Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

Abstract

Health and social care practitioners increasingly work with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. While health and social care systems have emphasized the importance of culturally competent practice, professional practice has been influenced by values such as independence, a western notion that places value on the individual. It has been suggested that interdependence, a notion that places value on the family and/or community, can serve as an alternative to independence in culturally diverse practice. Using interviews with thirteen occupational therapists working in culturally diverse social care teams in London, this study aimed to explore whether the concept of interdependence could serve as an outcome and, whether it is more likely to result in actualizing culturally competent practice. The findings of this study add to the discourse in social care concerning the sources of associations made between the concepts of care and dependence, the positive meaning associated with independence and whether independence does support personal empowerment of service users. We suggest that interdependence better reflects the essence of social care delivery as a collaborative and respectful process between clients, caregivers and professional practitioners regardless of background, culture and societal expectations.

Comments

© Social Services Research Group. Preserved in ScholarWorks.

Publication Title

Research, Policy and Planning

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