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ELLs in Early Childhood Education: Recruiting Immigrant Families

ELLs in Early Childhood Education: Recruiting Immigrant Families

"When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become."

— Louis Pasteur

Recently I had a conversation with the director of an early childhood program in a large urban school district. She expressed concern that there were three early childhood sites designated specifically to meet the needs of low-income students in the community, and that even though many local immigrant families qualified for enrollment, they didn't send their children to the school. She asked for my opinion on how the department and sites could better recruit immigrant families and enroll more English language learners (ELLs) who would benefit greatly from the program.

It occurred to me that although the benefits of preschool programs are well documented, particularly for ELLs, there are additional issues that must be taken into consideration in order to effectively recruit and meet the needs of immigrant families in early childhood education centers. These issues range from socioeconomic status and program access to culture and language.

Preparing ELLs for Success

Learn how to support ELLs' language and literacy development in preschool.

This article provides a brief overview of the some of the reasons why fewer than expected immigrant families are enrolling their children in preschool, and offers some tips for recruiting and supporting immigrant families in an early childhood education setting.

It must be noted that much of the research done on early childhood education and ELLs has focused on Hispanic families, since their children represent a significant majority of ELLs; however, many of the trends and challenges that affect Hispanic families affect other immigrant communities and students as well. The research that has thus far focused on ELLs of Hispanic origin can serve as a useful model for educators working with ELLs and immigrant families from all backgrounds.

Why is early childhood education so important for ELLs?

The ELL student population in the U.S. has grown dramatically in recent years, and is expected to continue that growth in upcoming decades. This means that the demand on educators and policymakers to create and sustain high-quality, effective preschool programs for ELLs will also continue to grow in communities around the country (Garcia and Gonzales, 2006).

These demographic shifts don't only affect preschools, however. The children who are now in preschool will soon move through the U.S. school system, and their ability to succeed in elementary, middle, and high school may in part depend on how effective their preschool programs were. Once these children become adults, they will find themselves playing an important role in and contributing to the U.S. society — politically, socially, culturally, and economically — and education will be one of the keys necessary for those former preschoolers to realize their full potential.

Even for children who speak English, a lack of access to early childhood education makes it hard for them to catch up in later years because they are always chasing a "moving target" as their peers continue to build on the academic knowledge they gained in preschool. For children who don't speak English, though, the gap is particularly hard to overcome, as evidenced by disparities in reading and math scores (National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2005, as cited in Laosa & Ainsworth, 2007) as well as lower graduation rates among Hispanics when compared with their peers of other ethnic backgrounds.

The good news, however, is that for those Hispanic children who do have access to early childhood education, the benefits are as strong as those for children of other backgrounds, and in some cases, are even stronger. According to Laosa & Ainsworth (2007),

"(W)hen afforded the opportunity to access high-quality preschool education, children of Hispanic descent make significant gains in learning and development, including areas such as vocabulary and letter knowledge that are strongly predictive of later reading success…Increasing participation in high-quality programs is one effective public policy to address problems common among Hispanic youth." (p.10)

Quality pre-school programs that take into account the unique needs of ELLs provide a valuable opportunity to increase literacy skills and to build an educational foundation in order to reduce the gap that can start in kindergarten and continue through high school and into adulthood.

 

Preschool Enrollment Obstacles

The question, then, is how to get more ELL children enrolled in preschool programs? First, it is important to take a closer look at why many disadvantaged families of ELLs who may qualify for preschool programs may not enroll their children, even when they have a positive attitude towards early childhood education and would be willing to send their children to preschool (National Household Education Survey, 2005, as cited in Barnett & Yarosz, 2007).

When looking at preschool enrollment numbers of Hispanic children, for example, the lower numbers have often been interpreted as a lack of interest or even a "reluctance" on the part of Hispanic parents for their children to participate in early childhood education programs (Garcia and Gonzales, 2006). That perception doesn't reflect reality, however.

In 2006, the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute conducted a Latino public opinion survey of 1,000 Hispanic families in 10 states across the country about pre-kindergarten programs. The study found that:

  • Ninety-five percent of the respondents thought that attending pre-kindergarten gives children an advantage in school over children who did not attend pre-kindergarten
  • More than 96% of respondents said they would enroll their children in a free, voluntary pre-kindergarten program if it were available to them (Valencia, Pérez & Echeveste and Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, 2006).

So if the interest and recognition of value of early childhood education is so high among Hispanic parents, why are preschool enrollment numbers lower for Hispanic children compared with white and African-American children of the same age?

When asked for reasons they didn't enroll their children, participants in the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute study provided a number of reasons, including that they didn't know about the programs, they couldn't afford them, and because they didn't have the documents the program required (Valencia et al., 2006).

Numerous other researchers, too, have studied and documented the reasons why immigrant families who are interested in preschool education for their children don't enroll them. These include socioeconomic reasons, lack of access to quality programs and to information about programs, language and communication challenges, and different cultural expectations. Understanding these reasons can be an important step in increasing student enrollment in local early childhood education programs.

Socioeconomic factors

A number of socioeconomic and demographic factors have been shown to correlate with low rates of preschool enrollment and subsequent low academic achievement. These factors include:

  • family income
  • a mother's level of education
  • parents' employment status (Matthews & Ewen, 2006)

For example, when the mother does not work outside the home, the family is less likely to look for a preschool arrangement (National Household Education Survey, 2001, as cited in Matthews & Ewen, 2006). Immigrants are also more likely to work in low-wage jobs with irregular schedules, making regular child care or program attendance difficult (Presser, 2003, as cited in Matthews & Ewen, 2006).

These factors can affect preschool participation in complex and significant ways for immigrant families whose socioeconomic and legal status may be in flux.

Lack of access to quality programs

Another factor affecting enrollment rates of immigrants in early childhood education programs is access to effective, affordable programs. The following complications can make a participation in an early childhood education program very difficult for many immigrant families:

  • No early affordable childhood education program is available in the community
  • A publicly funded program is available, but due to limited funding, it can't reach the entire target population it intends to serve (Laosa & Ainsworth, p. 9)
  • A publicly funded program is available, but is not effective due to class size, a lack of preparation on the part of the teachers, and/or high teacher-to-child ratios (Garcia & Gonzalez, 2006, p. 10)

As a result, even if early childhood programs are targeting immigrant families, it does not guarantee that those families will enroll their children, and if the families do enroll, the children aren't guaranteed to gain the benefits from their early childhood education experience that they need if the program isn't effective.

Language and communication challenges

Language barriers not only affect children's success in preschool and later grades, but also parents' awareness of early childhood education programs in their neighborhood. Parents won't necessarily know about programs in their neighborhood if the school hasn't made an effort to reach them in their own language (Garcia & Gonzalez, 2006). Good communication in a common language is necessary for both sides of the school-family partnership to be effective partners, because language plays a part in all aspects of the relationship, including:

  • recruiting families and informing parents about the program
  • enrollment procedures such as filling out paperwork
  • developing a positive, working relationship between parents and teachers (Garcia & Gonzalez, 2006)

Without access to communication in their language, parents won't learn about the programs that are available, and teachers won't be able to involve and engage parents in important issues related to their children.

Different cultural expectations

A wide range of cultural issues may also play a part in a family's decisions about preschool enrollment, whether the family is a new immigrant family or a family that has been in the U.S. for a longer time but is new to the early childhood education system of this country. Here are some points to remember:

Many parents may have had limited opportunities to attend primary school in their native country, and may not be aware of the importance and availability of preschool in the U.S.

Parents must focus on finding and maintaining stable housing and employment situations, enrolling older children in school, and attending various appointments (government, medical, financial, etc). The energy required to meet this demanding schedule may influence the families' decision as to whether or not to send a child to preschool.

For example, in some cultures, the mother may be the primary caretaker of the children, and is seen as responsible for the early childhood education of the children. This education could include character building, religious teaching, reinforcing cultural beliefs and appropriate behavior, or academic work. As a result, parents and teachers may have different, culturally-based definitions of early childhood education and parental involvement. (To learn more about a group of Latino parents' perspective on parental involvement, read "Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education" published by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute.)

Immigrant parents may feel more inclined to send their child to a preschool where the staff speaks the home language and where there is evidence that the child's culture is included in the school environment and learning. If the parents do not have this connection they may not feel as trusting of the source of education and also be reluctant to entrust the preschool with the responsibility of educating their child.

  1. Immigrants come from many countries with a variety of educational systems and experiences.
  2. Immigrants and low-income parents often struggle with meeting day-to-day needs of their families.
  3. Early childhood education may mean different things in different cultures.
  4. The cultural relevance of the preschool curriculum and how the language and culture of students is integrated into the program may influence parents' decisions.
 

Every immigrant family is different. Even if a group of families has come from the same country or speaks the same language, the preschool programs need to reflect the diversity of their students and families. Educators and administrators who are interested in recruiting ELL preschool students can increase their own understanding of the families they are serving by spending time getting to know the families in the communities, discovering their needs, and developing the relationships necessary to provide support for families as they make the decision to send their child to preschool. The tips below provide some specific ideas for getting started.

Tips to Recruit Immigrant Families / Families of ELLs

The best way to recruit immigrant families is to take the time to learn about their needs and their cultures so that you can develop a trusting relationship. The following ideas all relate to building communication strategies that work for the families you are serving, and taking time to interact and get to know your potential students. Get bilingual staff and parent volunteers involved in these outreach efforts so that parents will feel more comfortable and will be able to ask questions.

Show your interest in meeting the needs of the families you are trying to target by learning more about their community, their culture, their educational experiences and expectations, and obstacles or challenges that may be preventing families from enrolling their children in your program. Is it a question of increasing publicity about the program in different languages? Affordability? Transportation and location? Program model and language of instruction? Differing ideas about early education? Even if you can't make major changes to address all of these challenges at once, getting to know your families well will allow you to make smaller changes that can make a big difference, and look plan strategically for bigger changes in the future.

Immigrant families often rely on these agencies for advice and referrals to resources. Invite the leaders of the community agency to visit your program and ask them for advice on how you can make the program more beneficial to their population. These leaders may also be a source of invaluable background information on the community they serve.

Offer information to parents describing the educational programs, language-learning models, or elements that focus on preserving students' culture at your school. Translate basic program information into as many languages as your center serves, if possible, so that parents can take the information home and review or share it as needed.

Find out how the local immigrant community gets their news. Many immigrant communities have radio stations or TV shows that broadcast news and advertisements in their native language. Even large Spanish-language networks such as Telemundo or Univision have many small affiliates throughout the country with a local newscast or community calendar. There may also be an ethnic newspaper such as the "Asian Times" that would target the immigrant audience more effectively. Mainstream techniques are rarely effective with immigrant populations, since they are not used to receiving information through flyers and general advertisements — especially if it's in a language they don't understand.

If immigrant parents and children come to the center and begin to feel comfortable in the environment and gain an understanding of what the program can offer their child, they will be more likely to enroll in the program. One idea is to have regular Open House sessions, and set aside a couple hours during the day when parents and children can join in the activities to see what it is like.

When I meet immigrant families who are choosing a school in my district and I ask them how they chose the school, they invariably answer that a cousin or friend has children at that school and recommended the program. You could ask the immigrant parents in your program if they would be willing to speak with a group of potential families and describe how the program has benefited their child. If your program has a fee, perhaps you could offer tuition reduction to parents who recruit new students.

  • Make sure that your preschool program is prepared to meet the needs of immigrant students and families.
  • Make a connection with local community agencies that serve specific immigrant populations.
  • Make program information available in target languages.
  • Advertise in the families' home languages.
  • Have regular "open houses" or play dates.
  • The most effective recruiters you have are immigrant parents who are already in the program.

Tips for Supporting Immigrant Families Once They Enroll

New immigrant families who have been through a lot of upheaval may still be trying to adjust to life in the U.S., and as a result, their children might need some extra support. Families who have lived in the U.S. for a long time may be enrolling their children in a preschool program for the first time, and may be very nervous or uncertain of how to proceed. Here are a few ideas that may help ease the transition into a formal academic program.

You can also set learning goals so you know you are meeting the expectations of the parents regarding their child's learning. This is also a good time to go over the expectations for calling in when their child is sick or won't be attending. Communication in the parent's first language is crucial; ask an interpreter to join the conversation if necessary. Give the family a phone number of a person they can talk to in their first language if they have any concerns as the year progresses.

Many of these children will be away from their mother and other family members who make up their safe community for the first time. They are at a school without that family and perhaps in an environment where they don't understand the language. This can be emotionally exhausting. If the child cries a lot when the mother is dropping them off, develop a strategy to ease the transition depending on the needs of the child. Comfort the mother as well since this is often stressful for her because she doesn't like to see her child suffer and may not be sure this is the best idea for her child.

Make sure the child knows about the quiet area so they can go there whenever they feel overwhelmed. You may need to allow for this even when you expect whole class participation, for example, to come together and hear a story. For an immigrant child who is overwhelmed by the language, the idea of sitting still to hear a story they don't understand may make them want to visit the quiet area instead. As the child gets more comfortable with the center, routine, and language, he will begin to spend less and less time there.

Remember that students may be coming from a different culture where different behaviors are expected. For example, some cultures eat with their hands, so students may not be familiar with silverware and how to use it. Some cultures see lots of activity as a sign of intelligence and the child may not understand why they are asked to sit quietly, and may not know how to do it effectively. Over time you will begin to see the cultural differences more clearly, and will know how to assist students with their adjustment to school.

Young children may benefit from having a "buddy." Whether this person is a specific teacher or another student who speaks the same language, make it clear that the student can go to that person anytime he feels anxious or need guidance.

  • Have a meeting with the parents in order to discuss any questions or concerns they might have as their child starts at the school.
  • Recognize that a new student may have a lot of fear during their first days at the school.
  • Make check-in times during the day and allow for children to have some down time in a quiet area.
  • Be very clear about behavior expectations and model correct behavior.
  • A smile goes a long way towards providing comfort and in the first days and weeks of a child's preschool experience.

By actively engaging the parents in your community and establishing a relationship based on trust, respect, and common goals for the students, you will have a better chance of attracting the families you have the potential to serve to your program, and getting their children on track to a bright and successful future.

Hot links

Head Start: Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

Many links to Head Start publications on a variety of topics such as infant nutrition, certificates of appreciation for parents, children's mental health, and developmental assessments. Many of the publications are downloadable and translated into Spanish.

Resources for Dual Language Learners

This Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness Center website from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers articles, tip sheets and other resources you can use to meet the needs of diverse populations and promote dual language learning, including information about Head Start and ELLs.

Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development

The NCCC provides national leadership and contributes to the body of knowledge on cultural and linguistic competency within systems and organizations. Major emphasis is placed on translating evidence into policy and practice for programs and personnel concerned with health and mental health care delivery, administration, education and advocacy.

Mi Escuelita

Mi Escuelita is a Texas-based early childhood program dedicated to teaching English and early learning skills to at-risk children of all cultures to help them prepare for a successful school experience.

PBS: A Place of Our Own

A Place of Our Own is the companion Web site to the daily Californian television series "A Place of Our Own" (and "Los Niños en Su Casa" in Spanish). The Web site, along with the TV series and an outreach program, are directed toward child care providers and share ways to help children to acquire developmental skills, language, and literacy. On the Web site, information and episode resources are organized by key topics, such as Brain Development and Health & Safety.

Reading Rockets: Information on Preschool and Child Care

Information about effective preschool programs, what parents should look for in a preschool or child care setting, and early child education.

Pre-K Now

This archived website offers resources for Pre-K advocates, policymakers, business and community leaders, educators, and family.

Pre-K Now Article: Pre-K and Latinos*

"Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation for America's Future."

Center for Law and Social Policy: Report on Early Education and Immigrant Families*

"Reaching All Children? Understanding Early Care and Education Participation Among Immigrant Families."

NIEER: ELL Resources

This section of the National Institute for Early Education Research website offers many research articles on early education and ELL students. The site also has reviews of preschool programs that have demonstrated success with ELL students.

NIEER: Research Policy Brief on Preschool*

"Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does It Matter?"

NIEER: Research Policy Brief on School Preparation*

"Is Public Pre-K Preparing Hispanic Children to Succeed in School?"

Reach Out and Read

A program designed to encourage reading in families and increase children's exposure to literature. Doctors and nurses are trained to read with parents and children at check-ups and then books are given to the family. Lists local programs and information on literacy resources.

Emergency and Community Health Outreach

Multilingual resources on health and safety resources, languages include English, Hmong, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese and Cambodian.

Citations

* To view this file, you'll need a copy of Acrobat Reader. Most computers already have it installed. If yours does not, you can download it now.

References

Barnett, W.S. & Yarosz, D.J. "Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does it Matter?" National Institute for Early childhood education Research Policy Brief. Revised 2007. Retrieved 7/30/08 from http://nieer.org/resources/policybriefs/13.pdf

Garcia, E.E. & Gonzales, D.M. "Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation for America's Future." Pre-K Now Research Series. July 2006. Retrieved 7/24/08 from http://www.preknow.org/documents/Pre-KandLatinos_July2006.pdf

Laosa, L.M. & Ainsworth, P. "Is Public Pre-K Preparing Hispanic Children to Succeed in School?" National Institute for Early childhood education Research Policy Brief. 2007. Retrieved 7/24/08 from http://nieer.org/resources/policybriefs/13.pdf

Matthews, H., & Ewen, D. "Reaching All Children? Understanding Early Care and Education Participation Among Immigrant Families." Center for Law and Social Policy. March 2006. Retrieved 7/24/08 from http://www.clasp.org/publications/child_care_immigrant.pdf

Valencia, Pérez & Echeveste and Tomás Rivera Policy Institute. "Latino Public Opinion Survey of Pre-Kindergarten Programs: Knowledge, Preferences, and Public Support." Conducted for Pre-K Now. April 2006. Retrieved 7/24/08 from http://www.trpi.org/PDFs/pre_k_now.pdf

Zarate, M. E. "Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education: Perceptions, Expectations, and Recommendations." Published by The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute. September 2007. Retrieved 7/24/08 from http://www.trpi.org/PDFs/TW%20REPORT.pdf

Endnotes

For those educators, policymakers, and researchers interested in policy or program information, the researchers cited in this article offer a number of recommendations regarding eligibility requirements, parent outreach, working with bilingual staff, different language models, professional development, community support, and research initiatives. Please see the reports below for those recommendations.

Reprints

You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Colorín Colorado and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact info@colorincolorado.org.

How to Support Young Children in Immigrant Families

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs

How to Support Young Children in Immigrant Families

A family reading a book together.

Learn how early childhood providers can support immigrant children and families and promote healthy social-emotional and physical development for young children facing uncertainty.

These strategies are part of the Colorín Colorado resource guide, How to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs.

For kids as young as the ones I teach, keeping the routine going is vital, as well as reassuring them that we love them and want them here in school with us. When the kids go home feeling happy and safe, that seems to reassure parents some too, but I wish I could do more.

— Teacher response to a Colorín Colorado survey on how schools are supporting immigrant families


Overview

Download PDF versions:

Preschools, early childhood centers, and other child care settings can play a critical role in supporting the children in immigrant families. In addition to the strategies recommended throughout this guide, early childhood educators may wish to keep these additional considerations in mind as they review their own program policies and think about the needs of young children. As noted in the introduction to this guide, there are 1.6 million children under the age of 5 nationwide who have at least one parent who is undocumented (Gándara & Ee, 2018a, p. 3).

Notes:

  • Guidelines and laws that apply to early childhood programs may vary depending on the program's location, affiliation, and sources of funding. They also may vary from K-12 public school policies. If clarification is needed, look for assistance from program administrators, local early childhood agencies, or national early childhood organizations that can provide appropriate information.
  • In addition, it is important for educators and leaders to keep in mind that immigration issues may be impacting staff as well, such as Karen Reyes, a teacher of hearing impaired toddlers in Austin, Texas who is a DACA recipient. See more on this topic in our section on how immigration issues can impact staff.

Opportunities for professional development

When considering what kinds of training may benefit your staff, keep in mind the following:

  • Community partners, as well as colleagues in nearby K-12 settings who serve the same families, may be helpful in providing guidance on what kinds of information will best serve the staff on these issues.
  • Early childhood agencies may also wish to offer centralized training for providers who aren't in a large program setting.
  • As part of the U.S. Department of Education's non-regulatory guidance on implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) with English learners, school districts are strongly encouraged to include local early childhood teachers in professional development. This might give providers an opportunity to learn how their local district is responding to current concerns of immigrant families.

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Look for ways to build relationships with families

Why this matters

Strong family partnerships are a valuable tool not only in supporting young children's future academic success but also in supporting healthy social-emotional development – particularly in the face of stress and uncertainty. Early childhood programs may need to be creative in building and expanding these relationships with immigrant families, but the results will be well worth the extra effort. It is easier to address challenges after trust has been established.

Tips for getting started

There are a number of things that early childhood programs can do to get started, including:

The role of home language: Family outreach

In addition, it is critical to communicate in families' home languages and provide forms and documents in families' home languages to the extent possible, such as registration forms, home language surveys, and emergency contact forms. Keep in mind that the U.S. educational system will be new to families and they may have lots of questions related to the program, on top of their questions about complex issues related to immigration. See more recommendations in our section on communicating with families.

The role of home language: Language and literacy development

At the same time, welcoming and including children's home languages in their learning environment provides numerous benefits to their social-emotional development, sense of identity, early literacy development, and acquisition of English.

Learn more from the following:

Recommended Resources

Resources from Head Start

Research and books

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Review program enrollment guidelines

Why this matters

The benefits of early childhood education for immigrant children are well-documented (Greenberg, Michie, and Adams, 2018, p. 1). In the majority of early childhood programs nationwide, children can enroll in the program if they (or their parents) are undocumented. Staff who enroll children should not ask families about their immigration status. While programs must follow all legal requirements in their state for maintaining information on each family, when possible, programs are also strongly discouraged from asking about country of origin and social security numbers. If children or family members volunteer the information, you should not share it with others.

Maintaining student privacy and confidentiality

There are a number of student privacy policies that can apply to different kinds of early childhood programs. All staff should be familiar with the policies that apply to their program. If clarification is needed, look for assistance from program administrators, local early childhood agencies, or national early childhood organizations that can provide appropriate information.

Tips for getting started

Program administrators and staff assisting with enrollment should be familiar with:

  • program policies related to enrollment
  • all types of documents that can be used to verify a child's age (described in these videos from attorney Roger Rosenthal)
  • requirements for establishing local residency
  • applicable privacy policies.

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Ensure staff are familiar with other policies and issues related to immigrant students

Why this matters

Families and staff members may have questions related to immigration issues; making sure that everyone has accurate and updated information will make it easier to address questions and concerns when they arise. Here are some important topics related to early childhood settings:

"Sensitive locations" guidance for early childhood settings

Early childhood settings such as preschools and day care centers are protected under the federal "sensitive locations" guidelines that also apply to schools. (See more on "sensitive locations guidance" in our related section and in this brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy, or CLASP.) There is no indication that this policy will change, although there have been cases of immigration enforcement activity happening near child care and early childhood centers.  Many early childhood settings have also reported drops in attendance and enrollment related to concerns about immigration enforcement. This may be in part due to the fact that many early childhood providers don't know that their settings are considered "sensitive locations" (Ullrich, 2018).

Following in-depth interviews with early childhood providers, researchers from CLASP concluded the following:

Many early childhood providers weren’t aware of the sensitive locations policies or didn’t know their programs were included. Few providers had internal policies for dealing with ICE or CBP agents who try to enter their facilities. They also didn’t know if they were legally obligated to admit immigration agents without a warrant. Consequently, many providers couldn’t assure immigrant families that the center was a safe place. (Ullrich, 2018)

This research speaks to the importance of ensuring that early childhood providers are familiar with the "sensitive locations" guidance. In addition, programs may wish to create a policy that clarifies what should happen if an immigration agent comes to the center.

Note: This guidance is just that – guidance – and not codified into law; it could change at any point. The guidance also has certain limitations, which is why program administrators should become familiar with other related local/state laws and should stay current with updates on this topic.

Making a plan to care for children whose caregivers are unavailable

In June 2018, a large immigration raid left dozens of young children stranded at day care centers and preschools in Ohio as caretakers scrambled to find relatives and emergency contacts. This example underscores the importance of having updated emergency contact information and a plan in place to care for children whose caregivers/parents/guardians are detained during the day.

Putting protocols in place for these situation improves the chance of finding an appropriate caregiver for children. See suggestions and resources in the following sections of this guide:

Answering questions about proposed "public charge" rule changes

The White House announced a proposed rule change in September 2018 that would make it harder for legal immigrants to get green cards if they receive certain kinds of public assistance. Head Start programs, services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and enrollment in free- and reduced-price meal programs are not included in this rule change.

However, other benefits have been added to the list that would likely impact many immigrant families if the rules go into effect, and some families have already started withdrawing from benefits programs. Learn more about the "public charge" issue in our related section.

Answering questions about immigration and legal resources

There are a number of steps early childhood programs can take to address families' questions and concerns about immigration issues, as well as to connect families to legal support. Many of the strategies detailed throughout this guide can be applied in early childhood settings as well:

Other issues that might impact children

Other immigration issues that may be impacting children in your program include changes to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); Temporary Protected Status (TPS); and travel restrictions that impact family reunification.

Tips for getting started

  • Identify the policies that apply to your setting. If you have questions, look for assistance from program administrators, local early childhood agencies, or national early childhood organizations that can provide appropriate information.
  • Identify the information that staff should have and the best ways to provide the training and professional development they need.
  • Identify the information families should have and the most appropriate ways to share that information, such as one-on-one conversations or parent outreach events.
  • Determine whether any existing policies, procedures, or forms need to be updated.
  • Determine whether any new policies should be created to address these issues; if so, look for sound guidance on how to do so.

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Look for ways to offer social-emotional support to kids throughout the day

Why this matters

Young children in immigrant families may be experiencing a number of situations that are causing stress (see examples in our section on how immigration issues can affect children as well as the following section on anxiety and trauma). This can impact their healthy development, social interactions, and motivation and also result in their asking adults questions about these issues. In addition, the situations children's families are facing may have an impact on whether their basic needs are being met. This is why it is so important for early childhood programs to look at the whole picture when identifying and addressing young children's needs.

Note: See our related information on:

Tips for getting started

Early childhood environments can provide a nurturing, safe environment for children by:

  • maintaining their familiar routines
  • designating a primary caregiver/support person for an anxious child
  • doing age-appropriate activities where kids can share feelings, such as drawing, circle time, or one-on-one time
  • reading stories about related topics
  • providing staff with training on topics related to trauma and anxiety (see related resources in our section on the impact of trauma and anxiety due to immigration issues)
  • providing parents with tips and training on how to address anxiety and answer children's questions.

Recommended resources

Sesame Street

You may find some helpful ideas in the following toolkits from Sesame Street. While there is no "immigration toolkit," these resources include related topics. All are available in Spanish, and the Sesame Street in Communities toolkit is available in other languages.

You may also get some helpful ideas from these bilingual activities and videos on self-expression from Sesame Street.

How to calm down

These articles provide some activities to calm down, such as the following:

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Provide training on the impacts of trauma and anxiety on young children

Why this matters

In 2018, researchers at CLASP published a study on how immigration policy affects young children (Cervantes, Ullrich, & Matthews, 2018). Researchers report that early childhood educators and providers around the country have recently observed more stress, anxiety, and behavioral difficulties in the immigrant children they serve, such as:

  • "aggression, hyperactivity, and separation anxiety" (p. 9)
  • more bathroom accidents from kids who were toilet-trained
  • "symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as frequent crying, trouble sleeping, and increased anxiety" (p. 11).

This correlates with findings by the American Psychological Association (APA) that “young children whose undocumented parents have been detained or even deported…experience in the short term, frequent crying, withdrawal, disrupted eating and sleeping patterns, anger, anxiety and depression.”

(See more age-specific effects of trauma from the National Child Trauma Stress Network.)

According to the report, educators and families have also reported:

  • decreased engagement and participation in the classroom, fear of police, and actions to protect relatives from police
  • children as young as three (both immigrant children and U.S. citizen children) expressing fears about being separated from a parent.

These changes can impact children's healthy development, both physically and emotionally; their confidence and self-esteem; and their identity. These changes can impact children's healthy development, both physically and emotionally; their confidence and self-esteem; and their identity. The APA notes that, “Over time, these can lead to more severe issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, poor identity formation, difficulty forming relationships, feelings of persecution, distrust of institutions and authority figures, acting out behaviors and difficulties at school.” (See the APA’s 2011 Report of the Presidential Task Force on Immigration for more information.)

As a result, CLASP researchers noted that families are looking for support in addressing these issues as well – multiple educators reported that immigrant families had asked for support or training about social-emotional health, such as tips for dealing with anxiety.

What explains these trends?

Children may be feeling anxiety or fear about:

  • losing a parent (such as the case of Sophie Cruz, a five-year-old who slipped past security during Pope Francis' 2015 visit to Washington, D.C. to give him a letter expressing her fear that that her parents would be deported)
  • an unexpected or lengthy separation
  • having to move to a new country if a parent is deported
  • losing a friend
  • family members' stress, anxiety, depression, or intimate partner abuse.

Children may have experienced a traumatic event, such as:

  • witnessing a loved one's arrest
  • being separated from a parent during interrogation
  • a forced separation for an extended period of time
  • detention in an immigration detention center
  • coming into contact with immigration enforcement officers
  • a lengthy separation from families or siblings due to immigration circumstances
  • an arduous journey to this country
  • violence or hardship in a home country.

Families may also be experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and intimate partner abuse.

Tips for getting started

There are a number of things early childhood programs or community organizations can do to better equip providers and parents to address these challenges, such as providing training about topics that are most relevant to the setting. Topics could include:

  • the impact of trauma on young children on healthy development and behavior
  • tools and words that can be used in different situations, such as "That sounds really hard. You can talk to me anytime you need me."

Recommended resources

Recommended videos 

Video Playlist: When immigration status impacts young children

Video Playlist: Educators reflect on Maslow's Hierarchy of Need

 

 

 


 

References

See our complete reference list for works cited in this article.

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