Cultural Competence in Social Care and Health

What does it mean to be "cultural competent"?

Culture is a part of our identity. Culture is defined by shared experiences, such as language, history, beliefs and attitudes, cultural dress, diet, and other shared characteristics. Culture is essentially about understanding others from the same culture. Cultures are not inferior or superior, they are simply different.

There has been a shift in the last few years to make 'cultural competence' a core aspect of professional practice in health and social services. Workers need to be able to work with people from other cultures. This is an improvement on being sensitive to others' needs. Recent years have seen professionals becoming more competent at working with culture and difference than being just'sensitive'. Cultural competence has largely replaced cultural sensitivity in health care and social work.

Workers must be able articulate cultural competence if they are to be considered culturally competent. Competence, on the other hand, implies that people who lack sufficient knowledge or understanding of the cultural role of people are not competent in their jobs.

Long-held belief is that competence is comprised of knowledge, values, and skills. Maclean and Caffrey 2009.

According to us, culturally competent practice includes:

1. Understanding and knowledge of:

* Your own culture

* Any culture bias that you may have

* The concept of culture and its impact on beliefs and behavior

* Specific cultural knowledge

2. There are many values and attitudes that can be represented, including the commitment to:

* Value and celebrate difference

* Respecting individuality and the importance of culture in this

3. A range of skills are available, including:

* Culturally competent communication

* Culturally competent assessment

* Culturally sensitive care provision

It is important that you recognize that culture is an element of a person's identity. It does not represent their whole identity. Every person will decide which parts of their cultural identity they will own' and which ones they won't. Each person will approach culture in a different way, which can lead to complexity and a variety of cultural preferences.

Workers in Health and Social Care need to be culturally competent and self-aware

Cultural parole is essential for workers in health and social care. They must acquire key skills and knowledge to ensure that they can practice effectively. Understanding the diversity of daily life is essential to fully appreciate and work with people from different cultures.

There are many variations in the practice of all religions and cultures. It is important to understand that each person has their own standards and practices. Culturally competent workers will understand that culture isn't monolithic. It will be dangerous to offer services based on stereotyped concepts such as "a Jew", a Hindu, or "a Muslim". Some people may not consider themselves members of a religious group even though they were born into it. While religion and traditions are important to some, they may not adhere strictly to dietary guidelines. It is important that individuals are able to determine their own culture, religion, and beliefs.

Culture and religion will influence how a person sees themselves and what they consider their identity. However, this can differ between groups and individuals depending on their personal preferences. Environments have a significant impact on how we live our lives.

Accepting that cultures do not have to be better or worse than one another, but that they are all different, we must also recognize that some ideas and truths that we bring to work are culturally rooted. Social and health workers have their own culture. This applies to both individuals and employees in organisations or members of teams that have different cultures. Culturally competent practice means understanding our values and being aware of how prejudice, oppression and stereotyping affect others. These concepts are understood by competent practitioners who can relate them to their practice and reflect on their own values, truths, and those of others.