27.11: Key Environmental Elements- Welcoming Families

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Amanda Taintor

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Welcoming Families

An open-door policy that encourages families to come into the room and interact with their children and the caregivers sends the message that families are always welcome.

Ask family members about ways to help the program feel more like home for their children.[1] The environment and materials should reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the children and families served. It is crucial for teachers and program leaders to consciously consider the cultural context of their environments and the cultural messages their program sends. Staff and families can work collaboratively to create familiar settings and experiences for the children.

Programs can create a climate of respect for each child's culture and language through authentic, meaningful connections to the young children's experiences in their homes and communities. Environment design is a critical piece of this objective. These genuine connections enhance learning and a sense of belonging, especially for culturally diverse children. All aspects of the program, including the environment, must reflect or represent the families' cultures, customs, and languages (including the teachers, other staff, and volunteers).

Some ways to create an inclusive environment include (but are not limited to):

Displaying family artifacts and pictures of the family members' unique talents (for example, musical or artistic) prominently throughout the environment
Incorporating environmental print that reflects the languages of the children into learning activities and routines
Ensuring play materials, room decorations, and celebrations reflect the various backgrounds of the children in the program and other racial and ethnic groups in the community
Choosing materials that reflect the cultures and languages of children and families enrolled in the program by displaying photographs of the children and families to reflect families' homes and everyday lives.[1]

Welcoming families should also include providing a comfortable space for nursing mothers to feed their babies. For some centers, a genuinely private space might be difficult to create. Communicating with nursing mothers about areas close by, even an administrator's office, lets mothers know they are welcome, and the program supports the choice to breastfeed.

[1] Office of Head Start and Office of the Administration for Children and Families. (n.d.). Health and Safety Screener: is in the public domain