If we fail to acknowledge the influence of culture on the work we do, we limit our ability to interact with and help families and children. Although this situation is likely the result of a variety of factors, culturally competent practice should increase our chances of improving outcomes for everyone we serve. Cultural competence is the capacity to work effectively with people from a variety of ethnic, cultural, political, economic, and religious backgrounds. It is being aware of how our own culture influences how we view others. A white American social worker has as much need of cultural competency when working with a family of Ukrainian immigrants as she does when working with an African American family, perhaps more so.
Cultural competency is about developing skills.
A study published several years ago found that clients who perceive themselves as racial minorities expected to be negatively evaluated by the public systems that serve them. When we overlook culture or when we do not understand what is normal in the context of the culture, we can make harmful decisions. Cultural competence allows social workers to feel comfortable and be effective in their interactions with families whose cultures are different from their own. If you are white or of Anglo-European descent, you are part of the dominant U.S. culture. It is important to examine this sort of thinking when working with people of other cultures, as it can alienate your clients and decrease positive outcomes.