The Place of Culture in Anti-The Place of Culture in Anti-Oppressive Practice with Oppressive Practice with

Refugees, Economic Migrants Refugees, Economic Migrants and Asylum Seekersand Asylum Seekers

Dr. Siobhan E. LairdDr. Siobhan E. Laird

E-mail: s.laird@sheffield.ac.ukE-mail: s.laird@sheffield.ac.uk

IntroductionIntroduction

Culture in anti-oppressive Culture in anti-oppressive practicepractice

Changes in service-user Changes in service-user groupsgroups

Research in SheffieldResearch in Sheffield Weakness of curriculumWeakness of curriculum Cultural competenceCultural competence

Anti-racist PracticeAnti-racist Practice

Focus on power relations Focus on power relations and discrimination based and discrimination based on race and colouron race and colour

Downplaying of religious Downplaying of religious belief and culture in forms belief and culture in forms of discriminationof discrimination

Ethnic Minority Ethnic Minority CommunitiesCommunities

Policy and Practice Policy and Practice GuidanceGuidance

National Service Framework for Mental HealthNational Service Framework for Mental Health National Service Framework for Children, National Service Framework for Children,

Young People and Maternity ServicesYoung People and Maternity Services National Service Framework for Older PeopleNational Service Framework for Older People Community Care in the Next Decade and Community Care in the Next Decade and

Beyond: Policy GuidanceBeyond: Policy Guidance Care Management and Assessment: Care Management and Assessment:

Practitioners’ GuidePractitioners’ Guide Assessment of Children in Need and their Assessment of Children in Need and their

FamiliesFamilies National Strategy for CarersNational Strategy for Carers National Minimum StandardsNational Minimum Standards

Messages from the FrontlineMessages from the Frontline

Anxiety and fear of offendingAnxiety and fear of offending Not having basic knowledge Not having basic knowledge

of other cultural or spiritual of other cultural or spiritual values to establish rapportvalues to establish rapport

Not knowing what questions Not knowing what questions to ask about cultural and to ask about cultural and religious valuesreligious values

Making assumptions and not Making assumptions and not realisingrealising

Messages from the FrontlineMessages from the Frontline

Not knowing what is respectful Not knowing what is respectful behaviourbehaviour

Not having skills to manage Not having skills to manage culture clashesculture clashes

Not having skills to work with Not having skills to work with ethnic communitiesethnic communities

Collusion with oppressive Collusion with oppressive practices in some minority practices in some minority communitiescommunities

Oppression directed at social Oppression directed at social workerworker

Social Work Students Social Work Students Tendency to monolithic understandings of cultureTendency to monolithic understandings of culture

Difficulty distinguishing between oppressive and Difficulty distinguishing between oppressive and anti-oppressive practiceanti-oppressive practice

Failure to recognise Anglo-centric values in social Failure to recognise Anglo-centric values in social work theory and practice work theory and practice

Difficulty conceiving of culturally appropriate Difficulty conceiving of culturally appropriate provision and practice provision and practice

Difficulty engaging with political discourse on Difficulty engaging with political discourse on integrationintegration

Defining CultureDefining Culture

Shared behaviours, attitudes, traditions, Shared behaviours, attitudes, traditions, language, symbols, food, dress, historylanguage, symbols, food, dress, history

Self definitionSelf definition Change over timeChange over time AcculturationAcculturation Hybrid identitiesHybrid identities Multiple heritagesMultiple heritages Racialisation Racialisation

ASKED - Campinha-BacoteASKED - Campinha-Bacote

Cultural awarenessCultural awareness Cultural skillCultural skill Cultural knowledgeCultural knowledge Cultural encounterCultural encounter Cultural desireCultural desire

Exploring CultureExploring Culture

Family OrganisationFamily Organisation How is my family organisedHow is my family organised What are the important relationships in my What are the important relationships in my

familyfamily What are the expectations of different family What are the expectations of different family

membersmembers Who makes what kind of decisions in my Who makes what kind of decisions in my

familyfamily What sort of relationship does my family What sort of relationship does my family

have with other people in the neighbourhoodhave with other people in the neighbourhood

Exploring CultureExploring CultureValues and BeliefsValues and Beliefs What are important values in my lifeWhat are important values in my life What are important aspirations for members of What are important aspirations for members of

my familymy family Do I have spiritual beliefsDo I have spiritual beliefs How do my spiritual beliefs influence other How do my spiritual beliefs influence other

aspects of my lifeaspects of my life What are the health beliefs among members of What are the health beliefs among members of

my family and how do these influence my my family and how do these influence my behaviour behaviour

What is considered proper or improper What is considered proper or improper behaviourbehaviour

Exploring CultureExploring Culture

LifestyleLifestyle

What sort of foods or beverages do I What sort of foods or beverages do I consume and why do I make these consume and why do I make these choiceschoices

What sort of clothes do I choose to What sort of clothes do I choose to wear and whywear and why

What choices do I make in relation to What choices do I make in relation to social and leisure activities and whysocial and leisure activities and why

Exploring CultureExploring Culture

Coping MechanismsCoping Mechanisms

What coping strategies do I typically What coping strategies do I typically use and where did I learn theseuse and where did I learn these

What social networks do I call upon What social networks do I call upon for assistancefor assistance

ReferencesReferences

Campinha-Bacote, J. (2002) ‘The Campinha-Bacote, J. (2002) ‘The process of cultural competence in the process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services: a delivery of healthcare services: a model of care’ model of care’ Journal of Transcultural Journal of Transcultural Nursing CareNursing Care 13(3) pp.181-184 13(3) pp.181-184

Laird, S.E. (2008) Laird, S.E. (2008) Anti-oppressive Social Anti-oppressive Social Work: A Guide to Developing Cultural Work: A Guide to Developing Cultural CompetenceCompetence London:Sage London:Sage

Sue, D.W. (2006) Sue, D.W. (2006) Multicultural Social Multicultural Social Work PracticeWork Practice Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Son& Son