Running head: WEEK 3 ENGAGEMENT 1

Engagement

Andrea N Hardman

Our Lady of The Lake University Worden School of Social Service

SOWK 7157

May 26th, 2017

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Week 3 – ENGAGEMENT

What strategies will you use to intentionally prepare for culturally competent practice with

Hispanic children and families?

 For social workers, engagement refers to the process through which clients become

active and involved in their treatment. Involuntary clients, or clients who are legally

mandated or feel pressure to seek treatment, struggle with engagement and are

often viewed as being resistant. Early into my concentration placement I have

already experienced voluntary and involuntary clients. Engagement can be difficult

but placing a human connection between social worker and client is the key to

effective and intentional engagement.

 According to Rice-Rodriguez and Boyle (2006) The field of child welfare is constantly

changing and staff are left struggling to provide quality services to children and families.

One of the most significant challenges is the need to respond to the increasing

multicultural nature of our society.

 From the National Association of Social Workers Ethical Guidelines, they give three

concrete points to help prepare and maintain cultural competence.

o Social workers should understand culture and its function in human behavior and

society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures.

o Social workers should have a knowledge base of their clients’ cultures and be able

to demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to

client’s cultures and to differences among people and cultural groups.

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o Social workers should obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of

social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin,

color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, and

mental or physical disability.

How will you identify and engage with community leaders and informants who possess

critical relationships with Hispanic children and families?

 Identifying, connecting, and engaging community leaders with clients first starts with

knowing your client. Identifying the needs of your clients is the first step of engagement,

but may not always be recognized first.

 Identify natural gathering points and traditions related to social gatherings, like faith or

religion.  Tapping into natural gathering points and traditions related to social gatherings

are excellent ways to identify and engage the local leaders and build community

relationships.

Articulate how your own values and beliefs might affect relationships with persons

different from you.

 The process of developing cultural competence follows a framework beginning with

the examination of one’s own beliefs and attitudes. When one mindfully removes

judgement, relationships have a much higher rate of success.

 Developing cultural competence begins with an examination of one’s self and one’s

individual racial and cultural heritage and how that heritage has influenced

individual thinking. To pursue cultural competence providers must be “accepting of

the reality that openness to long-term, ongoing and persistent development is

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required. The culturally skilled professional is one who is in the process of actively

developing and practicing strategies and skills in working with culturally different

clients” (McPhatter, A.R., 1997).

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References

McPhatter, A.R. (1997). Cultural Competence in Child Welfare: What is it? How do we achieve

it? What happens without it? Child Welfare, 76, 259-260.

Rice-Rodriguez, T., and Boyle, D. (2006). Culturally competent practice with Latino clients (A

training manual for child welfare workers developed for the Georgia Division of Family

and Children’s Services(DHR)).