Independent social workers with a Chinese background

[bayescr]

Can anyone suggest an independent social worker for parenting assessments who understands Chinese/Asian values?

[Winter25]

Hi bayescr,

I completely understand why you’re asking this, when you come from a cultural background that has different expectations around parenting, boundaries, discipline, extended family roles, and communication, it can feel like UK services simply don’t “get” you. Many parents from Asian, African, Middle Eastern or Eastern European backgrounds say the same thing.

But I want to be honest with you so you don’t get misled.

1. You cannot request a social worker based on ethnicity or cultural background

Local Authorities in the UK do not allocate social workers based on race, nationality, or cultural heritage.
They are required to follow UK safeguarding law, not cultural customs.

Even if your family values are different, and that is completely vali, assessments must still be done through a UK legal lens.

2. An independent social worker is different

You can (privately) instruct an independent social worker (ISW) who:

understands Chinese/Asian cultural values

understands the expectations on children within your culture

understands family hierarchy, role of elders, discipline styles, collectivism vs individualism

avoids misinterpreting cultural behaviours as “risk”

But:

You must pay for an ISW yourself (or through legal aid if you have ongoing proceedings).

The Local Authority is not required to choose one of your preferred ethnicity.

A court may accept an ISW report, but the LA does not have to.

I can recommend what to look for, but no one here can “appoint” a specific person.

3. What actually matters: cultural competence

Rather than demanding a “Chinese social worker,” you need an ISW who is culturally competent.

This means someone who understands things like:

Why Chinese families may appear “stern” to British workers

Why emotional expression may be different

Why a child may be respectful/quiet rather than “withdrawn”

The role of extended family

Differences in discipline that do not equal harm

Concepts of saving face, duty, respect for elders

That collectivist family dynamics do not mean “control”

Why British social workers often misunderstand Chinese parenting as “strict” or “rigid”

Those misunderstandings can massively affect assessments.

4. What you can request in writing

You can formally email the Local Authority:

“Please ensure any assessments are carried out by professionals who have demonstrable cultural competence and experience working with Chinese/Asian families, as recommended by Working Together to Safeguard Children (which requires culturally sensitive practice).”

They cannot select by ethnicity, but they can select by skills and cultural competence.

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For full transparency, I am not an official adviser for this forum. I am a parent who has been through a long and complex legal battle with a Local Authority, and I share guidance based on lived experience. It is up to each parent to decide what is right for their situation.