Learning Aim A – Examine principles, values and skills which
underpin meeting the care and support needs of individuals.
A.P1 – Explain the importance of promoting equality and diversity for individuals with
different needs.
A.P2 – Explain the skills and personal attributes necessary for professionals who care for
individuals with different needs.
A.M1 – Analyse the impact of preventing discrimination for individuals with different needs.
A.M2 – Assess different methods professionals might use when building relationships and
establishing trust with individuals with different needs.
A.D1 – Evaluate the success of promoting anti-discriminatory practice for specific individuals
with different needs.
Case study 1:
Aurel is 52 years old and has been attending the community centre for a year. He has had
difficulty passing water for the last few months. He is worried that he has something wrong, but
he is too embarrassed to see the doctor. He confides in a staff member at the day centre as he
feels more comfortable around this member of staff. The staff member listens to Aurel but
explains that he is not a specialist and advises Aurel to seek help from a professional such as a
doctor. Although, he was embarrassed, he finally decided to see a doctor. The doctor explained
that one of the things in his blood showed higher levels than usual. He tells Aurel that he thinks
something is wrong and he refers him to a specialist. After a fortnight, Aurel is told he has
prostate cancer, he is upset, but does not let this show to the consultant. Due to his age, the
specialist informs Aurel that they cannot offer him any treatment but said he will have regular
appointments to watch for any signs of the cancer spreading to other parts of his body. Aurel is
convinced he is not going to survive. Aurel comes back to the community centre and is very
tearful and resentful when explaining his diagnosis to the same staff member as before. The staff
member carries out research and seeks advice from other professionals before reassuring Aurel
that many people with prostate cancer do not die because it can be easily controlled. Aurel feels
much better and is starting to feel more optimistic about his future.
,Case study 2:
Lucy Smith, aged two years, and Kevin Smith, aged four years, are brother and sister and have
recently been admitted to the ward from the Emergency Department, following a car accident
involving their father as driver and a stone wall. Neither of the children were secured in their car
seats and have both sustained serious injuries. Both have broken bones and bruised faces. When
the duty doctor examines the children, she notices bruises at the base of Kevin’s spine and round
marks on Lucy’s neck that resemble burns. When the children’s father is questioned, he states
that the marks were inflicted by his wife who died three months ago due to a long-term illness
that had affected her mental state. The doctor is unconvinced, as the marks appear to be more
recent. However, another emergency is admitted, and the doctor forgets to record her opinions.
A nurse is asked to give each child a sedative to help them sleep. He notices the marks but is in a
hurry to complete the medicine round before going off duty and fails to record his observations.
The nurse also fails to complete the ward records regarding the sedatives given to both children.
The children’s father did not sustain any major injury and was allowed home after examination.
He comes the next day to visit his children and bring them each a present. A visitor to Zebra
Ward notices that Kevin and Lucy do not look pleased to see him. Kevin hides under his bed,
refusing to come out, and Lucy cries when her father lifts her out of the cot. The nursing staff
assume that the children’s reaction is due to delayed shock from the car accident. A social
worker is assigned to the case and recommends it would be good for the children to attend the
local community centre to help build their confidence. When the children attend the centre, they
are very shy and flinch every time a member of staff comes near them. Overtime, the children
begin to settle, and become very attached to the care worker, but when it is time to go home the
children are not very happy and they cling onto the worker.
P1 – Explain the importance of promoting equality and diversity for individuals with different
needs.
Equality is about ensuring that everyone in a care setting is given equal opportunities in life,
regardless of their background, ethnicity, abilities or lifestyle and are treated with fairness and
respect. Equality ensures that all care users in any health and social care services are provided
with the same opportunities and benefits as each other. Having said this, the care that they
receive is based on an individual’s specific needs, as those suffering from a certain type of
disability may require more specialised help, compared to someone who does not have any
, form of disability. The Equality Act 2010 brings together 116 separate pieces of legislation into
one act; it provides legal framework in order to protect the rights of individuals within the
Health and Social Care setting. The Equality Act 2010 reinforces that is it illegal to discriminate
against an individual based on protected characteristics along the likes of age, disability, gender
reassignment. If a service user feels as if they have been discriminated or harassed, they have
the right to claim a trial in court. For those with disabilities, they have the right to claim a trial in
court. For those individuals with disabilities, the act states that reasonable adjustments ought to
be made and it is lawful to give them more help than someone without disabilities. The result of
promoting equality for individuals revolves around the idea that all individuals are given equal
opportunities, however providing that extra support for those who may need it, so that they
feel as equals, rather than feeling neglected due to their differences.
On the other hand, diversity is defined as appreciating the differences between individual’s and
treating people’s values, beliefs and cultures with respect. It is important to promote diversity
for service users, as many people have different beliefs, however it is important that they are
not judged due to this, nor are they treated differently. Service user’s must be willing to
promote diversity, as it is needed to ensure service users’ are provided with the best possible
treatment that is adapted to their beliefs. Promoting diversity ensures that all individual’s feel
values and respected and are able to have access to the same opportunities as other individuals
regardless of their differences.
There are many examples that can be used when promoting equality and diversity in health and
social care settings. An example includes a service user being from different ethnic or religious
backgrounds. If this is the case, service providers should be able to provide them access to a
variety of different foods that they can choose from in accordance to their preferred diets.
Another example includes having accessibilities for all those service users with protected
characteristics so that they are able to access the same things as other service users.
P2 – Explain the skills and attributes necessary for professionals who care for individual’s with
different needs.
When working in healthcare, it is important that professionals maintain professional
relationships with service users in order to ensure they are provided with the most efficient care
