Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois
Six Stages of Cultural Competency
Cultural Destructiveness
This stage is the least positive, illustrating viewpoints/attitudes, policies and
behaviors/practices that are destructive to cultures and individuals within those
cultures. It is the purposeful destruction of a culture (cultural genocide). An extreme
example would be the United States’ systematic attempt in the 19 th century to destroy
Native American culture through the establishment of boarding schools that moved
young Native Americans away from their people. (Florida Department of Health and
Rehabilitation, Children, Youth and Families, 1991. Tallahassee Community College
Professional Development Center.)
Cultural Incapacity
This stage does not involve a purposeful intent to destroy a culture. Rather, it involves
a system or individual that does not possess enabling skills or abilities to assist
minorities and communities. This stage is typified by attitudes of racial superiority and
is extremely biased. People in this stage assume a parental position toward minority
groups.
An example of this behavior would be the practice of denying the right to selfdetermination within the case plan. A worker or system that does not value, but rather
devalues a cultural group would not allow a client to choose his or her own resources
and service providers from within the natural network of services and helpers within
their culture. In other words, a worker may ignore the wishes of a client who wants a
minister to provide counseling. The worker may ignore the client’s wish that a
godmother parent his or her child whom the client has been accused of abusing or
neglecting. A worker in this stage may discount a client who identifies religious faith as
a primary source of sustenance. In such cases, the agency would not be viewing the
client’s choices as appropriate. The agency would view acknowledging such choices as
poor policy and practice. This attitude reflects the agency’s assumption that the
dominant culture’s attributes are superior to those of other cultures.
Cultural Blindness
Cultural blindness is displayed by those systems, agencies or individuals that convey the
philosophy/viewpoint that “all are the same.” They apply approaches that have been
found to be useful to the dominant culture as the approach of choice for minority
cultural groups.
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While this is a mid-level stage in the continuum of cultural competence, it is still lacking
attitudes, behavior and policies that take into account the diversity of the client
population. Also, this attitude does not recognize strengths inherent within minority
cultures.
A system, agency or individual at this level of cultural competence would not appreciate
differences. They would be unable to recognize and employ the resources that are a
natural part of the client’s culture. For instance, a culturally blind system would not
recognize the value of non-kinship placements for children of color. However, informal
adoption and foster care is common in African-American and Hispanic families.
Cultural Pre-Competence
This stage’s title implies movement. Agencies, systems and individuals in this stage are
able to recognize and clearly identify their deficits and areas of need in delivering
effective services to minority clients and communities.
The prevailing attitude in this stage is “How can we improve services to a specific
population such as the African-American population”? Practices involve the hiring of
minorities, training of staff in cultural sensitivity, developing strategies for working
effectively with minority communities and recruiting minority individuals for membership
on boards and advisory committees.
The identified dangers at this stage are:
1. An erroneous assumption that accomplishment of one goal fulfills responsibility to
minority communities.
2. Failure to accomplish a goal may result in a hesitancy to try again.
3. A tendency toward tokenism. Tokenism is a modest or paltry gesture made in the
direction of cultural sensitivity. An example of tokenism is an agency staff that
includes only one or two minority workers. Other examples include appointing a
minority representative to one advisory committee or identifying one minority
worker for promotion to management.
Cultural Competence
Cultural competence is reflected in individuals, agencies and systems that accept and
respect differences and are involved in ongoing cultural self-assessments. Competence
is exemplified in individuals, agencies and systems that are attentive to the dynamics of
difference and that continue to expand cultural knowledge, resources and strategies to
better meet the needs of minority communities.
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Cultural competence is evident when minority groups are viewed as being distinctly
different. Culturally competent people also recognize diversity within each culture,
which results in sub-groups with identified strengths and distinguishable cultural
characteristics. Thus, the culturally competent worker would not view AfricanAmericans as being “monolithic” or all the same.
Culturally competent agencies hire non-biased staff, seek advice and consultation from
minority communities and have identified their strengths and needs relative to service
delivery within minority communities. These agencies provide support to staff in
acquiring the skills necessary for working effectively in cross-cultural situations. The
policies of the culturally competent agency reflect the attitude of respect for difference,
and the agency is committed to policies that will enhance service delivery to diverse
groups.
Cultural Proficiency
Cultural proficiency is the most advanced stage of cultural competence. Cultural
proficiency is reflected in systems, agencies and individuals that hold culture in high
esteem.
The behavior practice at this stage involves ongoing research and investigation of new
therapeutic approaches based on culture. A culturally proficient agency will hire at least
one worker or supervisor who is an expert in the field of culturally competent practice
and who can disseminate cultural competence throughout the agency. Culturally
proficient agencies are always finding new strategies for higher levels of culturally
competent care. Culturally proficient agencies constantly expand their knowledge base
and readily seek new information that will aid them in being culturally sensitive when
working with minority communities. Agencies and individuals advocate for cultural
competence throughout the system and the broader society.
(Taken from the E.F. Ghoughan and Associates, Inc. literature)
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