Effective Communication in Health and Social Care and Child Care

Know why effective communication in different care settings is important.

Indicative Content

Communication is very important and effective communication can have a positive effect on all aspects of someone’s work.

Communication effectively means service users, colleagues, managers and other professionals understand each other. This will ensure that information and instructions are understood. Adults and children can share their wishes, needs and ideas which reduces the possibility of misunderstanding and mistakes.

Workers need to listen carefully to others to ensure that they have understood what they are trying to communicate. This means a worker will be able to help meet their needs.

NB - Care Settings encompasses health, social care and childcare.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Give reasons why it is important for carers to communicate clearly.

• 1.2

  State why carers need to listen to those in their care.

Know about different communication methods used in care settings.

Indicative Content

Examples should include:

• Verbal (speaking/listening)
• Written (reading/writing)
• Gestures (Makaton, British Sign Language)
• Body language, eye contact, facial expressions
• Language, slang, jargon, accents, dialects.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Give examples of different forms of communication, including ways other than speaking or writing.

Know about effective ways for a carer to communicate with individuals in different settings.

Indicative Content

Examples from different settings should be given, e.g. Working with someone with a learning disability would mean using shorter sentences and using gestures, facial expressions.

Using visual prompts and aids with children.

Talking clearly and avoiding jargon and slang.

Leaflets and posters in different languages.

Large print and braille.

Barriers to communication could include:

• Hearing loss
• Impaired vision
• Learning disability
• English is not their first language
• Environmental – too noisy, too dark

Ways of overcoming barriers could include:-

If its too noisy - moving to a quieter environment to reduce background noise

Using an interpreter

Making sure hearing aids are clean and the battery working

Ensuring eye glasses are correct and used

Knowing where to stand to make sure person can see your face and expressions.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Give examples of effective practice in communicating with individuals in different settings.

• 3.2

  Identify some of the possible barriers to communication in different settings.

• 3.3

  Give examples of ways to overcome barriers to communication.