Understanding and communicating well with people of different cultures is about person-centred care.
Everyone is part of a culture. People need their culture to be recognised and their cultural needs met to feel happy and comfortable. But some people's cultural needs are more likely to be met because they are closer to cultural norms in the service.
You do not have to be an expert on different cultures. But it helps to understand how culture can affect aspects of care.
Key points for everyone working in adult social care
Often, only small changes are needed to make a big difference to people. The most important things to do are:
- ask people questions - or ask their representatives - especially if you are unsure
- try to understand and meet people's preferences
- be curious about what the important things are to help people live their fullest lives
More key points for registered managers
- Building your staff's confidence in person-centred care will help them deliver culturally appropriate care. Discussing how to meet cultural needs in team meetings can also help build confidence.
- Everyone's cultural needs should be part of their care planning and review.
- Providing culturally appropriate care is everyone's responsibility. But managers have a particular role in acting as a bridge between different cultures in a care setting. For example, between frontline care staff and people from a different background who are receiving care.
- Being an inclusive leader means being aware of your own cultural values and the potential impact they have on others.
- It's important to look at the shared culture of the service - for example, the way it's reflected in activities and decoration - as well as individual care.
- Good communication with people and their families is vital to meeting cultural needs.
- It's important to respect people, treat them with dignity and respect their privacy.
- It's good to ask open questions in residents' meetings to find out whether cultural needs are being met. For example, “what do people think of the activities?” But people from a minority culture might be uncomfortable speaking up in an open meeting. So an informal chat outside the meeting can be helpful too.
- Staff from minority groups - such as black and minority ethnic staff or lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender staff - may also face discrimination from some people using the service. Good staff engagement and support are important to solve these issues.
- If you have a diverse staff team, use the cultural knowledge and skills of your team in a positive way.
More key points for senior staff and keyworkers
- Everyone's cultural needs should part of their care planning and review, under the relevant sections of the care plan.
- Cultural needs vary. They're not just based on ethnicity and religion. They're also based on things like age, sex, sexual orientation (for example lesbian, gay and bisexual people), gender identity (for example transgender people), disability, neurodiversity, region in the UK, family and employment history.
- The way people identify with their culture can also change through time. For example, people with dementia may identify more strongly with the culture in their earlier years as they get older.
- Don’t make assumptions about people’s needs based on generalisations about cultures.
- Good communication with people and their families is vital to meeting cultural needs. If there are conflicting views, the person’s own wishes need to have most weight.
- It's important to look at the shared culture of the service - for example, how it's reflected in activities and decoration - as well as individual care.
More key points for care staff
- Cultural needs vary. They're not just based on ethnicity and religion. They're also based on things like age, sex, sexual orientation (for example lesbian, gay and bisexual people), gender identity (for example trans people), region in the UK, family and employment history.
- The way people identify with their culture can also change through time. For example, people with dementia may identify more strongly with the culture in their earlier years as they get older.
- If you are not sure about whether someone’s cultural needs are being met, talk to the person responsible for their care. This might be their keyworker, for example, or your shift leader. This is just as you would do with any other concern about someone's care.
Making it real: 6 themes of personalised care and support (Think Local Act Personal)
Equality and diversity learning and development resources (Skills for Care)
Care Certificate standards (Skills for Care)
Equally outstanding: how a focus on equality and human rights can improve quality of care (CQC)
Person-centred care resources (Social Care Institute for Excellence)
Cultural and religious needs of people with dementia (Social Care Institute for Excellence)
Communication skills e-learning course (Social Care Institute for Excellence)