ncounters and core skills. It is included the way of approach, cultural competency and communications skills in working with family.

It is important to address the family-centred approach which is underpinnings the theory in working with families. It can be explained that family-centred practice involves a focus on working with families/whanau, not exclusively working with individual member of families. This approach is also congruent with ecological theory. According to Bronfenbrenner (Berger, 2008, p.87), human development and family functioning can be influenced mutually by a layer of environmental aspects like society and relationship. Accordingly, individual person is likely to be interlinked surroundings from the home as a micro system to wide society or culture as a macrosystem. Therefore, family-centred approach can be effective in dealing with family matters. Family Group Conference is a good illustration of this collaborative family-centred approach. Findings of international research (Kanyi, 2013, p.39) showed that building on family strengths and working in partnership with families to support children turned out a positive effect of children’s wellbeing.
However, the meaning of family has diverse depending on context and use. In New Zealand context, legal definitions of family relationships are changing in order to take into consideration of social and cultural norms. There are variety forms of family in NZ such as de-facto relationship, extended families of Maori whanau and same sex family. Consequently, in terms of practice, it should be considered the boundaries of family. Further consideration should be given to economically, geographically, culturally and socially marginalized families. Cultural advisor, Choice and Partnership Approach and flexible location of appointments initiated by CAMHS can be encourage to better engagement in social work practice (Appleby and Phillips, 2013, 29-30).
More importantly, social work practitioners should have cultural competency. Culture can be defined as a unique aspect of human being and a way of life. Upon the understanding of ecological theory, families could share and be influenced by culture as a macro system. Accordingly, it is clear that extensive knowledge about diverse cultures can be useful for understanding the client’s behaviors, reactions, and decisions in social work context. For example, the use of te reo Maori, karakia and whakapapa when working with Maori family can be formed b