Do Rural Child Welfare Professionals Perceive Themselves Culturally Competent? Culture Competence Training

Cultural competence among child welfare professionals is imperative given the rapidly changing American demographics. Current inadequacy in the delivery of culturally responsive social services is due to inadequate cultural competence training for child welfare professionals. This research study investigated the extent to which cultural competence training based on constructivism influenced rural child welfare professionals perceived level of cultural competence. In three regions of a de-identified state, rural child welfare professionals (N = 44) completed a post survey that included the adapted California Brief Multicultural Scale (CBMCS) (Gamst et al. 2004). Using a correlational-descriptive design by surveying participants, the researchers discovered rural child welfare professionals in the de-identified state do perceive themselves as being culturally competent. The variable training quantity was a significant predictor of perceived cultural competence.

Keywords: Culture Competence, Child Welfare, Training, Cultural, Diversity, Children and Families, Child Welfare Professionals, Rural Child Welfare

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