Provides background on standards endorsed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) whereby social workers fulfill their ethical responsibility to be culturally competent. Social workers get: (1) an overview of cultural diversity in social work practice; (2) definitions of culture and cultural competence; and (3) information about the specific goals and objectives of the standards. Standards are interpreted in the areas of: ethics and values, including potential conflicts between personal or professional values and clients’ needs; cultural self-awareness as the first step in appreciating the importance of multicultural identity; cross-cultural knowledge, including the history, traditions, family systems, and artistic expressions of major client groups served; cross-cultural skills, reflecting an understanding of the role of culture in the helping process; service delivery, including appropriate referrals; empowerment and advocacy on behalf of clients; workforce diversity; continuing education to promote cultural competence within the profession; language diversity, including language-appropriate services to clients; and cross-cultural leadership to facilitate communication about diverse client groups to other professionals.
