Unit 2 task 1 - Understanding the concept of equality, diversity and rights and their impact on care settings

 Discrimination can happen in all sorts of environments, for example:

Work places - people can be discriminated against by employers who don't hire them due to their association to a group, like religion or culture for example. Some people may be promoted over other people due to their individual differences, even if the person who didn't get promoted was more suitable than the person who did.

Public places - people may get discriminated against in places like restaurants, hotels, hospitals or sports facilities due to characteristics that others might be uncomfortable with.

Legally - people may be mistreated, or have assumptions made about them by police, due to their culture or race for example.

Equality – the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities. (Google.co.uk, 2015)

Equality is when individuals are all treated fairly with no preference over one another (within reason). In health and social care, this would be treating people in ways that are appropriate to their needs. Failing to do so would be classed as discrimination.

In a school setting the service users (students) and the care workers (teachers, teaching assistants, receptionists, technicians etc.) both have the right to be respected, treated fairly, treated as an individual (not stereotyped, labelled), protected from harm, allowed to use their preferred method of communication (different language, sign language, written communication etc), and the right to not be discriminated against.

For example if a child is deaf and have used sign language to communicate since they were little, someone in the school should be available to them to translate what is being said.

Diversity – showing a great deal of variety (Google.co.uk, 2015)

Diversity is when there is variety within a grou, for example people from all different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, languages, or social backgrounds. Respecting diversity means understanding that all individuals are unique, and not stereotyping one group by race, age, gender etc, and accepting these individual differences.

In a school setting, accepting diversity would be respecting everybody's individual differences and valuing these differences. Teachers and staff should have an understanding and acceptance that every individual is unique and not discriminate against anyone for these differences (e.g. race, religion, sexuality, gender, age, physical abilities, political beliefs, skin colour etc.)

Rights - A right is a legal or moral entitlement as a member of society to have something or be able to do something. They are based on what is right or wrong/ fair and unfair. For example an individual has the right to live within society without being put in danger, being abused or being discriminated against.

In a health and social care setting, patients should be treated fairly and care workers should be aware of the rights that every person is entitled to, and comply with these.