Program philosophy and staff recruitment strategies demonstrate commitment to diversity and having staff reflect its community.

 

Documentation
[ Points: 2 ]

Evidence must reference program’s commitment to staff diversity and its intention to hire staff that reflects its community.

  • Philosophy or policy statement including commitment to diversity

OR

  • Staff recruitment strategy statement

Programs that are committed to recruiting and hiring culturally diverse staff demonstrate their respect for the families they serve by having staff with similar backgrounds who can appreciate the impact that family and community culture has on young children.

Understanding PP-7

Why is it important for my program philosophy and staff recruitment strategies to assure a commitment to diversity and an effort to maintain staffing that is reflective of the children and families served?

Early Care and Education programs provide services to a broad spectrum of diverse families. The recommendations of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) emphasizes that "early childhood programs are responsible for creating a welcoming environment that respects diversity, supports children's ties to their families and community, and promotes both second language acquisition and preservation of children's home language and cultural identities" (NAEYC, Where We Stand 2009).

In order to support optimal development for young children, it is important for program philosophy to enhance links between a child's home and his or her Early Care and Education program. NAEYC offers the following recommendations for promoting a commitment to diversity and recruiting a diverse staff:

  • Involve all families in your program
  • Honor the cultural values and norms of all families
  • Ensure that children remain cognitively, linguistically, and emotionally connected to their home language and culture
  • Recruit and support educators who are trained in languages other than English
  • Provide professional preparation and development in the areas of culture, language, and diversity (NAEYC, Where We Stand 2009)