Identity

In order to understand other people’s identity we need to understand our own. This helps us to identify whether there are differences between us and the young people we support and whether there are gaps that can be bridged. You and your family should try and spend some time thinking about this before you start supporting a young person.

A person’s identity is important particularly for black and minority ethnic young people and can be made up of a mixture of the things below:

• How we look including our skin colour;
• How we dress;
• How we sound and the language that we speak;
• Our views;
• Our family values and traditions;
• Our religious beliefs;
• Our family history and background;
• How we form relationships, including our sexual orientation;
• Gender identity issues.

It is important for you to develop and promote a young person’s identity. It is vital that you uphold and develop the young person’s identity particularly when they are not living with their own family or else it will weaken their sense of who they are.

Within our own culture we often do this without thinking or meaning to by assuming that what we do is the same as everybody else. The way in which we might celebrate Christmas is an example of this.

Our understanding is helped by understanding the young person’s background and should be addressed in the Placement Plan at the start of their placement about how this will be done.

Where young people are placed with you from different backgrounds or cultures, the supported lodgings Service will provide additional training and support and information. The young person also plays an important role in informing the hosts about their cultural needs and support they would like to be put in place. This will make sure that the young person receives the best possible support to develop a positive understanding of their background and heritage.

• The wellbeing of individual young people must be at the centre of your practice. All young people’s achievements must be celebrated and appropriately rewarded;
• Young people’s day-to-day support needs must be met, such as routine, privacy, personal space and support with preparing of nutritious meals. Young people must be treated with dignity and respect;
• Young people must experience support that is sensitive and responsive to their identity and family history, including age, disability, ethnicity, faith or belief, gender, gender identity, language, race and sexual orientation;
• The support of young people is reviewed regularly and it is ensured that the care plan is being met;
• If any specific type or model of support is required, you will be suitably trained and supervised;
• Specialist help will be made available according to the individual needs of young people, including those who live away from their 'home' authority. This help will be available as soon as it is needed, at the intensity required and for as long as it is required. If specialist services from elsewhere are not available, or young people are waiting for a long time for help, the supported lodgings Service will be proactive in challenging and escalating concerns with the accommodating authority and/or other partners;
• Young people must be protected, and helped to keep themselves safe, from bullying, homophobic behaviour, racism, sexism, radicalisation and other forms of discrimination. Any discriminatory behaviours must be challenged and help and support given to young people about how to treat others with respect.

Culture is part of a young person’s identity and heritage. All supported lodgings hosts should respect and value a young person’s cultural heritage.

Culture describes the way people live their lives. Culture is based on many different factors, memories, common experience, background, language, racial identity, class, religion and family attitudes etc.

Sometimes conflicts arise in the host’s home between the way you are used to living and the ways that the young person is used to. Dilemmas arise about what is the right thing to do. When a young person doesn’t want to follow the way that is expected of them there are rarely easy answers when sorting these problems out. Examples can be as simple as eating at the table, or religious observance. You should talk to the young person and their family (where appropriate) to try and understand what their views are and find a way forward. Your Supervising Worker and/or the young person’s social worker can also provide help.

It is possible that a young person whose first language is not English may be placed with you.

Language is an important part of a young person’s identity and culture. Every effort should be made to preserve a young person’s linguistic and communication skills; otherwise they may lose a large part of their culture.

If you need more information or advice about a young person’s cultural and linguistic needs contact the young person’s social worker or your Supervising Worker.

You should look for ways in which you can promote the young person’s identity. Discuss this with your Supervising Worker and the young person’s social worker.

Young people should be supported to continue with any religious beliefs and take an active part of the communities they belong to.

A young person’s disability is a part of who they are and the arrangements that are made to meet their needs are a part of respecting their identity.

Some young people may identify as transgender (i.e. as a different gender from their birth gender) or as non-binary (they may not identify as either male or female). Transgender/non- binary young people should receive equal opportunities and encouragement to pursue their talents, interests and hobbies. Sexist stereotypes of behaviour must not be imposed or condoned.

Young people who are experiencing gender identity issues should, in general, be given space, time and support to explore their own gender identity. However it is important that they are protected from adverse effects such as bullying and discrimination.

Some young people may wish to discuss specialist medical intervention, or may require specialist support. Discuss this with your Supervising Worker and the young person’s social worker.

It is useful to think about all the things a young person comes into contact with. For example, books and posters. Do they have positive images of young people who are from a different race or who have a disability?

This may seem like a small thing but it can have a big impact on a young person if for instance all they see are images of white children and they are black, this is also important for things like birthday cards.