address any discrimination with regards to service users will be seen as good anti discriminatory practice.
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