Chapter 28 – Deirdre Berry (D2SOP5)

Cultural Diversity: The Changing World We Work in 

The people of Ireland are scattered all over the world; many Irish people have migrated to other counties during times of famine, war and economic crisis. Irish society has become increasingly diverse, as many other nationalities have migrated to Ireland to live. In April 2020, there were an estimated 644,400 non-Irish nationals resident in Ireland, originating from 200 different counties, and accounting for 12.9% of the total population (CSO 2020). This creates a vibrant melting pot of cultures, languages, religions and experiences. In Ireland, unlike countries such as Australia that have specific written guidelines in place for the provision of interpreting and translation, there is a lack of written policies for government departments and agencies and a lack of guidelines for staff on when and how to use interpreters. This is not to say, however, that there is a complete absence of policy, as there are obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, which must be adhered to for legal process; the Refugee Act 1966; and, more generally, the Equal Status Acts 2000-2004.

Social care, in its essence, is a body of trained professionals who plan and provide quality care and support to vulnerable individuals and groups of all ages experiencing marginalisation, disadvantage and/or special needs, irrespective of their culture or language. Social care work utilises problem-solving and task-centred approaches, which guide and advocate for service users to support, empower and sometimes challenge them to overcome diversity. This can become more complex when service users speak a different language. To do this work, social care workers use a suite of tools and communication skills including body language, tone of voice, eye contact, touch, the written and spoken word. Providing accessible information in a range of user-friendly formats to all service users is an integral approach to service delivery in every social care setting. Such information assists those who may not be functionally literate, may have hearing or sight impairments, may not be competent in the English language, or who may need information presented in plain English. The principal objective of the social care worker is to support service users to reach their full potential and sometimes this might include knowing when to enlist the services of another professional. Speaking a different language, or lack of access to a professional translator or interpreter, should not be a barrier to people getting the support they need.

Interpreters and translators can help us understand our service users, accurately ascertain their needs and appropriately communicate professional opinions and relevant information about their care. An interpreter speaks more than one language and can help to communicate with service users when English is not their first language.

Cultural Diversity in Domestic Violence Service 

I have worked predominantly in frontline and management roles, in the area of gender-based violence (GBV), within a domestic abuse support service for women and children. It is mainly a crisis intervention service. I will draw on my experience of this setting throughout this chapter to give practice scenarios of working with families when English is not their first language. If you are unfamiliar with the work we do, I have included the following short segment.

Social care workers are part of the multi-disciplinary team within domestic abuse support services. Over the past 15 years I have supported many migrant women. Coming to live in a new country is filled with many hopes and challenges; a new language, opportunities, different social policies, little or no family or social support systems, status, to name a few. Facing everyday challenges without a support network can easily lead to difficulties. This is where the social care service (care homes, homeless services, family support, addiction supports and mental health services) will meet many migrant persons facing adversity. Some migrant women may not have travelled willingly, may have been trafficked or misled into a false promise of marriage, employment or a life free of war and hardship. Those who seek asylum in another country may have experienced war, conflict-based rape and/or rape, abuse and terror in their country of origin or during the migration journey. I have witnessed women arrive to the refuge door, some with small children, some older women, some women who are still in their teens, who are afraid, upset, hurt, confused; they are traumatised. Their situation becomes a lot more challenging when they have little or no English.

Gender-based Violence 

All genders can experience domestic abuse. I work specifically, in a gendered approach, with women and children, therefore my practice reflection will be through a gendered lens of my work with women and children. Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent social problems in the world. Not only is it a violation of women’s human rights, but it also has devastating physical and psychological health consequences for victims/survivors (WHC 2007). It is complex in its various forms (physical, emotional, financial, sexual, social and coercive control); additionally, other difficulties can add to its complexities, such as mental health, addiction, cultural and religious beliefs and socio- economic background. All of which can be barriers to safety. European research suggests that one in three women (33%) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence (FRA-EUAFR 2015). Women’s Aid reports that one in four women in Ireland who have been in a relationship have been abused by a current or former partner. While all women are at risk of experiencing it, a range of factors place minority ethnic women at higher risk than the rest of the population. They include the twofold discrimination of gender and ethnic origin, migrant status, increased isolation and social norms that are defined by patriarchal values. Some minority ethnic women come from cultures where harmful traditional practices are carried out, such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.

While services in the DSGBV sector provide specialised services, domestic abuse and violence will, due to its prevalence, commonly present as an issue in most social care settings. For example, in residential care, domestic abuse could have been a presenting issue in the child’s family of origin; in youth work, patterns of abusive or unhealthy relationships may surface and support or educational programmes may be necessary. The double discrimination of gender and racism has created a situation in which minority ethnic women are not always able to access the services they need. In addition, their economic and social circumstances, as well as migration and residence laws, may militate against their ability to access services. Additionally, living in a home where there is domestic abuse and coercive control can make a person feel extremely isolated and afraid. Not being able to speak the common language and an absence of interculturally competent services exacerbates this and leaves the person in a very vulnerable situation. For many migrant women, when they reach out for help, it is when things have come to a very difficult and dangerous point.

Lost in Translation

As social care workers we rely on our humanity to connect with people. We then deploy our skills and knowledge to support the people accessing our services. In those moments of crisis, when a person reaches out for help, we must respond by de-escalating the situation enough to act effectively.

De-escalate the situation:

• Show empathy and provide reassurance
• Remain calm
• Help them self-regulate (sit, breath)
• Offer caring gestures (tissue, drink of water/tea)

Assess the situation: 

If the person is traumatised, the social care worker must assess if the trauma is a factor in their ability to communicate. Trauma can impact people in different ways. A person may present stunned, non-verbal, withdrawn, distant, confused, upset or crying, rambling, confused, shouting, talking rapidly, frustrated. Once the person is somewhat calm and can start to communicate, the social care worker must figure out if they can understand some English. Establishing names, country/ language they speak is a good starting point. It may not be possible to get an interpreter in that moment so using other communication tools can help provide reassurance. Google Translate/ translation apps on mobile devices are helpful. As there are so many language variations, even within one country, Google Translate can help identify the specific language spoken, which will assist when arranging an interpreter.

Within many social care settings, for example a refuge environment, assessing health and wellbeing may need to be the first response. If a person presents with visible injuries medical assistance should be provided. However, in the context of domestic abuse some injuries may not be visible, if the person has been sexually assaulted or assaults are intentionally not carried out on obvious or visible areas of the body. Be cautious if offering other services; this may frighten the service user, especially if they do not understand the context of the conversation or if their status in the country is linked to another person.

Who Should Translate? 

If there is any doubt that the person does not fully understand the conversation, a translator should be enlisted. Some people who are frightened and unsure may give the impression that they know what you are saying. Clarity and understanding should be sought. Be aware that service users may not want to use an interpreter and may prefer to use a family member or friend. Children can often become language brokers for their non-English-speaking parents. Using children to interpret should be avoided. Children must be protected from harm, as outlined in Children First guidelines, and interpreting may cause distress and trauma for the child. Using adult family or friends has its advantages and disadvantages; additional information may be shared if family members interpret for one another; service users may mistrust using an unknown professional interpreter (Lucas 2014). Nevertheless, issues of collusion and accuracy have been identified when informal interpreters have been used in public services, resulting in errors and compromised meaning (Lucas 2015; Dorner et al. 2010). In the case of domestic abuse disclosures, some service users may not want to disclose details of their abuse, to protect the friend or family member or because they feel ashamed. There are also concerns about interpreters’ availability and confidentiality breaches (Sawrikar 2013). This may present in small tight-knit communities. One example of this occurred when the court interpreter was known to a woman I supported. This woman was applying for a domestic violence order. The incident caused huge distress for the woman, and resulted in her withdrawing from accessing the court order for protection. This also left her in an unsafe situation, worrying if the interpreter would tell her partner of their encounter.

Interpreters contribute to assessment and intervention processes by facilitating communication, and by doing so, they gain insight into service users’ experiences, perspectives, wishes and feelings. Discrimination and oppression are common experiences for emergent bilinguals, thus facilitating communication is an anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice issue. Ensuring that services are provided in a suitable format and facilitating communication is helpful in recognising people’s language, history, culture, traditions and religion (Keating 2000). Using an interpreter when language is an issue is important to ensure understanding and gain clarity. This is particularly important when completing risk assessments, informing service users of their rights, in child protection issues, for consent to engage in services or share information to other services, and in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

 

 

 

For example, information for a woman accessing a refuge in crisis:

This is a refuge, women and children who are hurt or afraid at home can stay here. You are safe here. I work here, and it is my job to help you. If you are afraid, we will not tell anyone you are here. Can you tell me how I can help you …

Engaging the services of an interpreter can be time-bound. Whether over the phone or in person, the interpreter will have a set time with you to provide their services. Preparation for this will ensure the time is used effectively. Write down the information you need to provide to the service user and write down the questions you need to ask them.

Be mindful that you can enlist an interpreter again, at a later stage, so do not overwhelm the service user with too much information. Keep the information specific and deal with the most pressing issues.

It may help to clarify at the start of the first meeting that the interpreter is a professional doing their job, has no decision-making powers and is bound by the confidentiality policy of the agency. Speak directly to the service user, rather than to the interpreter. Many more sessions may be required as the service user’s needs are identified. Once the crisis point has passed, communication will increase as trust and the feeling of safety grows. For more practical tips for using translation services see the resources listed at the end of this chapter.

Funding and access to translation services or an interpreter must be considered. Some partner services have access to these services; however, all services should work towards having their information translated into the most used languages. Services should also have guidelines for staff detailing when and how to enlist translation and interpreter services.

Conclusion 

Our society is growing rapidly and with this growth diversity blossoms. Our social services must be able to support all persons in our society. Communication and Language is the seed that must be present in order to assess and meet the needs of all persons. Every person has the right to have their voice heard; it is up to us to enable this process, to support and ultimately assist them to overcome the adversity they are facing. Engaging and working with other cultures can create learning and new experiences that enrich services and the people in them. Having services that are accessible to all persons ensures inclusiveness and diversity. Training staff in diversity, equality and inclusion can help build awareness of unconscious bias, cultural competence, or other barriers to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. It can also motivate positive behaviours and attitudes. Reflection and sharing learning can also add to this growth.

Useful recommendations for interpreting and translating services:

1. The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) report, ‘Developing Quality Cost-effective Interpreting and Translating Services for Government Service Providers in Ireland’ (2008), https://www.atii.ie/publications/articles-reports/page/2/
2. HSE Multilingual Resources and Translated Material Information, https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/primarycare/socialinclusion/about-social-inclusion/ translation-hub/multilingual-resources-and-translated-material/
3. Lost in Translation? Good Practice Guidelines for HSE Staff in Planning, Managing and Assuring Quality Translations of Health-related Material into Other Languages, https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/socialinclusion/lostintranslationreport.pdf
4. On Speaking Terms: Good Practice Guidelines for HSE Staff in the Provision of Interpreting Services, https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/socialinclusion/emaspeaking.pdf