Racial- and ethnic-sensitive practice: From the practitioners’ perspective

Abstract

Summary

This qualitative study supports a necessary movement that prepares future generations of social workers to come to the fullest terms of race and ethnicity to produce effective client outcomes. Participants were provided with questions centered on race and ethnicity. A three-level coding analysis was used to determine themes. All qualitative data were converted into numerical values using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Findings

Seventy-two licensed social workers participated in the study. Majority of participants were white, female, and had been in practice for four or more years. Results indicated over 50% of participants reported having different experiences when working with clients of color and over 20% reported they do not consider race a factor when working with clients of color, which increased to 39% when referring to white clients. Twenty-nine percent of participants reported having different experiences with clients who are white. Several differences between groups emerged in how clients of color and clients who are white build rapport and acknowledge culture and family.

Applications

These findings support a need for an inclusive approach to cultural competency that involves teaching racial- and ethnic-sensitive practices to future practitioners. The results also speak to a concern of the current practitioners who are operating from a “color blind” philosophy or those who feel as if race and ethnicity are irrelevant to their work with clients. As the profession builds on the notion of embracing cultural competency, it must intentionally continue to acknowledge factors of race and ethnicity.