How to Turn Cultural and Identity Needs Into Person-Centred Support

August 7, 2025

🧕 Blog 7 of 7 in our Cultural & Identity Needs Series

Browse all 7 blogs using the numbered links at the bottom of each post.

Person-centred care isn’t person-centred unless it recognises the whole person — including their culture, background, and beliefs. In this final post of the series, we look at how to turn awareness into action, shaping meaningful support that respects cultural identity and strengthens quality of life. This is vital evidence in both domiciliary care tenders and learning disability bids, where commissioners look for proof of lived practice, not just policy statements.

Understanding isn’t enough — commissioners want to see action. It’s not enough to say you’re culturally aware. You need to show how you adapt your service delivery to match people’s cultural and identity needs in practice — from care planning to staff matching, and from food to festivals.

Use clear, grounded examples:

Assigning staff who speak the same first language
Recognising the role of faith in daily routines and decision-making
Incorporating traditional or cultural foods into meal planning
Supporting access to places of worship or community groups

Including these examples in your home care bid writing makes responses more credible and relatable.

🧠 Matching staff is one of the most powerful tools you have. Where possible, matching staff with people they support based on language, cultural background, or spiritual understanding leads to better communication, trust, and outcomes.

Even when an exact match isn’t possible, staff can still be trained in cultural sensitivity and briefed on individual identity needs. A simple act like acknowledging Ramadan, preparing kosher food, or understanding the importance of personal boundaries can make a huge difference — and showing this in tenders or with specialist bid proofreading ensures it’s presented clearly and professionally.

📄 Don’t forget to reflect these practices in your care & support plans. Make sure identity needs are clearly recorded and reviewed regularly, with notes on how the service is meeting them. This isn’t just good care — it’s also good evidence for CQC and tender panels.

📢 Practical Tip: In your tender responses, avoid vague statements like “we respect all cultures.” Instead, write: “We supported a Hindu woman who observed specific fasting days; staff adapted meal planning and offered flexible visit times to respect her practice.” Specificity builds credibility.

Explore all 7 blogs in this series on cultural and identity needs in person-centred care: