The Cultural Competency of Parenting Support Programs for Newcomer Immigrant Parents in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

Drawing on concepts from the psychology of acculturation and cross-cultural theory, this qualitative research study involves an interpretative approach to parenting programs for newcomers in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. This explorative study applies a document analysis method (Bowen, 2009), and aims to identify principles and elements of cultural competency (Sue & Sue, 2013), cultural safety (Ball, 2008; DeSouza, 2008), cultural humility (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998; DeFehr, Adan, Barros, Rodriguez, & Wai, 2012), and linguistic competence (DeSouza, 2008) in parenting programs that are currently delivered in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. This study will analyze four well-established parenting programs from government and non-government agencies: Nobody’s Perfect, Parent-Child Mother Goose, Hippy, and Parent Support Circles. During immigration and resettlement, immigrant families face situational and systemic barriers and newcomer parents often struggle with changes in traditional gender roles and conflictive intergenerational dynamics related to resettlement, which is detrimental to their parental role. This research aims add to and deepen the understanding of cultural competency/cultural safety within parenting programs and resources used to support immigrant parents and their families.