Intersectional approaches to culturally responsive assessment practices

Chapter objectives To develop an understanding of critical multicultural practice in social work. To understand and apply an intersectional lens to assessment. To consider and use intersectional and culturally responsive assessment practices and skills. To work through a case study which explores culturally responsive assessment. This chapter explores contemporary social work approaches to working with people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, with a focus on the assessment phase. The assessment is a critical phase in the helping process as it establishes relationships and trust and identifes key areas for action (Hodgson & Watts, 2017). We set out key principles for practice which incorporate a critical intersectional multicultural lens, outline a case study and key questions for discussion and summarise key practice principles for contemporary social work.