Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in Early Care Policies

and PracticeSmart Start Annual Conference

May 7, 2009

Hannah MatthewsCenter for Law and Social Policy

(CLASP)1

Presentation OverviewPresentation OverviewThe Need to Address Cultural/Linguistic DiversityCultural/Linguistic DiversitySupporting Diverse Children and Families in Policy and PracticeRecommendations and Discussion

2

The Need to Address Cultural and Linguistic Diversityg y

Young Children are Racially/Ethnically DiverseDiverse

4Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

Children of Color Are An Emerging MajorityMajority

White, Non-Hispanic HispanicBlack, Non-Hispanic American Indian, Non-HispanicA i /P ifi I l d N Hi i

14.5 14.7 14.5 14.1 14.0 13.6 13.5 13.3 13.1 12.9 12.8 12.7 12 7

0.8 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

1.7 3.1 4.2 5.4 6.2 7.1 8.3 9.2 10.0 10.8 11.5 12.1 12.7

Asian/Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic

8.912.2

16.320.7

23.4 25.928.4 30.5 32.4 34.2 35.5 36.7 37.7

12.7 12.7

Per

cent

74.068.9

64.058.9 55.4 52.5 48 948.9 46.1 43.7 41.3 39.4 37.7 36.1

5

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100

Source: Donald Hernandez, Center for Social & Demographic Analysis, from Population Projections Program, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Issued January 13, 2000.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities Endure Over TimeTime

FCD Child Well-being Index (CWI)

dex

valu

eIn

"Measuring Social Disparities" (2008) by Donald J. Hernandez and Suzanne Macartney; University at Albany, SUNY. 6

For Example…For Example…Percent in poverty among families with children under 18

over

tynt

livi

ng in

po

Per

cen

7"Measuring Social Disparities" (2008) by Donald J. Hernandez and Suzanne Macartney; University at Albany, SUNY.

The Immigration ContextThe Immigration ContextChildren of immigrants are the fastest growing segment of the child population.of the child population.

One out of five young children in the U.S. has an immigrant parent.One out of seven young children in the U.S. has at least one limited English parent (LEP) parent.One out of three young children of immigrants lives in a One out of three young children of immigrants lives in a linguistically isolated household.

Children of immigrants face advantages and disadvantages.

8Sources: Capps et al., The Health and Well-being of Young Children of Immigrants, Urban Institute, 2005 and Hernandez, “Demographic Change and the Life Circumstances of Immigrant Families,” The Future of Children, 2004.

Percent Change in Population of Children of Immigrants, Under Age 6, 1990-2000

9

Children in Immigrant Families Are Less Likely To Access Child Care and Early Education ProgramsAccess Child Care and Early Education Programs

Many immigrant families, and immigrant-serving organizations, are unaware of early care and education organizations, are unaware of early care and education programs and the importance of high-quality early learning experiences.High-quality programs are insufficiently available in immigrant communities.Th i h f bili l d bi l l idThere is a shortage of bilingual and bicultural providers.Many programs lack intentionality in working with immigrant families or ELLsimmigrant families or ELLs.

Cultural competence is about quality and access.

Source: The Challenges of Change, Center for Law and Social Policy, 2007. 10

Why Address Cultural Competency Issues in Early Childhood?

Children’s cultural identities and language

Issues in Early Childhood?

Children s cultural identities and language skills are developing during the early years.Cultural and linguistic continuity between home and child care is essential for healthy development. Th i i f i i There is an overrepresentation of minority children in poverty and at-risk.

11

Many Young Children Experience Multiple Risk FactorsMultiple Risk Factors

Source: National Center for Children in Poverty 12

Supporting Diverse Children and Families in Policy and Practicey

What’s The Goal?What s The Goal?Increase responsiveness to diverse children, families, and providers.providers.Build capacity to address the needs of diverse children and providers.Ensure that definitions of quality are inclusive of all children and families.

Incorporate new standards of quality.

Create settings in which all children thrive.

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What are Culturally Competent Approaches? Approaches?

Recognize each child’s development as culturally-drivenculturally drivenRecognize that individuals’ and institutions’ practices are embedded in cultureAlign quality with policies, practices that b ild h l i build on home language preservation and developmentIdentify strengths commonalities and Identify strengths, commonalities and shared goalsShare decision-making g

Adapted from NAEYC draft definition of cultural competence for early childhood. 15

What Can Programs Do? What Can Programs Do? Hire staff who reflect the children and communityUse cultural mediatorsSupport home language development Incorporate children’s home culture in daily Incorporate children s home culture in daily activitiesCreate opportunities for ELLs to lead, excelTailor programs to the needs of diverse families.Provide meaningful cultural competency Provide meaningful cultural competency training, opportunities for cross-cultural learning for all staff.

16

Policies that Promote Cultural CompetencyPolicies that Promote Cultural CompetencyStaff qualifications and professional development

Hire bilingual staff—at all levels.Hire bilingual staff at all levels.Create professional development ladders:

Include community-based training in multiple languages and financial supportsfinancial supports.Expand peer to peer training and networks.Recognize credentials and degrees from other countries.

17

Policies that Promote Cultural CompetencyPolicies that Promote Cultural CompetencyLanguage access

Create a language access plan for communication with LEP Create a language access plan for communication with LEP personsImprove language access to licensing and professional d l t tdevelopment systems

New partners and collaborationsUse cultural mediators.Use cultural mediators.Disseminate translated materials in accessible formats.Target outreach to immigrant and language minority communitiescommunities

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Key questions to considerKey questions to considerWho is included in the design and development of policies and programs? p p p gWhat research informs the development of programs and practice?H d th li / ti ff t How does the policy/practice affect culturally/ linguistically diverse children and families? How are the diverse circumstance of families considered?

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Recommendations

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Recommendations for State and Local PolicymakersPolicymakers

Fund cultural mediators and hire bilingual staffEncourage collaboration between early care and Encourage collaboration between early care and education programs and immigrant serving organizations. Conduct local assessments to understand the demographics of the young children population and to determine unmet need in service provision. Provide resources for targeted outreach to diverse communities.

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Recommendations for State and Local Policymakers (cont’d)Policymakers (cont d)

Support diverse providers’ access to licensing, professional development, and training opportunities.professional development, and training opportunities.Incorporate cultural and linguistic competency in existing program and content standards. Contract directly with immigrant-serving organizations to provide child care services.Use new Early Childhood Advisory Councils to address needs of culturally and linguistically diverse children.

22

Recommendations for ProgramsRecommendations for ProgramsCreate relationships and partnerships with local organizations serving diverse familiesgEmploy cultural mediators.Increase the pool of qualified, bilingual and culturally competent early care and education staff.Create a language access plan to ensure that parents with limited English proficiency can communicate with providers limited English proficiency can communicate with providers and that written materials are competently translated.Advocate on behalf of immigrant families with state subsidy agencies, Head Start programs, early intervention programs and other state and local early childhood programs

23

Contact information Contact information Hannah MatthewsSenior Policy Analyst Child Care and Early EducationSenior Policy Analyst, Child Care and Early EducationCenter for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)(202) 906-8006(202) 906-8006hmatthews@clasp.org

Additional resources are available on our website: www.childcareandearlyed.clasp.org

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Appendix

A Definition of Cultural CompetenceA Definition of Cultural Competence“Cultural competence is a congruent set of behaviors, attitudes, policies, structures, and practices that come p ptogether in a system, agency or among professionals and enable that system and agency or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. work effectively in cross cultural situations.

“Cultural competence is achieved by identifying and understanding the needs and helps seeking behaviors of individuals and families.

“Culturally competent organizations design and i l t i th t t il d t h d t th implement services that are tailored or matched to the unique needs of individuals, children, families, organizations and communities served.”

26Source: National Center for Cultural Competence

A Definition of Linguistic CompetenceA Definition of Linguistic Competence“Linguistic competence is the capacity of an organization and its personnel to communicate effectively, and convey and its personnel to communicate effectively, and convey information in a manner that is easily understood by diverse audiences including persons of limited English proficiency, those who have low literacy skills or are not literate, and individuals with disabilities. Linguistic competency requires organizational and provider capacity competency requires organizational and provider capacity to respond effectively to the health literacy needs of populations served. The organization must have policy, structures, practices, procedures and dedicated resources to support this capacity.”

27Source: National Center for Cultural Competence