An applied model of cultural competence in child protection practice

Abstract

This empirical qualitative study explores the application of a model of cultural competence in child protection practice with families from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds in the United Kingdom. Data were collected through audio-recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews with a sample of 17 social workers and family support workers across two local government children's social care agencies. The interview route explored practitioners’ experiences of professional work with children and families from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. They were asked to describe good practices in relation to cultural competence around the initial contact, assessment and care planning. Transcripts of these interviews were uploaded to Nvivo12 software and coded in two stages, initially for emergent themes and subsequently in relation to the ASKED model of cultural competence. Data analysis revealed multiple examples of good practice which were analysed employing the five dimensions of the ASKED model, namely, cultural awareness, cultural skill, cultural knowledge, cultural encounter, and cultural desire. By mapping the approaches developed and employed by practitioners onto the five ASKED dimensions, these became discernible and therefore potentially transferable learning for others. The ASKED model of cultural competence is a means of capturing good practice in a systematic and detailed way, making it sharable with other child protection professionals. ASKED is also a framework for moving beyond anti-oppressive theory to practical implementable antioppressive practices with families from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds