Cultural competence isn’t a checkbox—it’s a deep, ongoing practice of humility, awareness, and action. Section 1.05 of the NASW Code of Ethics makes it clear: social workers must not only understand diversity, but actively work against the systems that perpetuate harm.
Here’s the full standard:
1.05 Cultural Competence
(a) Social workers should demonstrate understanding of culture and its function in human behavior and society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures.
(b) Social workers should demonstrate knowledge that guides practice with clients of various cultures and be able to demonstrate skills in the provision of culturally informed services that empower marginalized individuals and groups. Social workers must take action against oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequities, and acknowledge personal privilege.
(c) Social workers should demonstrate awareness and cultural humility by engaging in critical self-reflection (understanding their own bias and engaging in self-correction), recognizing clients as experts of their own culture, committing to lifelong learning, and holding institutions accountable for advancing cultural humility.
(d) Social workers should obtain education about and demonstrate understanding of the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical ability.
(e) Social workers who provide electronic social work services should be aware of cultural and socioeconomic differences among clients’ use of and access to electronic technology and seek to prevent such potential barriers. Social workers should assess cultural, environmental, economic, mental or physical ability, linguistic, and other issues that may affect the delivery or use of these services.
Unlike older, static models that implied cultural knowledge could be “mastered,” today’s approach centers on cultural humility—a recognition that:
You’ll never fully understand someone else’s lived experience
Your own perspective is shaped by bias, privilege, and social position
Listening, self-reflection, and accountability are lifelong responsibilities
This section of the Code makes it clear: ethics demand both awareness and action.
Social workers must recognize culture not as a problem to overcome, but as a source of resilience, wisdom, and identity. This applies across all forms of human diversity—ethnic, religious, gender-based, neurodiverse, and more.
Cultural competence includes:
Applying culturally informed practice skills
Understanding the historical and structural oppression many clients face
Acknowledging and actively working to check your own privilege
Taking ethical action against racism and inequity, not just being aware of them
This standard pushes beyond competence into a lifelong stance:
Practice critical self-reflection
Treat clients as the experts of their own culture
Challenge institutions that fail to embody inclusion and equity
Commit to continuous learning, not occasional workshops
Social workers must be competent across a wide range of identities, including:
Race, ethnicity, immigration status
Gender identity and sexual orientation
Age, ability, religious belief, political identity
Intersectionality of all of the above
This also includes understanding the impact of systemic oppression on these identities.
Social workers using telehealth or digital platforms must consider:
Whether clients have reliable access to tech
Language barriers or disability-related access issues
How socioeconomic status shapes digital literacy and comfort
Avoiding assumptions about who can or cannot use tech services
A social worker offers teletherapy to low-income youth in rural areas. Several clients have missed appointments due to unreliable internet or lack of privacy at home. What is the most ethical response?
A. Continue offering services but mark them as no-shows
B. Reassess the service delivery model to reduce technology barriers
C. Provide resources for better internet access and continue as planned
D. Require clients to find a private location or wait until they can
Ethical practice means acknowledging cultural and socioeconomic barriers to access. The social worker must adapt delivery, not penalize the client for systemic limitations. The correct answer is B.
Cultural competence means more than “being respectful.” It means listening deeply, unlearning bias, advocating for equity, and checking your own power. Section 1.05 calls on us not just to understand culture—but to center it in every ethical decision we make.
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