Cultural Diversity

1. Cultural Diversity

2. What is Culture Competence? Culture Competence is a set of behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals and enable that system, agency or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. Culture is used because it implies the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group. Towards A Culturally Competent System of Care CASSP Technical Assistance Center Georgetown University Child Development

3. What is Culture Competence? The term culture competence means services, supports or other assistance that are conducted in a manner that is responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, language and behaviors of individuals who are receiving services, and in a manner that has the greatest likelihood of ensuring their maximum participation in the program. Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act 1994

4. Essential Connections • Culture is the fundamental building block of identity • Through cultural learning, children gain a feeling of belonging, a sense of personal history and a security in knowing…………..who they are and where they come from. • A child’s family background shapes early cultural experiences. Families hand down beliefs, attitudes and ways of acting. These rules of living come from one’s ethnic, regional and religious heritage. • Although the many cultures of the world evolve and change over time, each one of us passes down to its children recognizable and meaningful rules for living.

5. Essential Connections • Families vary tremendously in how closely they follow cultural rules. • By exploring your own background, you can see the roots of some of your child care practices. No matter what routines you are carrying out, your values about it are deeply rooted in your childhood and other cultural influences. • “The caregiver has to understand his or her own culture-what it is from a conceptual standpoint, but also from a practical sense. • What about me is in fact influenced by my culture?” Carol Brunson Phillips

6. Exercise • Think about your own family. Are cultural and/or family traditions passed on from your parents? Grandparents? Siblings? • How is your family culture/traditions evident in everyday activities? Holidays? Special events (weddings, parties, funerals).

7. Cultural Competency in Early Intervention The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s early intervention regulations defines cultural competent service delivery as follows: “ Conducted or provided in a manner that shows awareness of and is responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, language and behavior of children and families who are referred for receiving services.” (PL 14-452, Title 55, section 4226.5).

8. Skills in Cultural Competence • Value your own culture • Understand the impact of culture on how one views and acts in the world • Request and use information from others to understand who they are and how they would like to be treated. • Locate resources in the community to support work with families. • Work collaboratively/effectively with others across cultures.

9. Skills in Working in Families of ANY Culture • Take time to make small talk and find common interest. • Proceed at a pace that is comfortable for the family. • Pay attention to visual cues from body language and facial expressions. Ask direct questions about the pace. • Encourage families to ask questions. • Show respect for families.

10. Stereotypes • Simplified perceptions, opinions or beliefs regarding a person or group of people. • Stereotypes are based on assumptions and lack of experience with a particular group of people. • Our beliefs have an impact on how we treat people. • Examine the stereotypes that you have toward a particular group of people.

11. Exercise Think about an instance when someone made a culturally stereotypical assumption about you. How did you feel? How did you respond? Record your answer on the answer sheet. Think about a situation in which you made a stereotypical assumption about someone else. What happened? How did this person respond? What did you learn from the experience? Record your answer on the answer sheet.

12. Key Points • Knowing who we are helps us to know others better • Who we are is not based on economic and ethnic backgrounds, but also on temperament, experience, and the complex interaction of many factors that contribute to a unique individual

13. What is Diversity? • Diversity is more than cultural differences. • Each of us is similar and different on an • infinite number of dimensions. • Diversity extends far beyond the dimensions of race and gender. • In order to value diversity and make it part of your culture, you need to appreciate and respect the great variety of factors that make us a diverse society.

14. How is Diversity Expressed? • Culture • Ethnicity • Race • Socioeconomic status • Gender • Sexual Orientation • Religion • Education • Political Affiliation • Language • Personal characteristics

15. Exercise Review the handout entitled “The Village of 100 People” Did any information in this hand-out surprise you? Review the handout entitled “Some Points To Remember About Cross-cultural Relationships”

16. “Every person, in different ways, is like all other persons, like some other persons, and like no other persons”. C. Kluckhohn & H. A. Murray

17. Key Points • Learn about the family’s culture • Understand the family’s perspective • Develop trust and friendship • Be willing to listen • Recognize that a family’s cultural values may be different from your own • Gather information about the family’s culture, background, and priorities for their child • Follow the family’s lead • Collaborative relationships are built on trust, mutual respect and shared goals • Building relationship requires time, effort, and communication

18. Completion Instructions Please click hereto download the completion documents for this training module; the instructions are as follows: • Download and print the file. • Complete the Cultural Diversity Quizand return to your program coordinator. • Fill in the Sign In Sheet and return to your program coordinator for signature. • Add your name to the Certificate of Completionand ask your program coordinator to sign, verifying your completion of the training module. Keep the original certificate for your records for tracking of your annual 24 hours of mandated training. Thank you for completing this online training module.