Tutorial 9 · Implementing and Evaluating ECMHC Services |
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Cultural and Linguistic Competence and ConsultationFor the purposes of this tutorial, cultural competence is defined as a set of values and principles, behaviors, attitudes, policies, and practices that enable early childhood mental health consultants to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. Linguistic competence is the capacity to convey information in a manner that is easily understood by children, families, and program staff from diverse backgrounds and abilities including persons of limited English proficiency and low literacy skills (adapted from the National Center for Cultural Competence) Others have described cultural competence as a dynamic process in which the effective consultant is able to engage respectfully, reciprocally, and responsively with children, families, and staff in ways that acknowledge the richness and the boundaries of families', staff's, and practitioners' socio-cultural contexts (Barrera & Kramer, 1997). Day and Parlakian (2003) describe this achievement as "cultural reciprocity": building strong working relationships with children, families, and staff by examining cultural differences, communicating and establishing a shared understanding, and achieving agreeable collaboration.
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This website was made possible by grant number 90YD0268 from the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views or policies of the funding agency nor does publication in any way constitute an endorsement by the funding agency. |
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