CARE & PROTECTION FROM AN ETHNIC PERSPECTIVE WORKSHOP PRESENTED BY PETRONILLA MAZAI (SWRB) PGDipArts (SW) - Bsc (Applied) (SW) ABOUT ME BACKGROUND OF PARTICPANTS  Why are you interested in this?  What would you like to take away?  Specific areas of interest ? WORKSHOP OVERVIEW         Sharing stories My journey as a social worker – being the difference Activity 1 (In pairs Multiculturalism) Activity 2 ( Self assessment) Activity 3 ( In pairs Culturally Competence reflection) Activity 3 (case study) Activity 4 (Ethnocentric assessment tool) Activity 5 ( Ethnocentric intervention) THE FOX AND THE STORK ICE-BREAKER NEW ZEALAND’S ETHNIC COMPOSITION  New Zealand ’s population is increasingly becoming more diverse  Influx of immigrants & Refugees  Migrants, Refugees, born in NZ identity heritage Asian, Continental Euro, Middle, Latin American, and African  WHY MIGRATION  Business migrants  Family class migrants  Highly skilled or skilled  International students  Refugees  : New Zealand Statistics (ABS) reported in 2006: ASPECTS OF BEING ETHNIC  An ethnic group is made up of people who have some or all of the following  Cultural values, Customs, language  Beliefs, religion,  Language  Unique community of interests or action  Characteristics that differ from the wider society.  Different race from wider society  A shared sense of common origins or ancestry and a common geographic origins Source- 2014. Ministry of Ethnic Affairs. New Zealand MIGRANT  Choose their country of resettlement  Plan their move carefully in advance  Take time to get their passport and visas ready  Pack all their belongings up and organise for everything to be sent to their new home ASPECTS OF BEING A REFUGEE  A Refugee is a person who, owing to a well founded fear of persecution, for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, leave their country of origin and are unable or unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country  (UN Convention, 1951) UNDERSTANDING THE DEPTH & BREADTH OF MULTICULTURALISM     ACTIVITY ONE IN PAIRS Define Multicultural “Multi” “Cultural” What does it mean to you as an individual? Suggestion about all dimensions of culture , reflecting on what you identify as your culture. THREE LEVELS OF CULTURE Nizta Hildagos(1993) CONCRETE Most visible Tangible BEHAVIOURAL Language, social role Values THE SYMBOLIC values systems, customs, spirituality, religion, worldview, beliefs, Problems that have been reported or we have seen from the Chinese community are just a tip of the ice berg. ACTIVITY CULTURAL ICEBERG SELF-AWARENESS EXERCISE  Useful model to develop your own understanding of the impact of diversity on your life:  Self-awareness  Critical Reflectivity CULTURAL COMPETENCE PRACTICE WHAT IS THIS?  Acknowledgement of cultural differences in child rearing practices and beliefs.  Recognition that deviations from the culturally appropriate child-rearing practices of any specific cultural group are considered by that cultural group to be abusive.  Knowledge of the circumstance that exists where societal harm undermines children’s well-being beyond the control of the parent e.g poverty, finances, employment, discrimination, language, low  Socio-economic RISK FACTORS  Cultural – physical punishment, inadequate supervision, traditional cultural practices - DV, CHILD ABUSE, D& A, mental health, family functioning’ exposure to trauma, poverty, homelessness  Migration-related  Lack of awareness of NZ CP laws, lack of extended family support, language issue. EXTERNAL RISK FACTORS TO CONSIDER (excess baggage)         Insecurity, separation from own environment Lack of support extended family Social isolation Depression No sense of belonging Low self-esteem Rejection from new environment Lack of information of NZ systems COMMON FEARS ASSOCIATED WITH CARE & PROTECTION        Conflict between traditional values and western Loss of family support. Fear that culture will be eroded. Shame and stigma Confidentiality Low expectations of social workers and counsellor. Families matters should not be discussed with nonfamily members.  Psychological help not acceptable “mental/mad CULTURE, THE CLIENT & THE PRACTITIONER IN CP WORK  Care & Protection & notification within ethnic communities.  The number of child protection notifications has doubled over the past 6 years in NZ.  There is an assumption that ethnic communities are possibly under-represented in reported incidences of child abuse.  They do not come into contact with services due to fears of Government, particularly families that have fled war torn/oppressive regimes;  limited awareness of access to services in child protection; CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES Eastern VS western cultures      Family > individual Vs Individual > family Extended Family Vs Nuclear family Cooperation Vs Competition Power – Male over female Vs equal Power – Parent over child Vs child more power as older  Family roles prescribed by tradition Vs negotiation on need CULTURE ,C&P , CLIENT  They have limited understanding of concepts of legislation, practices of Child Protection;  Service providers do not have the skills to pick up ethnic children's protective needs;  Services coming into ethic communities may be reluctant to report child abuse concerns due to fear of how mainstream services may treat ethnic families/impact of reporting may have on the services' relationship with community LEGISLATION VS ETHNICS VIEWS “Best interests of the child” CHILD, YOUNG PERSON & THEIR FAMILIES ACT 1989  Welfare & interests of child or young person is first and paramount.  For safety children must be separated from family  Eurocentric Philosophy  Child centred ETHNIC BELIEFS & PRACTICES  Families migrate to NZ for the best interests of children, education, good health, exposure to technology.  Welfare & interests of child or young person and family is paramount.  Children are not to be separated from family.  Welfare and interest of child Role of Extended family.  Family centred  Ethnocentric philosophy CASE STUDY   Kaela’s husband was killed in Somalia, as were her sister and mother. She has no relatives in New Zealand and has little social contact. Kaela has been suffering from depression since emigrating to New Zealand with her three children (aged three, five and nine). Kaela has a number of appointments during the week and leaves her nine year old daughter in charge of the younger children as she has no one else to care for future children. Kaela came in contact with the child protection systems after reports were made concerning her three children being left alone for extended periods of time. A neighbour also reported that Kaela two younger children have been reported that Kaela’s two younger children have been found wandering the streets on a number of occasions and that they have asked for food a few times.  Issues you think you may encounter when working with this family.  What approaches do you think might be most useful when working with this family?  What resources do you think might help you work with this family?  What other services and resources could be engaged to assist this family?  Reflective questions  If working with refugee families and newly arrived migrant families what type of problems and issues might they be experiencing?  Consider previous traumatic experiences related to their country of origin; the process of migration; settlement into Australia; and cultural differences. What kind of support is available for children, parents, and families from refugee backgrounds?  As a practitioner, what kind of attitudes/beliefs might you bring that impact on the way you work with refuge families? How might you address these? How can practitioners engage and support refugee families? What kind of services already exists that work well – and how can we make them better. CULTURE GRAM           Reasons for relocation • Legal status • Time in community • Language spoken at home and in the community • Health beliefs • Crisis events • Holidays and special events • Contact with cultural and religious institutions • Values about education and work • Values about family–structure, power, myths, and rules CULTURAL ASSESSMENT HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? PHASES OF INTERVENTION  First contact with family  Communication  Engagement phase CULTURAL CONSIDERATION  Research family’s cultural, linguistic identity.  Check level of English proficiency, dialect, organise interpreter (accredited) check with family if not related.  Be respectful, be aware, seek cultural advise, body contact, separation of parents & children CROSS CULTURAL CHECKLIST PHASES OF INTERVENTION CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS  Assessment of risk & harm  Risk & contributory factors  Identifying strengths & Parenting capacity to parent  Ask child rearing practices  Educate about NZ laws & CP  Explore factors around settlement & migration and concerns of isolation, past trauma  Link with community groups, church, friends,  Explore placement kinship/family  Community supports  Maintaining culture when placing child in care ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST  1.  2.  3. 4. 5.  6.  7. Preparation for initial meeting Cross-cultural Engagement Assessment: Risk of harm and neglect Protective and risk factors Family strengths, needs, Parenting practices &capacity Social and Community Supports Cultural Maintenance and Placement options  Source. Kaur (2005) THEORETICAL UNDERPINNING FRAMEWORK  SOCIAL STRESS THEORY  Suggests that social & environment stress factors have greater influence on child maltreatment in lower socioeconomic families that middle class ( Browne, 2002)  ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY  Useful in understanding how different systems impact on children and families especially ethnic families intersecting with different systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). 10 Surprising ways to offend people  10 Ways  Celebrating Cultures Around the World OUESTIONS AND ANSWERS  patmazai@culturaldiversity.co.nz  Ph: 022 6502563 REFERENCES  Kaur, J. (2007) Working with families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland: An Australian exploratory study, Children Australia, 32(4), 2007.  Kaur, J. (2009) ‘Developing culturally sensitive practice when working with CALD communities in child protection: An Australian exploratory study’, Developing Practice, May edition:  Congress, E. (2004). Cultural and Ethical Issues in Working with Culturally Diverse Patients and Their Families: The Use of the Culturagram to Promote Cultural Competent Practice in Health Care Settings. Social Work in Health Care,39(3/4), 249-262.  10 surprising ways to offend people in other countries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTE0G9amZNk  Celebrating cultures around the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRE6poh1O9c