Culturally Competent Care

Nearly half of the children who are fostered and adopted are placed with families whose cultures or races are different from their own. When families open their homes and hearts to children within the foster care system, foster families need to learn and practice cultural competency.  Culture is a set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and behavior standards passed down from one generation to the next.  Culture defines what is natural and expected in a given group; it includes language, food, dress, styles of communication, and child-rearing patterns. Recognizing and adjusting to different expectations when children are placed in your home is extremely important when a child comes from a different cultural background.   It means recognizing and welcoming diversity, challenging your point of view, and handling discomfort when challenged with new ways of thinking. 

Often, children of color in racially and culturally diverse families have difficulty defining their own cultural and racial identities.  It's important for foster/adoptive families to have open discussions within their home about race; with a lack of communication surrounding race, a child could feel the family doesn't see their race. My son needed access to others who may look like him, to be involved in cultural events, and to have others within our lives with whom he could identify through his Hispanic heritage.  My best friend is Hispanic, and one of my supervisors at the time was Hispanic, and we had frequent social contact with both.  We frequented Mexican restaurants and celebrated Cinco De Mayo; he participated as a dancer in several Quinceaneras.  His school was very diverse, not only with students and teachers that looked like him, but like his mom and paternal family. He used 'Blaxican' on social media as his name, confirming he was finding and learning his way by exposure to both sides of his heritage.  

As I was listening to a podcast regarding Culturally Competent Care, what stood out to me was hearing young adults of multiple races, who grew up in the foster care system report their foster parents did not provide culturally affirming care. A young black woman reported not being taught essential hair care management.  The young adults also noted they didn't have access to adults, teachers, or mentors who looked like them.  They reported feeling the families did not accept them for their true selves. They didn't ask questions about their families, culture, or likes and dislikes. They were expected to join this family and fit into the family's current cultural environment.  Race is ultimately a part of who that child is; while accepting the child, you must acknowledge and talk about their race.  Children may believe that others only see and understand a part of them and their experience. While foster/adoptive families may discuss not seeing color or race, the world is seeing their race. 

Communication is key in caring for any child, and it's imperative for a child from a different race. Ask questions not only with the child placed in your home but also with the child's case worker, previous caretaker, biological parents, or extended family. As you provide foster care and your home becomes a racially and culturally diverse environment, here are questions for the child placed in your home or their extended family and additional thoughts and ideas to examine in becoming a culturally competent home.   

Some questions to consider: 

How does your family celebrate birthdays? Who gets invited, what games are played, and what are the music and food preferences? Are there any cultural or religious rituals centered around birthdays?

What is the importance of church or religion in your family? Does the family attend church regularly? What religious holidays do they observe? Are there certain foods that are off-limits due to religious beliefs?

What are ways we can care for your hair? Does the child know how to care for their hair, or do they have particular people who have helped care for their hair (hair stylists, barbers, braiders, relatives)?  Consider learning basic hair care yourself.   

 What does your social circle look like? Can you find activities, centers or groups with others who racially fit with the child? Children need to have relationships with others who look like them.   
  
By Marilyn Robinson, Family Care Director

 Adapted from: Cultural Best Practices in Foster Care C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D.
 National Training andDevelopment Curriculum - Parenting in racially and culturally diverse   families