Cultural Diversity, Cultural Competence and Social Justice in Working with Children and Families

Understanding someone’s cultural context is key to understanding and supporting them as a whole person. How do they view the world? What role does their community play in their lives? How does their culture influence the way they interact with health and social care professionals?

Expert authors, recognised for their work in cultural competence across the legal, psychological, mental health and social work fields, share how to bring their pioneering techniques into your service. Topics range from the pervasive effects of racism to practicalities like ensuring interpreters speak the correct dialect of a language. Each chapter explores how to engage with service users’ culture and adopt a flexible approach based in mutual understanding.

The frameworks and advice in this guide are proven through successful practice. They offer effective ways to bring cultural competence into your work and support people from every community.

Iyabo Fatimilehin is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Director of Just Psychology CIC, a social enterprise she founded in 2011 to address the psychological and mental health needs of children and families with a particular emphasis on cultural diversity, cultural competence and social justice. She worked in the National Health Service for over 20 years and was service lead for an award-winning specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for black and minority ethnic children and families. She has presented at national and international conferences on racial and ethnic identity development, community-based initiatives, social exclusion, attachment, and working with culture. Iyabo is an Associate Fellow and chartered member of the British Psychological Society and is a registered practitioner psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Hasan Waheed is a Principal Clinical Psychologist and Training Lead at Just Psychology CIC, and also holds roles as Principal Clinical Psychologist at Ihsaan CIC and Clinical Psychologist at Freedom from Torture. Alongside clinical practice, Hasan also serves as a Board Member for Inspirited Minds and has previously served on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board for the British Psychological Society. He is passionate about working within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, with a focus on early intervention, prevention, and asset-based approaches that recognise and build upon the strengths, skills and resources within communities, and is particularly interested in integrating creative approaches within psychological practice to enhance engagement and accessibility.