Early childhood educators and helping professionals have a unique opportunity to advance equity in the field. You must dig deeply to assess, plan, and reflect on fundamental principles of fairness and justice that support the goals of anti-bias education. For this activity, you will take the perspective of evaluator, providing feedback and guidance to professionals providing culturally competent care.
Preparation
Read Chapters 4 and 5 of the course text.
Read Recommendations for Early Childhood EducatorsLinks to an external site..
Download the Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist Download Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist.
Evaluate
Review the following video, taking notes using the Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist Download Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklisttemplate. Look for strengths and weaknesses in the interactions between the family and professionals:
Honoring Family Culture in Early Intervention - Part 1: Isai and Eliel’s StoryLinks to an external site.
Referring to the Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist Download Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist, write an assessment report as a paper or PowerPoint. Review the templates provided.In your Assessing Culturally Competent Care report,
Describe 3–4 diverse contextual factors that are unique to the child and their family. Think about factors such as language, socioeconomic, and immigration status that you have explored throughout this class.
Describe two recommendations for equity you saw in action and describe why these early childhood professionals were providing culturally competent care. Be sure to use at least one resource or the text to support your thinking.
Identify one recommendation that you did not see in the video that this team could work on and explain your reasoning. Be sure to use at least one resource or the text to support your thinking.
Create one detailed activity that these caregivers could do to ensure that they are meeting the recommendation.
Choose ONE of the following o
Full Answer Section
- Immigration Status: The video does not explicitly state the family's immigration status, but it is a potential factor that could influence their experiences and needs.
- Cultural Background: The family's Hispanic/Latino cultural background influences their values, beliefs, and parenting practices.
Recommendations for Equity in Action (Strengths):
- Seeking to understand the family's perspective: The professionals actively seek to understand the family's perspective and values. This is evident in their open-ended questions and attempts to learn about the family's routines and preferences. This aligns with Recommendation 1: "Get to know each child and family." According to the course text, "Culturally competent care means understanding and respecting the values, beliefs, and practices of families from diverse backgrounds" (Chapter 4).
- Using an interpreter to facilitate communication: The use of an interpreter demonstrates a commitment to effective communication. This ensures the family understands the information being shared and can actively participate in the process. This directly addresses Recommendation 2: "Communicate effectively with families." The Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators state, "Language differences should never be a barrier to accessing high-quality care."
Recommendation for Improvement:
One recommendation that was not clearly evident in the video is Recommendation 4: "Advocate for equitable access to resources and services." While the professionals are supportive, there's no explicit mention of connecting the family with specific resources or advocating for their needs within the broader system.
- Reasoning: Families from diverse backgrounds, particularly those with language barriers or lower socioeconomic status, may face challenges in accessing needed resources and services. Early childhood professionals have a responsibility to actively advocate for these families to ensure they receive the support they need. As stated in Chapter 5 of the course text, "Equity requires actively addressing systemic barriers that prevent certain groups from fully participating in society."
Detailed Activity to Meet the Recommendation:
To address Recommendation 4, the caregivers could implement the following activity:
- Resource Mapping and Sharing: The team will create a comprehensive resource map of local services relevant to the family's needs (e.g., bilingual healthcare providers, social services agencies, parent support groups, legal aid for immigration-related matters, food banks). This map will be regularly updated. During a family meeting, the team will proactively share this resource map with the family, explaining the services available and assisting them in connecting with relevant organizations. The team will follow up to ensure the family has successfully accessed the resources and provide ongoing support as needed.
Conclusion:
The early childhood professionals in the video demonstrate a good foundation in culturally competent care, particularly in their efforts to understand the family's perspective and facilitate communication. However, there is an opportunity to strengthen their advocacy role by actively connecting the family with resources and addressing systemic barriers to equitable access. By implementing the proposed activity, the team can further enhance their culturally competent practices and ensure that Isai and Eliel's family receives the support they need to thrive.
Sample Answer
Assessing Culturally Competent Care Report
Introduction:
This report assesses the cultural competence demonstrated by early childhood professionals interacting with Isai and Eliel's family in the provided video. The evaluation is based on the "Recommendations for Equity Assessment Checklist," identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and proposing a detailed activity to enhance culturally competent care.
Diverse Contextual Factors:
- Language: The family primarily speaks Spanish, while the professionals are likely English-dominant. This language difference necessitates careful communication strategies.
- Socioeconomic Status: While not explicitly stated, the video suggests the family may be of lower socioeconomic status, which can influence access to resources and healthcare.