Multicultural and Antibias
Strategies in Services for
Children and Families
Presented by
Valerie Jarvis McMillan, Ph.D.
Human Environment & Family Sciences
N.C. A&T State University
Presentation contents are adapted from:
Diversity Training Module: Fostering Awareness, Implementation, Commitment, and
Advocacy (V. Jarvis McMillan & P. Rodriguez, 1998)
Overview

The purpose of this presentation is to help prepare
pre-professionals who will work with culturally,
ethnically, and linguistically diverse children and
their families. This presentation will provide
participants the opportunity to gain a better
understanding, respect, acceptance, and
appreciation for diversity. This knowledge will
enhance the quality of services for all children and
their families.
Presentation Organization

This interactive presentation will provide content
information through the participation of selfreflected activities. Within the presentation,
participants are asked to do activities that are
designed to build a better understanding, respect,
acceptance, and appreciation for diversity.
Participants should create a computer-based file
folder labeled “Multicultural and Antibias Services”
to store documents generated from activities
completed during this presentation. Participants are
strongly encouraged to follow the presentation as
outlined to assure accomplishing its purpose (see
Overview).
Introduction

Census information and demographic predictions
indicate that by the year 2020, one out of every
two children in the U.S. will be a child of color
(Banks, 1991). Given this rapid change, the U.S.
can no longer be thought of as a “melting pot”.
Today, the U.S. is more appropriately described as
a “tossed salad”, with various groups contributing
to the society while maintaining their distinct
identity. It is critical for service providers to
acknowledge diversity and understand, respect,
accept, and appreciate that the presence of
diversity is a strength not a weakness.
A Look at Diverse Populations
In order to provide services that are
sensitive to diverse groups or populations
served, it is important for service providers
to acknowledge persons or groups that
comprise a diverse population.
Activity: Generate a list of descriptors of a
diverse population. Prompt: “A diverse
population includes people of similar or
different…”
A Look at Diverse Populations
Continued
Activity: Examine the list of descriptors generated and
use them to develop a definition of diversity.
Prompt: “Diversity is defined as…”
It is important for service providers to acknowledge
that members of a diverse population may be
classified in more than one group, may become
members of other subgroups, and may choose to
withdraw from subgroups.
Activity continued: Compare your definition of
diversity with the inclusive definition of diversity in the
next slide. Write a reflective note about your
comparison. Prompt: “What do you notice about your
definition in comparison to the inclusive definition of
diversity?
An Inclusive
Definition of Diversity

Diversity is defined as similarities or differences
in beliefs, practices, characteristics, or behaviors
that may exist among and between individuals that
are members of groups or subgroups that may
include but are not limited to culture, religion,
values, country of origin, ethnicity, sex, age,
language, disability, ability, gender, sexual
orientation, family structure, child-rearing
practices, socioeconomic status, or political
affiliation.
Strategies Used with a
Diverse Population
Strategies implemented by service providers that
are appropriate and sensitive to the diverse
population of children and families served require
more than a “cookbook approach”. Strategies
implemented must meet the diverse beliefs,
practices, characteristics, and behaviors of the
persons that will benefit from the services
provided. Thus, cultural competence that is biasfree must be reflected and integrated throughout
strategies implemented for the diverse populations
or groups served.
A Look at Strategies of
Service Providers
Activity: Generate a list of strategies you have used
or you recommend to be used when working or
interacting with a diverse group of children, families,
or professional staff. Prompt: “What have you done
or would do to enable you to work with persons from
diverse groups or backgrounds?” Provide specific
examples of strategies. Review the list of strategies
generated and identify populations or groups of
persons with whom each strategy may be used or
implemented.
A Look at Strategies of
Service Providers Continued
Activity continued: Review your responses and ask
yourself the following questions:
1. Are the populations or groups identified primarily
from various ethnic backgrounds?
2. What other populations or groups could benefit
from the strategies listed? Refer back to the
“Inclusive Definition of Diversity” slide to answer this
question.
It is extremely important for service providers to
recognize that their understanding of diversity can
either strengthen or limit the benefits of strategies
implemented with the diverse populations or
groups served.
A Look at Strengths and
Limitations of Strategies

In order for service providers to implement
bias-free strategies that are sensitive to
diverse populations or groups served, it is
critically important to reflect on how
thoughts, behaviors, and/or values impact
the interactions and strategies used with a
diverse group of children, families, and
professional staff.
A Closer Look at Strengths and
Limitations of Strategies
The purpose of the following activity is to
expand participants’ understanding of
diversity and to gain a better understanding,
respect, acceptance, and appreciation of
practices, beliefs, behaviors, or
characteristics of diverse populations or
groups.
Thoughts, Values, & Behaviors
Impact Strategies
Activity: In the next two slides, there are two different case
studies. Read each case study. Analyze each case study by
recording answers to the following questions :
1. What are some possible reactions people may have to the
scenario described in the case study?
2. What are the issues, concerns, or priorities described in the
case study?
3. What are the sources of conflict, disagreement, or differences
in opinion portrayed in the case study?
4. What are the aspects of agreement or similarities in opinion
portrayed in the case study?
5. What are three different solutions or strategies to issues,
concerns, or priorities described in the case study?
6. What are potential barriers to implementing a solution or
strategy to the issues, concerns, or priorities described in the
study?
Case Study #1

You are a service provider and you are concerned about a child and his
family’s practices on your caseload. Carlos, one of the children you
serve, has severe cerebral palsy. Until two weeks ago, Carlos’ parents
were utilizing the services of an occupational therapist, speechlanguage pathologist, and physical therapist. Two weeks ago, John’s
mother told you that the family decided Carlos will discontinue
occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech/language therapy.
Instead, the mother has begun to take the child to healing services and
prayer group meetings at the family’s church. Although you explained
the importance of therapy strategies and early intervention, the family
has assured you that the child will improve with prayer and healing
strategies. You have talked with the mother and father numerous times
and both have told you that their decision is final. You are frustrated
and you aren’t certain what you should do. You have thought of
asking the local county child protective services agency to intervene,
but you are concerned that the family may ask you to discontinue all
early intervention services.
Case Study #2
You are the director at an early intervention program. One of your homebased service providers is worried about Aaron, a child on the service
provider’s caseload. Aaron is a 3 year old child receiving physical
therapy who lives with his parents, John and Steve. The home-based
provider expressed her concern to you after she returned from her most
recent home visit to Aaron’s home. Last week Aaron asked the homebased provider to read a book his parents had bought. The book was
about a little girl who lives with her two fathers. The home-based
provider is uncomfortable with the parents lifestyle. She wants to talk
with you about her caseload and has asked you to assign Aaron and his
family to a different home-based provider. Aaron has a difficult time
adjusting to new people and all the other home-based providers in your
program have full caseloads. Moreover, Aaron’s parents have
commented on the progress he has made since he began to work with the
home-based provider. This is not the first time the home-based provider
has expressed concern about families on her caseload. During the last
year, she has asked you to reassign two families, a non-English speaking
family with a 24 month old child who can’t walk and a single-parent
father with mild mental challenges raising a two year old son.
Reflection

The thoughts, behaviors, and/or values of service
providers impact the interactions and strategies
used with a diverse group of children, families, and
professional staff. It is critically important for
service providers to expand their understanding of
diversity so that the quality of strategies
implemented will truly and authentically reflect
respect, acceptance, and appreciation for the
diversity of beliefs, practices, characteristics, or
behaviors that may exist among and between the
diverse populations or groups that will benefit from
bias-free services provided.
Cultural Competence: A Process
For service providers to implement bias-free
strategies that are sensitive to the culturally,
ethnically, and linguistically diverse populations
or groups served, it is important to recognize that
cultural competence is achieved through an
ongoing process that is hierarchical in nature. In
this process, thoughts are generated, challenges
are expressed, fears are acknowledged,
consciousness are raised, “lenses” are refocused,
and ultimately, understanding, respect, acceptance,
and appreciation for diversity is accomplished.
Cultural Competence Continuum
1- Cultural Destructiveness
2- Cultural Incapacity
3- Cultural Blindness
4- Cultural Pre-Competence
5- Cultural Proficiency
Adapted from work of Kikanza Robins
Cultural Competence Continuum
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


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1- Cultural Destructiveness
– Negative; represents attitudes, practices, and beliefs that are
destructive to cultures
2- Cultural Incapacity
– Has extreme biased attitudes, thoughts, behaviors and a fear of
people who are different
3- Cultural Blindness
– Presumes that values, practices, thoughts, and behaviors of
individuals are that of the dominant culture and are the “right ones”
4- Cultural Pre-Competence
– Individual demonstrates respect and acceptance for individual
differences; continue awareness and learning about various cultures
5- Cultural Proficiency
– Individual values and appreciate differences; implements a systematic
approach to implementing strategies that are sensitive to diverse
populations.
Adapted from work of Kikanza Robins
Cultural Competence Continuum
Activity: Review the cultural
competence continuum and its
description in the previous slides.
Answer the following questions:
1. Right now, where are you on the
continuum? Be honest in your
response.
2. In the future, where do you want to
be?
Final Comments

The implementation of culturally sensitive and
bias-free strategies is achieved through the
ongoing process of gaining a better understanding,
respect, acceptance, and appreciation for the
diversity of beliefs, practices, thoughts, and
characteristics of the diverse populations or groups
of children and families that will benefit from the
services provided. It is hoped that this
presentation provided an opportunity to gain a
better understanding of diversity and started its
participants on the continuum of cultural
competence.
Follow Up
Cultural competency that is inclusive of
providing services that are sensitive to
diversity may be better facilitated when
individuals engage discussions. As a follow
up to this presentation, you are welcomed to
contact the presenter at vmcmilla@ncat.edu
with questions, comments, or any need for
clarification.