Developing Cultural Sensitive Practice in Child Protection when working with CALD communities

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Developing Cultural Sensitive Practice in
Child Protection when working with CALD
communities
Ms Jatinder Kaur M. Soc. Admin, B.A. (Psy)
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Introduction Background

• Australias population is increasingly becoming
  more diverse, whereby Australian Bureau of
  Statistics (ABS) reported in 2006
• Number of persons born overseas increased to 4.4
  million
• Over the past 5 years (2001-2005) Australia has
  settled approximately 176 00 of humanitarian
  refugee entrants from war torn countries (Sudan,
  Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Iraq)
• Australia is one of most linguistically diverse
  countries in the world, some 400 languages are
  spoken
• Inevitably professionals working in child
  protection authorities will come into contact
  with families from CALD backgrounds

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Increase in number of child protection
notifications

• The number of child protection notifications has
  doubled over the past 6 years in Australia
• In 2007 there were approximately 28,441 children
  and young people in out-of-home care, double the
  number of 10 years ago (Australian Institute of
  Health Welfare, 2007)
• These reports do not reflect the number of
  children from CALD background who have entered
  the child protection system across Australia.

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Invisibility of CALD children in Child Protection
System

• There is an assumption that CALD communities are
  possibly under-represented in reported incidences
  of child abuse.
• The S.A. Our Best Investment State Plan to
  Protect and Advance the interests of children
  (2003) report notes CALD children are invisible
  for the following reasons
• They do not come into contact with services due
  to fears of Government, particularly families
  that have fled war torn/oppressive regimes
• They have limited awareness of access to services
  in child protection
• They have limited understanding of concepts of
  legislation, practices of Child Protection
• Service providers do not have the skills to pick
  up CALD children's protective needs
• Services coming into CALD communities may be
  reluctant to report child abuse concerns due to
  fear of how mainstream services may treat CALD
  families/impact of reporting may have on the
  services' relationship with community

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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)

• CALD is commonly used to describe people who
  have a cultural heritage different from that of
  the majority of people from the dominant
  Anglo-Australian culture ( DChS practice paper
  working with CALD families, 2006)
• In Australia both terms, Non English Speaking
  Background (NESB) and CALD are commonly used for
  migrants and refugees
• In the US, people of colour are identified by
  their race (African American, Native America,
  Hispanic, Black)
• In the UK, Non-Anglo communities are identified
  as being from ethnic minorities, South Asian,
  Black/Afro-Caribbean,
• However these terms of reference are not
  inclusive or sensitive to the variations between
  cultures and language identity

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What is Culture?

• Culture is defined as
• an integrated pattern of human behaviour that
  includes thoughts, communications, actions,
  customs, beliefs, values and institutions of
  racial, ethnic, religious or social group
  (Cross, Bazron, Dennis Isaacs, 1989)
• Ethnic Culture is defined as
• language, worldview, dress, food and styles of
  communication, notions of wellness, healing
  techniques, childrearing patters and
  self-identity (Abney, 2002)

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Cultural Sensitivity

• The cultural sensitive approach in social work
  entails a recognition that all clients regardless
  of their cultural background will have as much in
  common yet they will have different worldview's
  (Lee Greene, 1999)
• Cultural sensitivity also implies an
  understanding by practitioners of the impact of
  racism and racial abuse, ways of challenging this
  at an institutional and individual level
  (Thoburn, Chand, Procter, 2005)
• Overcoming racism requires intervention at the
  personal, institutional and cultural levels
  (Dominelli, 2000).

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Cultural Sensitivity continued

• Children and families who are from CALD
  backgrounds may have been negatively affected by
  oppression, prejudice and discrimination.
• Caseworkers need to understand how these concepts
  inter-relate to avoid further marginalization of
  these families (Connolly, Crichton-Hill, Ward,
  2006).
• Therefore, the caseworker needs to be aware and
  have an understanding of these concepts and how
  they impact on CALD communities in the child
  protection context.

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Cultural Competence

• A culturally competent system of care
  acknowledges and incorporates at all levels
  the importance of culture, the assessment of
  cross-cultural relations, vigilance towards the
  dynamics that result from cultural differences,
  the expansion of cultural knowledge and the
  adaptation of services to meet culturally-unique
  needs (Cross et al, 1989)
•  
• Cultural competence approach focuses on
  developing culture-specific concepts, knowledge
  and techniques from within the specific context
  (Lee Green, 1999)

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Cultural Competence Attainment Model for child
welfare practice Ann McPhatter (1997)

• Cultural Competence has the ability to
  transform knowledge and cultural awareness into
  health, psychosocial interventions that support
  and sustain healthy client-system functioning
  within appropriate cultural context (McPhatter,
  1997)
• The cultural competence attainment model
  identified three elements
• Enlightened Consciousness
• Grounded Knowledge Base
• Cumulative Skill Proficiency,
• as essential skills in developing cultural
  competence and culturally effectiveness when
  working with non-Anglo families

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Cultural Reflective Approach

• Connolly et al,(2006) propose a cultural
  reflective approach
• reflecting on cultural thinking can challenge
  unhelpful attitudes and practices that have the
  potential to create cultural misunderstandings.
  using critically reflective process can help to
  dislodge beliefs underpinning assessments when
  they are no longer relevant to the changed
  practice environment
• Connolly et al,(2006) further argue, the
  benefits of this approach as allowing
  professional interpretation, consolidate
  professional knowledge, build practice wisdom and
  provide a sense of being on track (p41) when
  working with CALD families.

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Background to the Research Study

• In November/December 2006, research was conducted
  with frontline statutory child protection
  caseworkers employed in the Queensland Department
  of Child Safety.
• The author designed and developed the Cross
  Cultural Child Protection Survey (CCCPS) 2007, as
  there was no instrument in the research
  literature which assessed cross cultural
  competency in child protection context.
• The key findings of this research is published in
  Children Australia, 324, 2007. This presentation
  will discuss the qualitative findings from Cross
  Cultural Child Protection Survey (2007).

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Examining Caseworkers perceptions of Cultural
Sensitive Practices when working with CALD
families

• The Qualitative section explored child protection
  caseworkers perceptions of cultural sensitive
  practice what it means to be culturally
  competent when working with CALD families.
• Participants were asked specifically
• What factors they believed contribute to
  culturally INSENSITIVE practices in child
  protection work?
• This question utilized McPhatters Enlightened
  Consciousness stage whereby the aim of this
  question was to explore the caseworkers self
  awareness, their concept of what contributed to
  cultural insensitive practice and what could or
  would they change in their practice when working
  with CALD families.

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Participants

• A non random purposive sample of (n66) of child
  protection caseworkers and team leaders were
  chosen to pilot the CCCPS. The sample comprised
  of (54) women and (12) men.
• The age of respondents ranged between 21 to 49
  years with mean of 29 years.
• All participants held qualifications in social
  work or human services.
• There were (11) respondents who could speak a
  second language and identified from CALD
  background.
• Ten (10) Child Safety Service Centers were
  selected from across South East Queensland,
  predominantly based in urban and socially
  disadvantaged outer fringe suburbs of the
  Brisbane Metropolitan Area.

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Data Analysis

• An inductive thematic analysis was performed on
  the qualitative responses.
• This process involved transcribing all (66)
  responses into data set and conducting content
  analysis of identifying, organizing the recurring
  themes from the data.
• A narrative of the major themes was developed
  however this presentation will focus on the
  qualitative responses on the development of
  Cultural Sensitive Practice when working with
  Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
  families.

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Cultural Sensitive Practice as identified by
Child Protection caseworkers demonstrating

• An understanding of effective cross cultural
  communication
• It is imperative that the caseworker
• Consider cultural family structures and child
  rearing norms in making and writing up the
  assessment using relevant CALD agency to monitor
  child's protection consult CALD agency (usually
  informally) (participant 35, Anglo-Australian,
  180 months experience)
• Attempt to respect the individuality of each
  family make attempt to briefly investigate
  normative cultural issues and expectations
  attempt to discuss cultural customs and issues
  with family to gain better understanding(
  participant 26, Anglo-Australian, 28 months
  experience) in demonstrating cultural sensitive
  casework.
•  

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Communication and Engagement skills

• Some respondents provided practical examples of
  their engagement with CALD families.
• Through discussion with family ask if they
  require cultural support, source support through
  their own community if necessary, link with
  liaison officers and cultural support in other
  governments departments and interpreter services
  if required, In placements maintain cultural
  links important to family (e.g. Samoan Church)
  (participant 19, Anglo-Australian, 24 months
  experience).
• Ask child and family how they feel their
  cultural identity can be maintained and ask
  others who belong to the community on how to best
  meet cultural needs (participant 18,
  Anglo-Australian, 14 months experience)

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Issues of One Size Fits all approach

• In Australia there are specific policies on
  migrant and refugees communities to acculturate
  and assimilate within the dominant Australian
  culture, this further compounds the caseworkers
  ability and understanding of cross cultural
  issues impacting on certain CALD communities
• Child Safety Officer lack of knowledge and
  understanding about culture or when families
  don't identify themselves as culturally linked
  and this belief that everyone should "assimilate"
  in Australian society (participant 20,
  Anglo-Australian, 11 months experience).
• "one size fits all" approach- each case needs to
  be considered on own merit and attention needs to
  be paid to individual, need to consider rights of
  child to be safe from harm can clash with
  cultural beliefs (e.g. smacking) (participant
  16, Anglo-Australian, 120 months experience).

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Referral for appropriate support services

• Caseworkers identified that referrals to CALD
  specific services and engagement with these
  services would allow them to gain a better
  understanding of the cultural norms, customs and
  guidance on how best to engage with CALD
  families
• During family meeting plan for links to culture,
  engage agencies or individuals to enable this
  seek families guidance on appropriate cultures
  (participant 16, Anglo-Australian, 120 months
  experience),
• However the caseworker may not have the ability
  to make referral if there was a lack of CALD
  specific services
• Lack of structured formal agencies for certain
  cultures like Samoan, African (participant 48,
  Anglo-Australian, 8 months experience).

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Placing the child with Kin or extended family
network

• Try to place child with family member and
  community group engage with community elders to
  Family Group Meeting's and ensures regular family
  contact
• (participant 2, Anglo-Australian, 17 months
  experience)
• However the kinship placement option was not
  always available,
• as there were a limited number of foster carers
  from CALD background
• There are issues when placing children with
  foster carer, especially with children from
  diverse ethnic backgrounds. For example there are
  few foster carers of Samoan ethnicity available
  for placements (participant 62,
  Anglo-Australian, 46 months experience).
•  

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Cultural Sensitive Practice - Summary

• Caseworkers highlighted the need for workers to
  engage, be respectful and build responsive
  relationships when working with CALD families.
• These cross-cultural skills included
• engaging with the family,
• use of interpreter,
• ascertaining cultural supports,
• linking with liaison officers and
• sourcing appropriate support from other
  government departments,
• as being effective when working with CALD
  families and kinship placements

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Organisational Barriers to Cultural Sensitive
Practice

• Caseworkers identified a lack of training,
  resources, support services and policy guidelines
  when working with CALD families
• Child Safety Officer who lacks knowledge and
  experience of cultural issues maybe insensitive
  to cultural issues, training in this area is
  necessary (participant 18, Anglo-Australian, 14
  months experience).
• No education education focuses more on
  Indigenous people rather than other cultures
  (participant 15, Anglo-Australian, 24 months
  experience).

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Organisational Barriers to Cultural Sensitive
Practice

• Caseworkers identified a lack of resources,
  support services and policy guidelines when
  working with CALD families
• Lack of available resources and service agencies
  and training information courses about specific
  communities in Child Safety Service Centre area
  (participant 7, Anglo-Australian, 30 months
  experience) and
• Lack of resources and appropriate specific
  cultural knowledge and training (Participant 14,
  Anglo Australian, 34 months experience).
• Lack of clear definitions in the legislation and
  policy manual on cultures, other than Aboriginal
  Torres Strait Islander considerations,(participan
  t 19, Anglo Australian, 24 months experience).

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Organisational Barriers to Cultural Sensitive
Practice

• High case loads and lack of time, Lack of
  knowledge ,as contributing factors towards their
  inability to work in a cultural sensitive
  approach with CALD families.
• High Caseload and through put requirements limit
  the potential time to plan and implement
  culturally appropriate assessments (participant
  25, Anglo-Australian, 12 months experience)
• Lack of time to gain better understanding of
  different cultures and make appropriate
  decisions (participant 32, Anglo-Australian, 12
  months experience).
• Lack of cultural awareness, understanding, lack
  of using interpreters and not offering culturally
  appropriate follow-up services (participant 7,
  Anglo-Australian, 30 months experience).

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Issues of Ethnocentric Bias and Ignorance

• Department exists from western value base this
  impacts on cultural identity and value, when
  values between the "western standard" do not
  marry with family from CALD background, this
  impacts on actions of Child Safety Officer, as it
  places work immediately in conflict (participant
  25, Anglo-Australian, 12months experience).
• Lack of understanding of other cultural beliefs
  and working impact on child rearing Child Safety
  Officer not having an understanding and belief
  that all parents should meet the same goals,
  delivering the same parenting practices as their
  own contribute to culturally insensitive practice
  as children maybe removed based on the Child
  Safety Officers own belief system and value
  base (participant 17, Anglo-Australian, 51
  months experience).

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Experiences of Bi-Cultural Workers in Child
Protection

• There were 11 participants that could speak a
  second language from n66 total, CALD/NESB n 4,
  European 5, Other n 2
• Does the Department of Child Safety respect the
  cultural diversity of its staff?
• Yes 10, Dont Know 1
• Completed CSO Training
• Yes 5 No6
• How well prepared were you by your formal
  training for cross cultural child protection
  issues?
• Very 1, Quite 4, A little 4,
  Not at all 2

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Experiences of Bi-Cultural Workers

• What factors do you believe contribute to
  culturally INSENSITIVE practice in child
  protection work?
• Do not respect diversity do not understand the
  family's dynamic, values, beliefs do not build
  responsive relationships, honest, open
  communication with clients (participant 64,
  Asian/Vietnamese, 18 months experience)
• Stereotypes of what different races do to raise
  their children (participant 61, Asian, 11 months
  experience)
• Limited resources by the service providers-
  support services, carers, and lack of appropriate
  service providers, specifically certain dialect
  groups of CALD clients (African, Asian)
  (participant 57, Asian, 18 months experience),

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Experiences of Bi-Cultural Workers

• Emphasized the importance and recognition of
  cultural identity, cultural values, language and
  religion, when working with CALD communities,
• As a Child Safety Officer, I think children and
  their families can suffer if their culture,
  languages are ignored or marginalized. So when
  working with people from other cultures, I make
  sure I understand the families beliefs customs,
  take responsibility for respecting diversity in
  practice, building responsive relationships with
  families, building relationships with cultural
  services in area (participant 64,
  Asian/Vietnamese, 18 months experience)
• As often as I am aware of their cultural,
  religious needs especially if family identifies
  specific needs (participant 61, Indian, 24
  months experience).

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Future Research

• The main findings of research study is published
  in the December Issue of Children Australia, 324
  (2007)
• The second paper is currently under review
  Developing Cultural Sensitive practice when
  working with CALD communities An Australian
  exploratory study .
• The author is part time PhD candidate with
  University of Queensland.
• The PhD will explore How do adolescents from
  CALD backgrounds understand, experience and
  perceive their Cultural Identity whilst being
  in out-of-home care?

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Questions Answers Feedback

• Contact Details
• Jatinder.kaur_at_childsafety.qld.gov.au