LO 1 -Understand the concepts of equality, diversity & rights

LO 1 - understand the concepts of equality, diversity and rights and how these are applied in the context health care, social care and child care environments

• Equality
• Diversity
• Rights
• Promoting Equality & Diversity
• Promoting individual rights and beliefs
• Maintaining confidentiality
• The values of care in child care services

What is equality?

• Ensuring people are treated fairly and equally, all individuals must be given the same choice and opportunities regardless of their specific needs and differences.
• Not discriminating due to age, race, sexuality, disability or gender.

What is diversity?

• Recognising and valuing that each individual is different
• Valuing diversity involves accepting and respecting individual differences such as religion, beliefs or race.

Rights are what everyone is legally entitled to and are reflected in legislation such as the Equality Act.

What are the following?

• Choice: control over what they do, promotes independence, in a care home residents can choose what activities they do.
• Confidentiality: information should only be shared on a need-to-know basis, such as people who are directly involved with an individual's care. It can only be broken in the following situations: harm to others, harm to self, risk of being hurt by others or breaking the law.
• Protection from abuse and harm: personal safety and welfare, safeguarding and health and safety legislation being adhered to. For example, using a hoist to lift an individual into a bath.
• Consultation: individuals should be asked for their opinions and views about the type of care and activities they would like. For example, to ask for a same sex carer for personal care.
• Right to life: an individual's life is protected by law, no one is allowed to harm you and you are not allowed to harm another person. For example, resuscitation.

How are equality and diversity promoted?

• Care workers should use non discriminatory language, patients should not be patronised.
• Provide individual care based on specific needs, such as using a Zimmer frame for someone with a disablity.
• Any discriminatury remarks should be challenged.
• If residents from a care home are being taken out, they should ensure there is wheelchair access where they are going.

How are individual rights and beliefs promoted?

• Care environments, such as hospitals and care homes, could provide access to a prayer room or transport to church.
• A pregnant woman could be given a choice and asked whether she wants to give birth at hospital or home.
• A menu could be provided which has vegetarian, gluten free or halal options could cater for different diet needs.

How is confidentiality maintained?

• Care staff should not chat inappropriately about residents in the care home, or leaves their files lying around.
• Documents should be locked away in a cabinet or in password protected electronic records.
• Information should be shared on a 'need to know basis'.

What is included in the value making the welfare of the child paramount?

• Using a child-centred approach where the child's needs such as being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving come first.
• Children should not be humiliated, verbally abused or smacked.

What is included in the value keeping children safe and maintaining a healthy environment?

• Safeguarding procedures should be in place, all staff should be DBS checked.
• Lanyards should be worn to identify staff.
• Health and safety procedures should be followed, having regular fire drills, risk assessments and first aiders available.
• Appropriate staff to child ratio and a bullying policy in place.

What is included in the value working in partnership with parents/guardians?

• Two way relationships between parents/guardians and the care setting to get the best outcome for the child.
• Parents have the right to play a central role in making decisions about their child's care.
• Open days/evenings allow parents to meet staff and look around the care setting.
• Daily diaries kept by nursery staff to keep parents/guardians informed of progress.
• Award certificates sent home.
• Information sessions on potty training, dealing with tantrums and picky eaters.

What is included in the value valuing diversity?

• Toys, resources, books, DVDs and food should reflect different cultures and beliefs.
• A range of festivals should be celebrated such as Diwali, Christmas and the Chinese New Year.
• Meeting communication or mobility needs through sign language or a wheelchair shows all children they are valued.

What is included in the value encouraging children's learning and development?

• Activites should be stimulating, interesting and suited for the child's progress and development.

What is included in the value ensuring equality of opportunity?

• Meeting children's individual needs through cultural, religious, mobility, diet or communication.
• Staff should follow the equal opportunites policy.
• Activities should be accessible to all with adapted resources when required.
• All areas should be accessible to all, through adjustible tables, wide doorways or ramps.
• All children treated fairly with no favourites.

What is included in the value anti-discriminatory practice?

• Staff should be good role models by using non discriminatory language, no racist or sexist comments.
• Discrimiatory comments or behaviour should be challenged.

What is included in the value maintaining conifidentiality?

• Information should be shared on a need-to-know basis.
• Children's personal information should be kept secure in locked filing cabinets or should be  password protected if electronic.
• Staff should not have conversations with children where they can be overheard, they should be discussed privately.

What is included in the value working with other professionals?

• Practitioners may be required to work with other agencies such as a health visitor or social workers, information should be shared openly but sensitively.