Cultural competence in social work: significance and controversies

Cultural competence in social work: significance and controversies

There have been many conceptual definitions of cultural competence and related terms such as multicultural practice proposed in the literature (Boyle & Springer, 2001). Kohli and colleagues (2010) chronicle the history of the inclusion of diversity content in social work education, from the assimilation and melting pot paradigm of the 1950s to the social constructionist ethno- cultural framework of the past decade. It remains a rather complex, elusive, and evolving construct. In its simplest form, cultural competence can be understood as an ongoing process whereby one gains awareness of, and appreciation for, cultural diversity and an ability to work sensitively, respect- fully, and proficiently with those from diverse backgrounds. In one of the most frequently cited definitions across disciplines, Cross, Bazron, Dennis, and Isaacs (1989) describe cultural competence as “a set of congruent beha- viors, attitudes and policies that come together in a system or agency or among professionals that enable effective interactions in a cross-cultural framework” (p. 4). An important feature of this conceptualization is its emphasis on competencies across personal, organizational, and systemic levels, as opposed to simply a characteristic of the individual.

There has been a growing appreciation for the complexity of cultural com- petence, including the trajectory of knowledge development and integration of critical knowledge for practice. Historically limited to racial and ethnic mino- rities, the concept of culturally competent practice has more recently been

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