2. Respecting Diversity
Working in partnership with service users, carers, families and colleagues to provide care and interventions that not only make a positive difference but also do so in ways that respect and value diversity including age, race, culture, disability, gender, spirituality and sexuality.
‘If partnership working is to be a reality then education and training programmes will need to provide a learning environment, where existing beliefs about age, race, culture, disability, gender, spirituality and sexuality can be examined and challenged. Any therapeutic interventions need to be set within a framework that acknowledges and respects diversity.
‘Although all of the areas within this capability are important, and it has been acknowledged that there is discrimination in many services, issues of race and culture require particular attention.’
(Department of Health 2004)
What this means is: Working with service users, carers, families and other workers to provide care and treatment that helps people, accepting each person for what they are and treating them well whatever their age, race, culture, disability, gender, spirituality or sexuality.
To respect diversity you need to:
- understand and acknowledge diversity relating to age, gender, race, culture, disability, spirituality and sexuality.