C U LT U R A L

RESPONSIVENESS
2

IEBPP
 P R E - S E S S I O N TA S K S

• Read through the list of resources in the pre-session section of Moodle. Choose one to read / watch and note down
three learning points or ideas that you'll take away as a result.

• Revisit the list of resources again. Select one of the resources that you were least interested in and review this. What
do you learn as a result?
SOME SUGGESTED GROUND RULES
FOR SESSION

• Be aware of sensitive nature of some of what we cover

• Respectful inquisitiveness – open listening and cultural humility

• Only share what you feel comfortable

• Allow space for all

PLENARY

• Thinking about the resources in the pre-session task – what three learning points did
you identify?
• Why did you choose the resource you did?

• Revisit the list of resources. This time choose the one that you are least interested in.

• What did you learn as a result of reading this resource?

 SESSION ON THE 9TH) AND THE
A S S O C I AT E D P R E - A N D P O S T-
SESSION ACTIVITIES, YOU WILL
H AV E :
• Considered different aspects of our identity and how these shape and inform our responses

• Explored and uncovered pre-existing discourses

• Thought about concepts such as stigma, othering and labelling

• Begun to recognise our individual lenses and privileges

• Pondered how we know what we know and what influences, shapes and constrains the ‘ideal’

• Linked these to HCPC and RCSLT professional standards.

INTRODUCTION

• This Session builds on Aydan’s session on the 9th of October.

• It is designed to provide you with opportunities to reflect on your personal, professional and
collective identity and develop your cultural awareness, in order to support you to become a
culturally competent practitioner.

• As defined by Campinha-Bacote (2002), "Cultural awareness is the self-examination and in-

depth exploration of one’s own cultural and professional background. This process involves the
recognition of one’s biases, prejudices, and assumptions about individuals who are different.“
(p. 182)
IDENTITY

• Identities are fluid and not fixed

• Often we perceive others in fixed ways…and adapt our behaviour accordingly

• People are a site of pre-existing discourses

• Medical model: physical condition is the cause of functional limitation, trauma or suffering.
Prescriptive and fixed idea of normality.

• Social Model: Whilst the social model sought to address restrictions created by society it has
been criticised (from within).Many focus, predominantly, on structural processes and political
marginalisations ‘…it downplays or ignores the cultural and experiential dimensions of
disablism.’ (Thomas, 1999, p. 24)
 PEOPLE ARE A SITE OF PRE-EXISTING
DISCOURSES:
MEDICAL V’S SOCIAL
PERSPECTIVES:
• Personal tragedy • Social oppression

• Personal Problem • Social Problem

• Judgement • Discrimination

• Professional responsibility • Personal / group responsibility

• Professional expertise / expert knowledge • Disabled person’s experience

• Individual identity • Group identity

• Care • Rights

• Individual adaptation • Social change

• Categories of disability • Needs to be met

WHICH ONE DO WE SEE HERE?
 W H AT D O W E M E A N B Y A S T I G M A ?

• A stigma: ‘is an attribute that discredits a person or a social group in the eyes of others’ Franzoi, (2009) p205.

• It is something which ‘discredits’ the person – makes them ‘less human’

• Social stigma is the extreme disapproval of an individual based on social characteristics that are perceived to
distinguish them from other members of a society.

• Social stigma is so profound that it can overpower positive social feedback regarding the way in which the
same individual adheres to other social norms.

• Although the value of a stigma may vary – its negativity is socially accepted . It ‘spoils’ the person’s humanity.
It blinds people to individuals because a dominant character trait of the ‘group’ is focused on/believed
(Goffman, 1963)
A F F I R M E D O R S T I G M AT I S E D ?
‘OTHERING’
 CASE STUDY
• List four words to describe how you • Now list four words that exemplify your
perceive this person. identity.

• Now list four words that describe how you • Do other people regard you the same way
think they perceive themselves as you perceive yourself?

• List 2 factors that influenced your • Now list 2 factors that influence this
perceptions positively and 2 that reflect on positively, and 2 that influence it
it negatively. negatively.

• Discuss your responses • Reflect on your answers

 W H AT I N F O R M S O U R ‘ K N O W I N G ’ ?

• The unique power of the media—the so-called fourth estate—is a recognised mechanism for
representing and shaping public opinion, understood as an aggregate of views of individuals in a
society.
• Media discourse has power to reflect as well as shape public opinion.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgehwNRJBE8 (3 mins)
• )
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJyGXCrhH6Y (5 mins))
 IDENTITY

Personal identity Professional idenity Collective identity

• We must always be mindful that our view - our lens - will typically be too narrow and we have
much to learn from others.

•
YOUR LENS/POSITIONALITY AND
PRIVILEGE

• Think about what informs your lens/positionality:

• Personally?

• Professionally?

• Collectively?

• How do these interact and when does one over-ride/influence the other?

• Now think about, and identity 2-3 privilege’s you hold. For example,
THE DANGER OF A SINGLE STORY

In this video , novelist and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie highlights the misunderstandings that can arise from a 'single
story'. Watch the video (19.16 minutes) and consider:

• What single stories might the individuals and families that we work with encounter?

• What single stories are associated with speech and language therapy?

• What single stories are attributed to other professions? (e.g. physiotherapists, dieticians, social workers, doctors, nurses,
teachers)

• In what ways do the single stories associated with different sectors vary? (e.g. healthcare, social care, education, law)

• What single stories have been associated with you? (Have there been times when you feel that people haven't got the whole
story about you?)

• What single stories have you personally held? (It's likely you still hold some now - can you identify any?)
REAL AND IDEAL IDENTITY LINKED TO
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
THEORY
 W H AT M I G H T
CONSTRICTIONS
BE COMPOSED
OF?
T H E D A N G E R O F L E T T I N G A C E RTA I N
STYLE OF DISCOURSE GO
UNCHALLENGED:

• It is not simply, as Foucault (1988, p. 154) contends, ‘a matter of saying that things are not
right as they are’, but rather ‘of pointing out on what kinds of assumptions, what kinds of
familiar, unchallenged and unconsidered modes of thought the practices that we accept rest’
(1988, p. 155).

• A dangerous cycle continues, whereby children’s failure – which may have its roots in (society)
school-generated factors such as alienation, hostility and mistrust – allows difference to emerge
and subsequently be validated and exaggerated through existing school structures (Allan 2008;
Slee 2011).
 P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA N D A R D S A N D
E X P E C TAT I O N : H C P C

HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Speech and Language Therapists introduced in September 2023 state that
therapists should:

• What differences do you notice in the new version?

 T H E S TA N D A R D S O F P R O F I C I E N C Y F O R S LT S
(HCPC):
5. recognise the impact of culture, equality and diversity on practice and practise in a non-discriminatory and
inclusive manner
• 5.1 respond appropriately to the needs of all groups and individuals in practice, recognising that this can be
affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics,* intersectional
experiences and cultural differences
• 5.2 understand equality legislation and apply it to their practice
• 5.3 recognise the potential impact of their own values, beliefs and personal biases (which may be unconscious)
on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect
and dignity
• 5.4 understand the duty to make reasonable adjustments in practice and be able to make and support reasonable
adjustments in their and others’ practice
• 5.5 recognise the characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, including for socially isolated groups
• 5.6 actively challenge these barriers, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible
• 5.7 recognise that regard to equality, diversity and inclusion needs to be embedded in the application of all
HCPC standards, across all areas of practice
P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA N D A R D S A N D
E X P E C TAT I O N : R C S LT

• RCSLT (2019) write: "Speech and language therapists will have to overcome linguistic,
cultural and communication barriers that may adversely influence suitable assessment and
intervention in order to provide equitable access to all patients. Within any culture, there is an
extensive range of beliefs and behaviours. Consequently, generalisations of cultural features
may not be always accurate. It is the responsibility of the SLT to become culturally competent
by ongoing awareness of how their own cultural biases towards an individual may affect the
service. In other words, the process of cultural competence originates with each of us. We all
have our own culture which will impact on practice. Adapting practice by constructing cultural
knowledge and frequent self-assessment is indispensable to fully comprehend how values may
affect our interaction with others."
I M A G I N I N G A D I F F E R E N T S TA N C E . .

In the history of deaf culture, Martha's Vineyard holds a special place. For more than
200 years, the island was home to one of the largest deaf communities in the country.
But islanders never treated deafness as a disability. Instead, they created a sign language
that everyone used: hearing and deaf.
Affirmation:
https://www.britishdeafnews.co.uk/marthas-vineyard/

Thoughts?
P O S T- S E S S I O N A C T I V I T I E S

• Now reflect on your knowledge about and experiences of explicit and implicit bias. In particular, consider:

• What do you now know (as a result of accessing the pre-session resources) that you didn't before?

• What was your emotional response to these resources?

• Did you find any of the information and perspectives challenging? Why?

• What is the difference between explicit and implicit (unconscious) bias?

• Why does implicit bias occur?

• What are some of the effects of implicit bias in a healthcare context?

• What is the meaning of this for you personally and professionally?

• How will you use this information to develop yourself as a student healthcare practitioner?

• What questions do you have? How might you answer these? (20 minutes)
 T H E S H O E N E S S O F A S H O E
H O W D O E S C H I M A M A N D A ' S T A L K R E L A T E T O T H I S O N E B Y E L L Y
C H A P P L E ?

C H A P P L E , E . ( 2 0 1 9 )
D I V E R S I T Y I S T H E K E Y T O O U R S U R V I VA L : T H E S H O E N E S S
O F A S H O E . T E D X N O R W I C H E D.

Reflect on your experience of watching this video (11.19 minutes) - in particular, consider:

• How does Ella's story relate to your existing knowledge about the experiences of disabled children at home / school / in life?

• What was Ella's and her family's experience of health and education professionals?

• Would Ella's story sound the same if it was told by the health or education professionals in her life? Why do you think this?

• How does this talk help develop our understanding of what it means to work in partnership with individuals and their families?

• What are your thoughts on and reactions to the following statements and questions?

"Why are Ellas not seen everywhere, every day in our homes, communities and societies - all the time. Why are they hidden and locked
away and marginalised and othered and pushed out - still?"

"We need to relearn that it does not matter what package you arrived in. We need to look again - because these people that we currently
treat appallingly are the integral part of our humanity and we are completely excluding them."

"Stop tolerating blatant inequality. Demand better for your fellow humans.“ (30 minutes)
F I N D O U T A B O U T C U LT U R E S A N D E X P E R I E N C E S
D I F F E R E N T F R O M Y O U R O W N B Y WAT C H I N G / R E A D I N G
RESOURCES PRODUCED BY THOSE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES TO START
WITH:

 Shelby is a student from a traveller/fairground family

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19720864

 Understanding the experience of Asian fathers in Britain:

https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/understanding-experiences-asian-fathers-britain

 David Olusoga - The reality of being Black in Britain:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/30/what-it-means-to-be-black-in-britain-today

 British Red Cross - Experiences of refugees to the UK

 Gray Crosbie on being Trans

 Guardian article on experiences of Muslims in Britain

 Gov.UK report exploring the lives of people living with a disability

 Voice article on experiences of Black Jews in Britain

 REFERENCES

• Allan, J. 2008. Rethinking Inclusive Education: The Philosophers of Difference in Practice. Dordrecht: Springer
• Anthias, F. (2013) Intersectional what? Social divisions, intersectionality and levels of analysis. Ethnicities,13(1): 3-19
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1468796812463547
• Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992) Ecological Systems Theory. In Vasta, r, (ed) Annals of Child Development. Six theories of child development: revised
formulations and current issues. London: Jessica Kingsley
• Campinha-Bacote, J. (2002) The process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services: a model of care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 13
(3), 181-184.
• Foucault, M. 1988. Politics, Philosophy, Culture: Interviews and Other Writings 1972–1977. New York: Routledge, Chapman & Hall.
• Franzoi, S L. (2009) Social Psychology (5th Ed) McGraw-Hill: New York
• Goffman, E. (1963) Stigma: notes on the management of spoiled identity. New York: Simon and Schuster
• Rosen, D. (2014) How Bias and Stigma Undermine Healthcare. Available at: https://www.holisticprimarycare.net/topics/topics-o-z/reflections/1653-how-
bias-and-stigma-undermine-healthcare [Accessed 19 March 2020]
• Slee, R. 2011. The Irregular School. London: Routledge. [Google Scholar]
• Thomas, C. (1999) Female forms. Experiencing and understanding disability. Abingdon: Open University Press
 • Council of Deans of Health (2023) Anti-Raci
sm in AHP Education: Building an Inclusive
environment
POLICY /
GUIDELINE • Nkomo et al (2023) Analysing diversity, equ
DRIVERS ity and inclusion in speech and language ther
apy
.

• RCSLT Strategic Vision 2022 – 2027