• Does the child care program have a written admissions policy that welcomes all children into the program?


Children are not discriminated against based on race, culture, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability or family composition (blended family, unmarried parents, sexual orientation of parents, foster family, etc.)


• Does the composition of the children reflect the diversity of the community?


• Does the center look for, hire and support staff that represent the cultural, language, and ethnic backgrounds of the children that are served by the program?



Note: Children need to see members of their own community in leadership positions in places where they spend time.


• Have caregivers had training on teaching tolerance and celebrating diversity?

Want to know more?

FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT INCLUDING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS - See Children with Special Needs and Allergies, Asthma and Other Chronic Conditions Sections


• Does the program provide and incorporate learning experiences that promote many cultures and celebrating differences in a positive way?


• Are menus planned with foods representing different cultures?



Examples:
Fruits from a region are incorporated into the menu.
Different tastes are expressed in a positive way like "Wow, that sure is salty" instead of "Oh yuck, that's awful!"


• Are a variety of holidays, representing different cultures and religions, celebrated and part of the curriculum?



Example: Families are encouraged to share their holiday traditions such as games, music and dancing
For a list of events and holidays from around the world, go to http://www.earthcalendar.net


• Are songs and greetings from many cultures and languages (including sign language) part of the curriculum?



For examples of songs and nursery rhymes from around the world, go to:
http://www.mamalisa.com/world/


• Are there displays, posters and learning materials available that picture people with different abilities and different family arrangements that go against old stereotypes?



Examples:
A plump woman lifts weights.
A poster of an Hispanic doctor instead of an Hispanic man taking a "siesta".
A story about family birthdays where the main characters are from different racial backgrounds, but the story is not about them being a "mixed race family".


• Are there books that reflect different cultural traditions?



• Do field trips vary by exploring different neighborhood communities or seeing an exhibit at a local museum or gallery that celebrates a different part of the world?



• Do play opportunities strengthen the child's identity as a member of a family and a cultural community?



Examples:
Do plastic play foods in the kitchen area include tortillas and beans, rice and tofu?
Do dress up clothes and props represent the children's different backgrounds and offer them an opportunity to "try on" different cultures?

Note: Caregivers can foster children's ability to relate to people who are different from themselves. They can promote feelings of belonging and identification with a tradition. They can give children a positive attitude to succeed in a diverse society.



• Are children encouraged to look for the good in others?
• Do caregivers give compliments throughout the day?



• Do caregivers encourage children to thank other children and caregivers for helping out or showing kindness?


Note: Children model what they see and will copy positive behaviors.


• Are behaviors and language that promote stereotypes and prejudice prohibited?
• How do caregivers handle teasing?


• Are jokes and slurs that make fun of a particular group of people prohibited or cut off immediately?



Note: Sometimes children will repeat an offensive racial term to get a reaction. Caregivers should explain immediately why these are not appropriate, and how they hurt someone.


• How does the program communicate regularly with parents who speak a different language?
• Are translators or translation services available for parents who speak a different language?



Note: A staff person that knows the parent's native language could serve this role.


• Are policies provided in the parent's native language?


• When giving out community health resources, are they written or described in the parents' native languages?


• When informed consent is required, are consent forms written in the parent's native language?


• Are caregivers open to understanding cultural differences in health, cleanliness, or other safety issues?



Example: Parents from many other countries toilet train children much earlier than parents in the United States. There are parts of the World where there are not many laundry facilities and sources of available water. To maintain the health of the community (reduce the spread of disease) children are often trained before they are developmentally ready.

Are caregivers willing to work with parents by understanding the parent's history and customs while also helping them learn new ideas such as toilet training when a child is developmentally ready?

How to help your caregiver with this topic

• Let people in your community who would be qualified to work at the child care program know when there is an opening at the child care program.



• With the permission of the caregiver, organize a pen pal program with a different part of your city, country or the world. For younger kids, it could be the exchange of art projects; for older kids, an exchange of letters.



• Never make fun of a person because of their race, religion, body size, gender etc. Children tend to copy what you say, especially when there is drama or emphasis on key words.



Example:
Don't: "She's just a dumb blonde and doesn't know what she's talking about".
Do: "She needs more information" or "She had incorrect information".


• Bring in materials, books, music, songs, and foods that reflect your child's culture. Be willing to demonstrate a dance, sing a song, and share a skill or custom with all the children.


• Engage your child's grandparents and other relatives to share traditions when they were growing up.


• Be sensitive to other children's backgrounds and do not say or do anything that would put down another child's beliefs.


• Think about your customs, and how they would work in your child's program. Don't be mad if your caregiver doesn't accept your offer. Do something else, or adapt the tradition.



Example: The Piñata (a paper mache figure filled with wrapped candies and knocked open by blindfolded children swinging a bat) is a well loved tradition. But it may not be a good choice in a child care program for several reasons:


• A swinging bat is very dangerous if there are not enough adults to keep the children away, and children tend to crowd in so they'll be close when the candy falls out.


• Once the piñata is cracked open, the children who are the most aggressive grab the most candy. This is not a behavior that the program wants to reward.


• Even if children share the candy, some children may have allergies to the candy and the candy may be a choking hazard to smaller children.

Think about how you would adapt the piñata experience to capture the delight of "hidden treasure" without the hazards mentioned above.



Guidelines for a successful celebration: Ask your caregiver well in advance. Be open to the need for changes (time available, allergies, short attention spans, appropriate to the age, etc.). Make sure that your own child understands that they will be just one of the kids and you will be the teacher. Story telling is good, but keep it short and add props, photos and pictures, if possible. Don't take family treasures that could get damaged by curious children. Focus on singing and moving more than eating. This helps your caregiver teach the lesson that special occasions are about more than treats. Hands on is always better. Don't just tell kids how Grandma always made noodles from scratch, show them, and let them make noodles, too. Bring Grandma in to demonstrate her technique. Have enough equipment and supplies so that kids don't have to wait a long time for a turn. If turn taking is necessary, have something for the kids to do who are waiting. You will quickly realize the planning that your caregiver does every day. Try to plan activities that use all the senses: Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Touching, Tasting Plan enough time for the children to help clean up.