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Cultural Safety and Diversity Competency

Cultural competencies are the identified knowledge, skills, attitudes that child and youth mental health practitioners need in order to practice ethically and sensitively with diverse cultural populations. Organizational development, which considers the institutional and systemic issues that create barriers and limit access to culturally diverse groups, is another important focal point for improving overall cultural competency.

Providing therapeutic care that is “culturally safe” is an additional component for effective practice. Where the cultural safety approach departs from the traditional cultural competency model is in its analysis of existing institutional power relations that serve to perpetuate inequities.77 In this way, it resembles a de-colonizing approach to practice. By inviting practitioners to reflect on the ways in which their own cultural identities, world views and assumptions impact on the therapeutic relationship, the traditional emphasis on understanding the unique cultural characteristics of the “exotic other” gives way to a more critically conscious, self-reflective stance that includes a consideration of structure, individual agency and power.

Becoming aware of one’s own identity as a bearer of culture is an important first step. Cultural safety requires more than simply being sensitive or having an awareness of cultural differences. It involves a recognition that certain groups enjoy certain unearned rights and benefits and includes an analysis of power imbalances, historical relations of power, and institutional and systemic forms of discrimination and racism.

Summary of Cultural competency and Safety

  • Involves actions that recognize, respect and nurture clients’ unique cultural identities and safely meets their needs, expectations and rights78
  • Enables safe service to be defined by those receiving the service79
  • Moves beyond cultural awareness and sensitivity to address structural factors that perpetuate inequities and disadvantage
  • Requires high levels of clinician self-awareness and critical self-reflection

For additional information on Cultural competency and safety in First Nations, Inuit and Métis health care, click here.