Legal and ethical considerations: translation

Workers need to understand the legal and ethical considerations regarding translation in their workplace. In the community services environment translation often encompasses both the interpretation and conversion of one language to another via a translator.

Not just anyone can ethically and legally be used as a translator. Often people requiring care will place workers in compromising positions by asking them to allow family members to act as translators. Family members are often inappropriate as translators as they have a conflict of interest in a person’s care and cannot remain impartial. Family members may also summarise and make additions to the content being translated in such a way that it no longer reflects the thoughts and requests of the person accessing care.

The following information details the ethical and legal requirements concerning translation.