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USING FOSTER CARE REVIEW TO EMBRACE DIVERSE CULTURES
SKILL SEMINAR J
Marcia Williams
Cretora Barnett
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
100 West Randolph 4th
Floor, 4-544
Chicago, IL 60601
USING FOSTER CARE REVIEW TO EMBRACE DIVERSE CULTURES
The National Association of Foster Care Reviewers cite in their guidelines the following as it relates to cultural responsiveness, "The review process strives for greater levels of cultural responsiveness by developing a set of congruent practice expectations and skills, policies and structures that come together in the review process, promote the positive interaction of individuals, families and communities, and are effective in the context of cultural differences."
The foster care review process compiles data from the individual review to identify systems issues that are impacting effective service delivery, including resource and policy barriers, program effectiveness and performance, cultural responsiveness, and changing trends in the profile and needs of children and families.
The best interests and well-being of children is served when a child welfare system enables and supports celebrating a child's cultural differences. Children who receive encouragement exhibit confidence. When a system supports tolerance and praise, children feel appreciated. Foster care review has a responsibility to model and inform the child welfare system of their cultural responsiveness.
This session will engage participants in a number of activities that will enhance their ability to identify and understand cultural differences. Foster care review activities will be highlighted--especially those that demonstrate how to use foster care review to assess a system, and then use review recommendations to promote change.
Foster care reviewers will be able to make effective findings and recommendations about the appropriateness, cultural responsiveness, language appropriateness, quality and timely implementation of the permanency plan. Child welfare administrative and case work staff will be able to understand and use the findings and recommendations of foster care reviewers to strengthen their services to the community.
Families served will have more assurance that their experience will be reviewed with sensitivity, including responsiveness to race, ethnicity, language, culture, economic status and the child's and family's unique characteristics, strengths and needs.