English - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies

Indigenous knowledge, including how to deal with violence in the family and how to
raise children, has been historically disregarded. Instead, Western knowledge and
approaches to service delivery have been legitimized as better or more appropriate.
Aboriginal families are looking for evidence that shows Indigenous knowledge and
worldviews are respected.
Supporting people to change, to heal, to live a good life, requires that we understand
what is important to them and the cultural framework that shapes what holds value
to them.
Over the last 30 years, there has been an evolution in recognizing what it means to
understand and respect another person’s culture. Initially, it was necessary to simply
know people had a different culture; then it was necessary to understand that culture,
and then it was necessary to develop skills to relate to a different culture. Today,
the concept of cultural safety creates a different expectation for child welfare
professionals — ​there is a need to learn, to change your own behaviour and to change
the processes around you to fully engage and support the people you are helping.
Cultural Safety
Adapted from: Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR). (2006). Cultural Safety: Module 3 - People’s experience
of colonization in relation to health care.
The concept of cultural safety originated with the Maori people of New Zealand. The
concept originated because of the dissatisfaction with the health care service delivery
that the Aboriginal peoples were receiving. Cultural safety is intended to:
> > Improve the quality of service for all nations
> > Acknowledge that we are all bearers of culture
> > Expose the social, political, and historical context of child care services
> > Interrupt unequal power relations
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Cultural safety requires that child welfare professionals be respectful of culture,
which is different from being neutral or irrespective of these aspects of a person. A key
element of culturally safe practice is establishing trust with individuals and families.
The practice reinforces that each person’s knowledge and reality is valid and valuable.