Language and terminology podcast transcript

This is the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board briefing podcast about the importance of language and terminology in relation to adult safeguarding.

We know that language is a powerful tool for communication. But, sometimes we forget that our language use can create a stigma or provide barriers to understanding and engagement. By this we mean that, when we use complex or unfamiliar language, it can create a barrier between us, and the adult we’re supporting. This might mean that the adult doesn’t feel comfortable, or may stop listening to us altogether. Once this happens, we have no way of knowing whether the adult we’re working with has received and understood our message.

Language and terminology can also be problematic if the adults we’re working with find our language to be value-laden or prejudicial. If they feel that we are biased or judgemental, our relationship with them will be understandably affected. To avoid this, we need to consider any unconscious biases we hold, and
be mindful of the language that we use in our own organisational cultures.

We’ll take a look now at what we can do to make our language more accessible to the adults we work with, and improve their experience of working with us. For examples of each of these issues, you may wish to refer to the ‘Language and Terminology Learning Briefing’, which you can find on our website.

The first thing we can do, is to avoid using jargon and acronyms. These can be confusing, and can be organisation-specific. Instead, we should aim to use plain English, using language which is commonplace and doesn’t have alternative meaning. If we do need to use abbreviations or complex language, these need to be explained in full to the adult, and any family or carers involved.

The second thing we can do, is to avoid language which implies blame or shame. This is particularly important when it comes to situations which have historically been referred to as ‘non-engagement’. We should be moving away from language that implies the adult has been intentionally evasive, and instead consider what barriers and situations might be preventing engagement, and how we can work with the adult in a way that takes this into consideration.

I’ll now share some examples of language which may be value-laden or prejudicial, and how we might choose to word our communications, instead. Instead of “challenging behaviour”, we could refer to “behaviour which presents a risk to the adult and/or a challenge to those supporting them”.

Instead of “the adult failed to engage”, consider “our agency was unable to engage with the adult”.

And, instead of “making allegations”, we could state “abuse has been disclosed; we need to look into this and see what’s happened”.

Finally, we need to be aware of whether the language we’re using is consistent with a trauma-informed approach. This means, being able to see beyond an adult’s presenting behaviours, and recognising when someone may be affected by trauma. Our response needs to follow the principles of supporting recovery, doing no harm, and recognising and supporting people’s resilience. This, in turn, will allow adults to feel safe, and to develop trusting relationships with services.

For more information on trauma-informed approaches, please see our learning briefing and the Sussex Safeguarding Policies and Procedures chapter on this.

This concludes our podcast on language and terminology. Thank you for listening. We hope that, together, we can improve the experience for adults with care and support needs in order for them to have better outcomes.

For more information, please do visit our website, where you will find a wealth of information on this, and other key adult safeguarding topics.