Cultural Competence in the Caring Professions

By Kieran O’Hagan.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers 
£15.95
ISBN: 1 85302 759 6

The idea of cultural competence has become the big idea in
health care and is beginning to creep into social care. This is a
useful book that provides an opportunity to reflect on the issues
and differences between anti-racist and culturally sensitive
practice.

The book is in three parts covering the definitions of culture,
the obstacles that get in the way of culturally competent services,
and the way forward. While the first and especially the final
section are helpful, the second section is contentious as it poses
the argument that the anti-racist movement has prevented issues of
culture being given the attention that is needed. However, work on
black perspectives developed in the 1980s and 1990s acknowledges
that issues of cultural diversity are equally valid in the
struggle.

The author is right in saying that there is little in terms of
academic research on the impact of anti-racism and I hope that the
book will spur some black academics to produce a book.

The important point that comes out of the book is obvious: all
people have a culture that underpins them and we do them an
injustice by failing to acknowledge their culture and work with
it.

Vijay Patel is black issues consultant for Baaf Adoption and
Fostering in Scotland.The idea of cultural competence has become
the big idea in health care and is beginning to creep into social
care. This is a useful book that provides an opportunity to reflect
on the issues and differences between anti-racist and culturally
sensitive practice.

The book is in three parts covering the definitions of culture,
the obstacles that get in the way of culturally competent services,
and the way forward. While the first and especially the final
section are helpful, the second section is contentious as it poses
the argument that the anti-racist movement has prevented issues of
culture being given the attention that is needed. However, work on
black perspectives developed in the 1980s and 1990s acknowledges
that issues of cultural diversity are equally valid in the
struggle.

The author is right in saying that there is little in terms of
academic research on the impact of anti-racism and I hope that the
book will spur some black academics to produce a book.

The important point that comes out of the book is obvious: all
people have a culture that underpins them and we do them an
injustice by failing to acknowledge their culture and work with
it.

Vijay Patel is black issues consultant for Baaf Adoption
and Fostering in Scotland.