Inclusion is one of the main principles at the heart of health and social care. It means that the individual is at the centre of planning and support. One of the main ways this is done is having person- centred care plans which are put together with the client.
Inclusive Practice and Discrimination There are different types of discrimination, ‘indirect’, ‘direct’ and ‘institutional’. Discrimination is where individuals are treated less favourably than others and are not given the same opportunities, which can lead to them being labelled and stereotyped which means their self esteem goes down. ‘Inclusive Practice promotes equality and supports diversity’ (1). Health and Social care settings have policies and procedures which challenge discrimination, promote inclusive practice, promote the rights of the individuals, empower the individuals and ensure that any barriers restricting them are removed. There is a belief that differences between individuals should be valued and celebrated. There are policies, codes of practice and legislation in health and social care which relate to equality, diversity and discrimination.
They are as follows: The Human Rights Act 1998, the disability discrimination act 2005, Special educational needs and disability act 2001, Race relations (Amendment) act 2000, The Equality Act 2010, and the European convention on human rights. We have to think about how we interact with people. This must be done in a way that shows respect for that individual’s beliefs, culture, values and preferences. Whether we are interacting with colleagues or service users we must use active listening and have knowledge of the individuals eg.
their beliefs, culture, values and preferences. Respecting the individual’s confidentiality where appropriate and also ensuring we communicate with the individual in the way they prefer. Inclusive practice is about encouraging them to make their own choices, to be independent, helping to empower them as individuals and ensuring any barriers to access are removed. Equality and rights should be promoted eg. they should be given the same oppertunities and according to the individuals needs access should be ensured.
An example of this might be ensuring there is wheelchair access. When working in health and social care knowing how to recognise discrimination is very important and we should know how to challenge it. Being able to recognise stereotypes in attitudes and written materials is very important and knowing how to adapt your own beliefs and attitudes. The policies and procedures of the company you work for should set out how to report any concerns you may have about discrimination. ‘Inclusive practice is about the attitudes, approaches and strategies taken to ensure that people are not excluded or isolated. It means supporting diversity by accepting and welcoming people’s differences, and promoting equality by ensuring equal opportunities for all.’ (2)
