Clinical examples of cross-cultural work in a community learning disability service

The debate on the correct application of the terms race and ethnicity continues while community care takes place in a multicultural society. The impact of mental illness and mental handicap (currently referred to as learning disability) on different ethnic groups partly depends on societal influences which also determine the policy for service organisation. As the treatment and support of the mentally handicapped has moved away from the custodial care of yesteryear, professionals must ensure that their practice is sensitive to the religion, ethnicity and languages of the communities they serve. This paper describes examples of psychiatric clinical practice with two families of Greek and Kuwaiti background, in the setting of a community learning disability team.