Page 59 - Part B

Information, Advice or Guidance

Ways to support a specific group of clients to overcome
the identified barriers

Before you try and put things in place to assist the client, it is important to
communicate with the client – and not make assumptions about what they require.
Just because a client comes from a different country, or appears to have a physical
disability, it does not mean they will see those issues as a barrier or need any special
assistance.

Once you have identified that a client may have a barrier to achieving their
requirements, it is important to try to empathise with the client to see things from
their point of view. This will enable you to effectively plan the steps to help your
client get the help they need.

When dealing with clients who require assistance to overcome any barriers, familiarise
yourself with your policies around barriers such as equality, any interpretation services
available to your clients and local services in the area that might specialise in certain
client groups. For example, charities focusing on immigration issues or charities
working with adults who have reading or writing difficulties.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with your documents, find out if any of these are
available in different languages or materials; for example, clients with sight issues may
need large print or braille or audio versions.

Ensure that you seek feedback from clients and use good questioning to find if they
understand. Just asking, ‘Do you understand?’, might result in the client just saying,
‘Yes’, through embarrassment – or perhaps they don’t understand the question.
Instead, ask the client to explain the advice you have given to them, to make sure they
do understand.

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