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welfare among non-Western immigrants. Here, too, the subject of
ethnic matching is central to the debate. Other measures are
adaptations of forms to be filled in, adaptation of methods and
programmes to make them more group and family oriented
(collective) and less individualistic. Also, the development of models
for good encounters between child welfare officers and clients is
addressed.
Some studies conclude that ethnic matching of therapist and client
make the client more satisfied, but so far, there are investigations of
long-term effects. The insight gained from being an immigrant gives a
cultural familiarity, which may be of use in the daily work as a child
welfare officer. On the other hand, cultural familiarity does not
automatically result in the skills needed to treat cultural difference
analytically.
Adaptation of tools with the aim of improving communication is well
worth doing, according to several studies. For instance, it is
recommendable to choose words and expressions carefully, paying
attention to the fact that one and the same word often have different
connotation in different groups of people. Likewise, it might be
functional to adjust programmes and methods to make them more
acceptable and understandable among clients with more collective
family traditions. One study, on asthma treatment, suggests that
adjustment to collective traditions may have a positive effect on
outcomes. Unfortunately, the study did not examine whether the
adjustment would have had a similar effect on the majority
population.
Also, the development of models for good meetings between child
welfare officers and clients is addressed. The concrete meetings are
very important, according to several studies. Several interesting
studies have been made of the health services, showing that trust is of
great importance. The successful therapist has an open attitude to
cultural differences and to mutual learning. The so-called “Solution
Oriented Conversation” is based on several specific techniques to
achieve good meetings, and the techniques seem to have a positive
effect.
Immigrant youth – criminality and drug abuse
Immigrant youth with behavioural problems has been subject to
several studies. Two meta-studies from 2003 and 2005 give reason to
conclude that ordinary, mainstream interventions as well as
standardised and manualised cognitive treatment programmes are as
useful for criminals with a minority background as they are for
NIBR-rapport: 2007:10
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