| Description: |
Immigration to this country has increased significantly in recent years. While Mexican immigrants are the largest population of immigrants in the United States (39%), the rest of the population is widely varied, with no one nation accounting for more than 3% of all immigrants. Despite the significant benefits quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs offer to immigrant children, their rates of enrollment are significantly lower than for comparable children of U.S. born parents.
In order to better address the needs of these new American families, providers and state policymakers need more in-depth knowledge about the perceptions of these families and the factors that influence their choice of care. This study is an in-depth, exploratory study in two cities which reflect the diversity of experience with immigration across the country: Denver, Colorado, where the focus is on Mexican immigrants and Portland, Maine, where the focus is on three of the many refugee populations which have newly settled here. The contrasts, not only in the immigrant populations themselves, but also in the political and historical contexts of the communities in which they live, will offer an opportunity to enrich the field of research on child care choices for this vulnerable population of children and families.
The overarching research question for this study is: What factors influence the child care choices of low income immigrant and refugee families of English Language Learners? The mixed methods employed, and the diversity of data sources used, including parents, community leaders, service agency staff, and ECE providers, permits contrasting what immigrant parents express about their needs and preferences for care with providers' understanding and insights about those perceptions and needs. Surveys were administered to child care providers to assess their experiences and challenges with new American families, accomodations made for families, communication with families and level of parent involvement. A brief survey was also given to child care providers to assess training needs on immigrant and refugee issues in childcare and beliefs about English language acquisition. A survey was also administered to K-2 teachers to obtain their perceptions about the impact of attendance in early care and education programs on the school readiness of children from these populations. These findings are useful to those who design and implement ECE programs and policies affecting this population, and for those working directly with these families and children. |
