Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice Hi, My name is Annette Johns and I am the Associate Director of Policy and Practice with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers. As the professional association and regulatory body for social work in Newfoundland and Labrador, the NLASW is committed to producing best practice standards and documents that speak to the practice of social work in this province. The Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice is our most recent standards publication, and is applicable to all areas of social work practice; clinical, community development, research, administration, supervision, and policy development. I am pleased to introduce this document and provide a brief overview of the standards. Please note that this document is available on the NLASW website in our Practice Resources section.

Background April 2014, social workers were invited to become part of an ad-hoc committee to inform the development of the standards. June 2014, needs assessment to identify issues/areas to be addressed in the standards was distributed to members. Thorough literature review and jurisdictional scan. Cultural Consultations February 2016, member review and feedback on draft standards. May 2016, adoption of standards by the NLASW Board  The development of these standards is an initiative that began in 2014 when NLASW members with an interest in informing the development of standards for cultural competence were invited to join an ad-hoc committee and volunteer their time and experience . One of the first steps undertaken by the committee was to conduct a short needs assessment to identify the issues and areas that needed to be explored in the development of the standards. A thorough literature review and jurisdictional scan was also completed. Several consultations with community stakeholders were also held to engage them in a conversation on how they perceive cultural competence; which in turn added richness to the project. The committee spent many meetings reviewing content and engaging in collaborative dialogue. The discussions were enlightening and educational and the committee was committed to producing a set of standards that spoke to the practice in this province. By February 2016, the committee had a draft document that was ready for member review. The final document was presented to the NLASW Board on May 5, 2016 where a motion was passed to adopt the Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.

Purpose Inform social workers, employers and the public on best practice standards for social work practice with diverse cultures. Increase awareness of the practice considerations, ethical responsibilities and continuing professional education guidelines for fostering culturally competent practice. Provide a framework from which social workers can reflect on and enhance skills, knowledge and abilities to work with individuals, families, groups and communities from diverse cultures. Acknowledge the role of social workers in engaging and partnering with diverse cultures and the promotion of social justice. Promote cultural competence as an integral component of social work practice. As a profession we are committed to the principles of social justice, human rights and respect for diversity. Therefore, cultural competence is an integral part of social work practice. The standards are grounded in the ethics and values of the social work profession, and builds upon the CASW Code of Ethics (2005) and Guidelines for Ethical Practice (2005). The purpose of these standards are to….. Outline best practices in working with diverse cultures, raise awareness to some of the ethical considerations, promote continuing education in this area, and encourage continued reflection and dialogue.

Culture ‘the customs, habits, skills, technology, arts, values, ideology science, and religious and political behavior of a group of people in a specific time period’ Social Work Dictionary (2014) Newfoundland and Labrador is steeped in culture, and the context of social work practice continues to evolve. Culture in these standards refers to….. In addition to ethnicity, race, language and religious status, culture also captures gender and gender identity, age, ability, spirituality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Cultural Competence ‘process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, spiritual traditions, immigration status, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each’ NASW, 2016 Cultural competence, as defined by the National Association of Social Workers, is….. Cultural competence in these standards is an umbrella term for the knowledge and skills social workers require in working within the cultural context of clients. It incorporates cultural sensitivity, awareness, humility and safety, and highlights that cultural competence is an on-going process (not an end point) of learning, reflection, and professional growth. We use the framework of cultural competence as it is consistent with the ethical value of competence in social work and it implies action and accountability. It also in keeping with the ethical principle of maintaining the best interests of clients as a priority. Cultural competent practice focuses on the importance of individualizing care within the cultural context of clients, and the avoidance of overgeneralizations. This also helps to build trust in the therapeutic relationship. As social workers we know how important the social worker-client relationship – it is one of the best predictors of therapeutic success.

Standards Standard 1: Culturally competent social work practice is grounded in the ethics and values of the social work profession. Standard 2: Social workers recognize and appreciate the importance of being aware of one’s own cultural identity and experiences in cross cultural practice. Standard 3: Social workers seek to understand the values, beliefs, traditions and historical context of clients and incorporate this knowledge into social work assessments and interventions. Standard 4: Social workers demonstrate the use of effective intervention skills when working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. There are 8 standards in total. I will briefly go through each of them. Standard 1 – Standard 1 really sets the context for this practice document. Ethics lies at the very heart and core of the social work profession. Value 1 in the Code of Ethics speaks to the respect that we have for all persons and the appreciation we have for diversity; value 2 speaks to our work in social justice. Culturally competent practice requires a commitment to increasing our knowledge of diverse cultures, deepening our understanding of our own culture and how this shapes our worldview, and embracing culture as a integral focus in our practice. As social workers, we work to oppose discrimination and prejudice, and stand up for human rights as enshrined in the human rights and international conventions. We also recognize and appreciate the importance of ethical decision-making and how we must navigate ethical issues pertaining to boundaries, dual and multiple relationships, conflicts in values and expectation, privacy and confidentiality and decision-making with a cultural context. For example, collective decision-making may be the norm in many cultures. Standard 2 speaks specifically to the importance of recognizing and appreciating our own cultural identity and experiences. We can only truly embrace the importance of culture in people’s lives by seeking to understand our own cultural awareness. This process of self-reflection also includes examining our own values, beliefs, and biases. For example, do we have any biases (subtle or overt) that we might need to consider and address? What is our sense of privilege and do we hold any privileges because of our cultural experiences and professional status that might impact on our practice? Are there any influences or power dynamics that we have to consider in our work? We also have to be willing to explore how our worldviews and experiences of culture relates to the cultural views of those we work with and consider whether this is having an impact on our practice. In cross cultural practice, collaborative dialogue with our clients is very important. Standard 3 guides social workers to seek to understand the values, beliefs and historical context of clients; important elements in a cultural assessment. We achieve this through open dialogue and conversation with clients. We have to be cognizant to avoid generalizations of cultural groups, as each individual experience of cultural can be quite different. We also have to be open to cultural humility and to learn from each client about their experience of culture, what culture means to them, and how culture impacts (positively or negatively) on their health and well-being. We have to create space for these stories to be told. What are their values, beliefs and lifestyle practices? How do they perceive their psychosocial needs and expectations around the helping relationship? Informed consent, and working with clients to avoid potential misunderstandings is crucial in this regard. Standard 4 provides context to guide effective intervention skills. It speaks to the importance of having foundational knowledge of a client’s culture, the need to increase our communication skills and use interventions that are sensitive to the client’s cultural experiences. It challenges us to deepen our understanding of oppression, colonization, discrimination and power – while recognizing that everyone’s experience is unique and should not generalized. As social workers we also need to be aware of the community resources and supports that are important to clients and to engage collaboratively with them.

Standards Cont’d Standard 5: Social workers engage in continuing professional development to foster knowledge, skills and abilities in working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Standard 6: Social workers engaged in the supervision of social work practice integrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in continued learning and skill development. Standard 7: Social workers demonstrate leadership in cross-cultural practice. Standard 8: Social workers ensure that cultural issues are addressed when providing social work services through electronic technology. Standard 5 speaks to the ethical responsibility we have as social workers to maintain and increase our professional knowledge and skills through life-long learning. We must continually reflect on our knowledge and skills in working with clients from diverse cultures and embrace continuing professional development opportunities to enhance our competence in this area. This could include attending workshops and conferences, reading professional journals, engaging our colleagues in conversations about culture, connecting with community groups and organizations that are pertinent to the needs of clients with whom we are working, and asking clients how they see themselves being engaged in service delivery. Standard 6 – This standard speaks to the importance of incorporating discussions on cultural competency within the context of social work supervision. Those who provide supervision should have knowledge of diversity and culturally competent practice and assist supervisees to develop a plan to enhance their own competency in working with diverse cultures; while ensuring that they have the appropriate orientation and preparation when engaged in this work. Standard 7 -  As a profession social workers promote social justice and engage in advocacy to promote respect, fairness and equity. Standard 7 speaks to the importance of advancing cultural knowledge and understanding within our work environment and communities. Social workers are able to provide leadership in these areas, facilitate dialogue and creative conversations, work with our colleagues and organizations to advance change, and engage in social policy analysis. Standard 8 –Standard 8 speaks to technology use and cultural competence. Technology use in social work practice continues to grow. In 2012, the NLASW launched Standards for Technology Use in Social Work Practice. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) launched Model Regulatory Standards for Technology Use in Social Work Practice in 2015. Both of these documents provide best practice guidance when using technology in social work practice. As noted in the NLASW 2012 technology standards, it is important that social workers strive to have an understanding of the impact of technology on clients, organizations and communities, including cultural considerations. As noted in the ASWB document, some of these considerations include: being aware of the cultural differences among clients and in their use of technology, providing online information in a way that is understandable and culturally appropriate, assessment of whether the use of online service delivery meets the client’s cultural views and expectations, and being aware of professional boundaries on social networking sites given that cultural factors may increase the likelihood of shared friend networks.

Practice Applications Assessing one’s continuing education needs Enhancing practice skills Educating colleagues Informing the development of clinical/organizational policies These standards provide best practice guidance for enhancing cultural competence in practice. This is a continuous process and we never truly become culturally competent – how can we? We are not expected to be experts in every culture, but we do have a responsibility to be aware of the cultural realities and experiences our clients bring to us, and how our culture has shaped us as individuals and as professionals. As life long learners, we must seek and avail of opportunities to enhance our knowledge, skills and abilities in working with diverse cultures, we can foster working environments where discussions on culture happen in meaningful, respectful and purposeful ways, and using our leadership skills to engage in and guide policy development as opportunities arise.

Food for {Cultural Competence} Thought….. What culture (s) do I identify with? Do I express my culture to others? What impact does culture have on my personal life? My work life? Do I perceive some cultures to be more or less privileged than other cultures? Has this impacted me? How do I see this impacting others? Is it possible to be privileged and oppressed at the same time within culture? How can I engage effectively in a culture different than my own? How can I continue to foster cultural competence in my practice? How can I advocate for change towards cultural competence on an organizational and systems level? In order to keep the dialogue on cultural competency going, the committee develop some reflection/discussion questions that you can use for personal self-reflection or in conversations with your colleagues. It is through this continued dialogue that we will grow in our own journey of culture competence – a journey build on respect, collaboration, and cultural awareness.

Conclusion Thank-you!