Dignity and Language in Care

'Dignity and Language in Care' is a project that involves working with providers of care services in the public sector and the third sector in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Denbighshire and Gwynedd. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Ceredigion Council, Carmarthenshire Council, the Welsh Assembly Government as well as the Welsh Language Board in assisting us to carry out this work.

Being able to ensure care services in both Welsh and English is becoming increasingly significant within the Dignity in Care agenda, and this was one of the factors that motivated us to develop this particular strand of work.

The aim of the scheme is to work with organisations in order to raise awareness of the linguistic requirements of people receiving care services, encouraging those organisations to change working practices where necessary, when dealing with service users - especially those people who belong to one or more of the 'priority groups' as identified by the Welsh Language Board [Young children, people with learning disabilities and other special needs, people with mental illnesses, and elderly people] The emphasis in north Wales will be upon provision of services to elderly people specifically. We will also record examples of best practise, and will use evidence from service users and service providers in order to create a training resource.

Working with the providers of care services will enable the project to have a positive and beneficial impact on the dignity and self-respect of service users, on their perception of the care provided, and on the overall experience of receiving care services from the public sector and/or the third sector.

A key part of the scheme is to record 'evidence' of the language requirements of users in terms of service provision, as well as collecting examples of good practice. The aim will be to give service users a voice, and to hear their tales.

Public Policy Context:

• The Community Strategy for Ceredigion:

The 'Dignity and Language in Care' project ties in with the aims of 'A Bilingual Future' and consequently, as a crosscutting issue, impacts upon the other themes, especially 'Bywyd Da- Health, Social Care and Wellbeing' which states:

"Equal access to health and social care for vulnerable people."

"Ensure that Welsh Language issues are factored into policy development and delivery of services across all Community Strategies as per County Council Welsh Language Scheme."

"Ensure advice and support relating to the use of the language to public, private, business and voluntary organisations."

• Integrated Community Strategy for Carmarthenshire 2011-16:
The strategy refers to:

"Increasing access to health and social care for all people including vulnerable groups."

"...ensuring services are delivered to meet the Linguistic needs of the service user."

• Iaith Pawb:

'Dignity and Language in Care' meets a number of the requirements as set out in the Iaith Pawb strategy (A National Action Plan for a Bilingual Wales - Welsh Assembly Government)

4.32 "Language choice is an important component in the provision of a quality care service."

4.33 "The Assembly Government is determined to impress the importance of being able to deliver services in the service users' language of choice in key service areas such as health and social care."

• Welsh Assembly Government's Strategy for Older People in Wales:

"In both the engagement of and service provision for older people, it is essential that their Welsh language needs are addressed."

A specific training resource will be created, based upon the evidence collected during the course of the project, and the resource will be available on the Estyn Llaw website following the workshops that will launch and promote the material.

It is intended that the main resource produced will be available to be used indefinitely, and free of charge throughout the care sector as a training resource in order to encourage a change in attitudes and working practises in terms of the significance of language use when providing care services, and the significance of language within the Dignity in Care agenda.