Caring for children from diverse cultural backgrounds

Carers will need to be supported by caseworkers to attend to the specific needs of migrant and refugee children and young people. While this applies to all carers, it is particularly important for carers looking after children and young people from a different cultural background to their own.

Caseworkers can assist carers to attend to the specific needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children and young people by:

• discussing carer attitudes towards the child’s cultural background and people from the cultural community
• helping carers to identify positive attitudes and pre-conceptions, stereotyping and/or prejudice
• working with the carer to identify practical strategies to support cultural maintenance and how to deal with discrimination, prejudice and/or racism
• providing the carer with information about the culture, religion, language, and community of the child in Australia
• providing contact details of relevant cultural, religious and linguistic services and networks in the local area
• providing information about the specific needs of refugee children and contact details for specialist services and supports that can provide further information and advice.

Key attributes carers need

The following attributes are adapted from the work of Elizabeth Vonk in the United States on defining the attitudes, knowledge and skills required by non-CALD adoptive parents looking after CALD children and young people (Cultural Competence for Trans-racial Adoptive Parents, 2001). The expectation is that improvements in carers’ abilities in these key areas will contribute towards better outcomes for CALD children/young people in their care.

Cultural awareness

Cultural awareness is your ability as a carer to examine and understand the role that race, ethnicity, and culture plays in shaping your attitudes, beliefs and practices. This includes an understanding of your attitudes, beliefs and interactions with members of culturally diverse communities – particularly in relation to the cultural background of the child/young person in your care.

Responding positively to prejudice and discrimination

Experiences of discrimination, prejudice and racism may confront you and the children and young people in your care. You should be able to understand the impact of prejudice and racism on the child and young person and assist them developing positive strategies for coping with this issue.

This can be particularly challenging if you are non-CALD and have had limited personal experience of being the target of discrimination, prejudice or racism. It is important that the child/young people’s experiences in this regard are not minimised or negated.

Multicultural strategies

As a carer you should be able to identify and implement appropriate strategies to create avenues for CALD children/young people to maintain or further develop cultural, linguistic or religious ties. This includes being informed about CALD related services, supports and networks relevant to the needs of the child/young person.

The Tips for carers checklist outlines practical ways in which these attributes can be used to support CALD children.

More information about raising culturally and linguistically diverse children and young people can also be found on the Caring for Kids website.

Tips for carers of CALD children

This checklist – adapted from work of Elizabeth Vonk in Cultural Competence for Trans-racial Adoptive Parents (2001) – outlines practical ways in which carers can support CALD children.

Practical ways to support cultural maintenance

• We establish regular contact with people of other cultural backgrounds in our lives e.g., through friendships, attendance in community groups/activities
• We learn about the child/young person’s cultural, linguistic, religious background and cultural community in Australia and support the child/young person to do likewise
• We include information about the child/young person’s family history, and cultural and religious heritage in Life Story Work
• We provide opportunities for the child/young person to develop positive friendships with children and adults from their cultural background
• We reside in areas with a culturally diverse population
• We place the child/young person in schools with culturally diverse student / teacher populations
• We purchase books, toys and other entertainment material that reflect the language and/or culture of the child/young person
• We include traditions and celebrations from the child/young person’s culture or religion in our lives
• We provide opportunities for the child/young person to learn and/or maintain their birth language
• We seek services and supports in the community that will help the child/young person with cultural, linguistic, religious maintenance
• We involve religious leaders in the life of the child, where appropriate
• We recognise and support the role of birth parents/families in cultural, linguistic and religious maintenance, where this is part of the approved care plan.

Helping CALD children respond to racism, prejudice and discrimination

• We educate the child/young person about the realities of racism and discrimination
• We understand the impact that discrimination and racism can have on children/young people from CALD backgrounds
• We help the child/young person deal with racism through open discussion in our home about the issue
• We are aware of the attitudes of friends, family members and other significant people in our lives about the child/young person’s cultural, linguistic, religious differences
• We are aware of and teach the child/young person strategies for dealing with racism
• We help the child/young person develop pride in their appearance and culture
• We help the child/young person understand that being discriminated against does not reflect personal shortcomings
• We validate their feelings including hurt and anger about being the subject of discrimination or racism
• We obtain support (as needed) from peers, services and networks in dealing with discrimination and racism.

Cultural understanding

• We understand how our cultural background influences our attitudes, beliefs and behaviours
• We understand our feelings, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards people from the child/young person’s cultural or religious background
• We are aware of stereotypes and preconceptions that we have about people from the child/young person’s cultural/religious background and address these biases
• We respect the cultural, linguistic and religious heritage of the child/young person
• We understand the unique needs of the child/young person in relation to his/her cultural, linguistic and/or religious heritage
• We recognise that the child/young person may be experiencing cultural confusion, conflict and/or change, and may require ongoing support
• We understand that the child/young person may be exposed to discrimination, prejudice or racism by virtue of being placed in a non-CALD family.