Maintaining Cultural Integrity in Residential Treatment

ABSTRACT

Cross-cultural residential placement of children and adolescents requires careful attention to the youth's culture of origin, so that the delivery of the treatment service is respectful of his or her way of life. Cultural protection in treatment facilities, as a principle, ensures that the traditions, symbols, values, norms, and the worldview, as well as the youth's family connections are respected. Cross-cultural residential placement includes understanding youngsters and their behaviors from a general theoretical conceptualization as opposed to Western Civilization's social construction of adaptability. This paper addresses the residential treatment of adolescents who originate from Nunavut and experience cross-cultural placement at Warren Youth Services, Calgary, Alberta.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural sensitivity
• milieu management
• First Nations
• Inuit
• residential treatment