This chapter urges child welfare service providers to carry out culturally sensitive work with ethnic minorities in the United States. The author discusses how levels of acculturation can affect relations between first-, second- and third-generation family members and how unresolved conflicts may prompt the involvement of child welfare services. In these cases, the chapter encourages use of the HOMEBUILDERS model. This practice model promotes culturally sensitive work through drawing upon a similar value base with clients and making services available around the clock, even providing counseling within the client’s home. Empowerment comes first and foremost in the HOMEBUILDERS intervention, where service-providers commit to building skills and promoting alternative ways of solving conflicts. Overall, the chapter encourages those working within the child welfare system to build a relationship of trust with their clients by addressing racial differences, allowing clients to define their “family”, and promoting empowerment through building culturally-sound new skills.
