Working with children and families

Culture and experience influence parenting practices. We can build more effective and sustained working partnerships when we better understand the cultural background of the children and families we work with.  This extends to learning about the child and family’s identity, religion, language, beliefs and values.

When we work to understand a family's culture, values and beliefs, our practice will be more responsive and tailored to the child and family's needs.

While it is important to recognise and respond to the influences of cultural factors, it is critical that harmful or neglectful behaviours are not labelled and dismissed as 'cultural practice'.

Consulting with appropriate multicultural services or communities can help to build understanding of the cultural background and practices of a family. Cultural consultation is not just about looking for information to identify culturally appropriate services. It involves engaging genuinely in the process and seeking specific knowledge, skills and assistance to make sure the needs of children and their families are met.

Additional resources to support working with culturally and linguistically diverse families include:

• The National Ethnic Disability Alliance
• Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW
• The NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors
• Multicultural NSW
• NSW Multicultural Health Services Directory
• Transcultural Mental Health Centre