Overcoming barriers to improve access and equity of family relationship services for ethnic minority families in Australia Family Law Pathways Network (FLPN) Conference Newcastle, 28 June 2013 Pooja Sawrikar Postdoctoral Research Fellow Social Policy Research Centre University of New South Wales Acknowledgements: Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)

Who are ethnic minority families in Australia? “CALD” 24% of Australia’s population born in non-English speaking countries (ABS, 2007) Benefits of the term ‘ethnic minority’ Issues that ethnic minorities perceive or experience often arise because they are different from the ethnic majority They are not ‘minor’ in socio-cultural value, only population size ‘Ethnicity’ includes language, culture, and race The ethnic majority needs to be included in discussions on multiculturalism and how to address cultural diversity

Research in Australia so far Little is known about the uptake and needs of ethnic minority Australians in family relationship services Based on research in the UK and USA: Explore barriers ethnic minority families face Explore barriers service providers face Make recommendations for enhancing service accessibility and delivery for ethnic minority Australians

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face Quality of service ultimately depends on the interaction between specific factors but general factors influence these Specific factors Specific family, issue, culture Specific service provider’s personal and cultural knowledge Specific service center's layout, and mission statement General factors Acculturative/migratory Cultural Structural Service-related

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Acculturative (or migratory) barriers Language barriers English proficiency and/or confidence Professional jargon and power relationships

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Cultural barriers Norms prohibiting extra-familial support Individualism/Collectivism Traditional gender roles Engaging men in all families is difficult because they are seen as “the breadwinners” rather than “the carers” Engaging women can be hard as they are typically “the carers” not “the cared for”

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Cultural barriers (cont’d) Fear of authorities and their processes Child protection, police, courts, taxation, immigration, housing departments etc. Cultural: The state’s intervention can be daunting Pre-migration: Traumatic experiences with authorities in country of origin Fear of deportation Confidentiality Confusing/daunting paperwork

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Structural barriers Lack of knowledge or understanding of the services that are available Increase (translated) marketing or dissemination of services in local community

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Service related barriers The model of service is culturally inappropriate Eurocentric model of service delivery, reflecting mainstream individualistic norms and values The service is not perceived as relevant because of the lack of ethnic diversity in the workforce or in the marketing of services Brochures model the target client group

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that ethnic minority families may face (cont’d) Service related barriers (cont’d) Service choice is perceived as limited because of the lack of ethnic diversity in the workforce Pros of race-matching: empathy cultural knowledge Cons of race-matching: fear breach of confidentiality, uneven workload Reluctance to engage with services because of concern they will not be understood, or that they will be stereotyped or judged Unique set of issues: dislocation, acculturation, cultural identity, racism and discrimination Stereotyping: assumptions or inferences not tailored to within-group diversity Fear judged being deficient rather than different

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that service providers with ethnic minority client families may face Lack of awareness or confidence to address the needs of ethnic minority Australians Cultural awareness: enough knowledge to form a stereotype Cultural sensitivity: enough knowledge of individual variation to not rely on stereotype Cultural competency: aware of cultural differences between service provider and client

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that service providers with ethnic minority client families may face (cont’d) Key characteristics of cultural competency: Being aware of differences without making people feel different Having a genuine willingness and desire to learn about other cultures rather than it simply being a managerial requirement Communicating effectively Using your knowledge in a non-stereotypical way Demonstrating flexibility in your approach Having resources to draw on Having access to managers who are knowledgeable about diversity and are competent supervisors Continuously striving to effectively work within the cultural context of an individual, family, or community Being aware of how the cultural norms of the client’s ethnicity differs from your own Feeling confident and efficacious to address the issues of MEA clients even if you unfamiliar with that ethnic group

Barriers to service accessibility and delivery that service providers with ethnic minority client families may face (cont’d) Institutional racism “Colour blind” policies and practices Lack of adequate resources and training Lack of awareness of, and partnering with, ‘CALD’-focused organisations in the local community Local CALD advocacy groups Migrant Resources Centers (MRC) Ethnic Communities Council (ECC) Language centers Centres that specialise in meeting the needs of refugees or newly arrived migrants Other multicultural organisations

Prioritising strategies for improving the cross-cultural capacity of a service outlet Improve the overall quality of the service High-quality, well-resourced services with dedicated, well-trained and well-supported staff Implement equal employment opportunity and multicultural policies Increase recruitment of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds to reflect local demographic Collect data on factors that measure or assess culture Country of birth of all family members Year of arrival in Australia Main language/s spoken at home Self-rated cultural identity

Prioritising strategies for improving the cross-cultural capacity of a service outlet (cont’d) Market and promote services Translated newsletters, local businesses, religious and community groups With cultural diversity of the staff profile and pictures of minority ethnic families included Receive training in cultural competency to become aware of: (Stereo)typical cultural norms, values, beliefs and practices The need to pay attention to individual variation to avoid: prejudicial stereotyping homogenising the needs of all minority ethnic families misattributing problematic behaviours to culture or culture to problematic behaviours Differences in cultural norms between themselves and their client family

Prioritising strategies for improving the cross-cultural capacity of a service outlet (cont’d) Partner with other ‘CALD’-focused centers or organisations in the local community to receive Support through networks Advice and consultation on appropriate service delivery Clear referral pathways for minority ethnic Australian families Language services Cultural awareness training Holistic assistance in building the cross-cultural capacity of the service outlet

Conclusion “Although it seems obvious, the involvement of minority ethnic groups is often overlooked”, compromising the voice and representation of these marginalised groups in program and model planning and policy making for the delivery of services. Service providers and practitioners play a crucial role in providing support and nurturance to families in Australia. However, "only through an awareness of an appreciation for the diversity of cultures within our society”, can the inclusiveness and engagement of family relationship services for all families in Australia be enhanced

Relevant reading Sawrikar, P. & Katz, I. (2008). Enhancing family and relationship service accessibility and delivery to culturally and linguistically diverse families in Australia. Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse Issues, AIFS, Number 3. http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/issues/issues3.html