Diversity Practice in Social Work: Examining Theory in Practice

Abstract

Individualized care in children's services requires practitioners to move beyond individual worldviews to gain a cultural context for service planning and delivery to an increasingly diversifying U.S. population. As such, research is needed to empirically support diversity practice models used to prepare practitioners for cross-cultural work. This qualitative study compares family and professional perceptions of cultural competence in children's mental health systems of care to four diversity practice models advanced in social work education. While substantial overlap is identified between practice models and participant conceptualizations, comparative analysis indicates that no one model of practice wholly accounts for all concepts generated by systems of care communities. In contrast, a number of practice model emphases are not identified in community conceptualizations. Discrepancies are discussed in relation to implications for social work that may inform further development of diversity practice models for culturally responsive practice and education.