Culturally Grounded Social Work Practice

Culturally Grounded Social Work Practice

Social work relies heavily on culture. For instance, a person’s culture can affect their social needs, which is why culturally grounded social work practice is necessary. According to Marsiglia et al. (2021), culturally grounded social work is evident when social workers support communities in their efforts to balance the demands of cultural preservation and social progress while engaging in social action aimed at dismantling oppressive social structures. Therefore, culturally grounded social work practice can be defined as social work practice that integrates cultural norms and values within social work. Marsiglia & Booth (2015) argue that culturally grounded social work practice focuses on considering a client’s culture when addressing protective factors and risks. This is achieved by demonstrating cultural competence, establishing trust and effective communication between the social worker and the client, adopting a client-centred approach, promoting social justice and advocacy, and modifying existing evidence-based interventions to ensure that they accommodate the client’s culture, norms, and values.

Social workers must see themselves as their clients in order to undertake culturally grounded social work, and they must also understand that everyone in the client-social worker relationship bears responsibility for cultural adaptation. However, social workers have the responsibility to introduce cultural adaptation. A culturally grounded approach, according to Marsiglia & Booth (2015), begins with assessing whether currently available evidence-based interventions are appropriate. Only then can the necessary adjustments be made to make the interventions more relevant and engaging for clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds without compromising the efficacy of social care. Therefore, social workers must develop cultural competence that involves cultural humility, self-awareness, and a commitment to understanding the clients’ cultural backgrounds. Social workers must also ensure that clients are actively involved in social care so that their cultural needs are met. The active involvement of clients can be enhanced through transparent communication between a client, their families, and a social worker.

 References

Marsiglia, F. F., & Booth, J. M. (2015). Cultural adaptation of interventions in real practice settings. Research on Social Work Practice, 25(4), 423-432. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731514535989

Marsiglia, F. F., Kulis, S. S., & Lechuga-Peña, S. (2021). Diversity, oppression, and change: Culturally grounded social work. Oxford University Press, USA.

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Culturally Grounded Social Work Practice

What is culturally grounded social work practice?

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