How can schools ensure that they are effectively serving children and families from diverse cultural backgrounds? Give an example of how a school might support a highly religious family with strict beliefs about medical care, health habits such as eating, and gender roles in the family.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Schools can use several strategies to ensure they are serving and representing culturally diverse families. These strategies include (1) recruit and retain diverse practitioners who represent those families being served; (2) require practitioners to learn about the cultural backgrounds of those families being served; (3) conduct staff training on various cultures to avoid stereotyping and overgeneralizing; (4) ensure practitioners are using open-communication to increase knowledge, trust, respect, and so on; and (5) make available multiple resources for both practitioners and families to ensure cultural competence for all involved. In an effort to serve a highly religious family with specific values and beliefs related to medical care, health habits, and gender roles, a school can become familiar with the family and their beliefs by asking questions and respecting the family's beliefs (even when they differ from the practitioner). Offering meetings and other support services that do not offend the family is also critical. For example, if the family does not believe in giving medicine to children, the practitioner should work with the family to ensure the best care possible for a child and be willing to explore ideas beyond medication.