Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, part of Georgetown University’s Thrive Center

Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment Checklist for Program Administrators

Since the birth of Head Start in 1965, programs have served culturally and linguistically diverse populations. In the beginning of the program, these populations were primarily Spanish-speaking families. According to the Office of Head Start, currently “over 140 languages are spoken by children and families in Head Start and the number of cultures represented is even greater” (Early Head Start National Resource Center @ ZERO TO THREE, p.6). Such diversity presents a challenge in providing an early care and education program and early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services that respond effectively to each family’s and community’s racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. In response to this increased diversity, administrators have the responsibility to value, recognize, plan for, and address cultural and linguistic diversity in their program’s values and principles, community assessment, design, staff selection and preparation, curriculum, and all services to support young children and families. These services include early childhood mental health consultation. We have developed several resources to assist administrators in these areas.

Online tutorial

Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

While the primary audience for the tutorial is early childhood mental health consultants working in Head Start and other early childhood settings, administrators may find this tutorial useful for increasing their understanding of:

  • Context of culture and its influence on the values, beliefs, child rearing practices and expectations of families and program staff for expectant families, child development, and social-emotional health and well-being;
  • Key components that facilitate culturally competent mental health consultation;
  • Relevant aspects of consultant preparation, knowledge, skills, and attributes that will enhance the effectiveness of consultation in diverse communities; and
  • How cultural and linguistic diversity impact ECMHC practices and the work of consultation.

Checklists

These tools are designed to assist managers and administrators to assess the extent to which they demonstrate integration of cultural and linguistic competence into values, and attitudes, communication styles and the physical environment. Additional self-assessment items address approaches to support staff and consultants in their journey towards cultural and linguistic competence. Each of the sections provides real examples of the kinds of values and practices that foster culturally and linguistically competent Early Head Start and Head Start environments.

My Values And Attitudes – Supporting Staff

This section or excerpt of the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment for Early Head Start and Head Start Program Administrators requires that administrators reflect upon and rate themselves on how they incorporate culturally and linguistically competent values into aspects of their programming and in supervision of staff.

Rate each item A, B, or C. To keep your answers, download the PDF checklist and mark it there.

  • A = Things I do frequently
  • B = Things I do occasionally
  • C = Things I do rarely or never

In our Head Start or Early Head Start program:

  • 1. I encourage all staff and consultants to avoid imposing values that may conflict or be inconsistent with those of cultures or ethnic groups other than their own.
  • 2. I encourage staff to screen books, movies, and other media resources for negative cultural, ethnic, racial, or religious stereotypes before sharing them with children and families served.
  • 3. I encourage staff to provide activities to help children learn about and accept the differences and similarities in all people.
  • 4. I support all staff and consultants to intervene in an appropriate manner when they observe any staff, consultant or parent engaging in behaviors that show cultural insensitivity, bias or prejudice.
  • 5. I encourage all staff and consultants to understand and accept that individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds may desire varying degrees of acculturation into the dominant culture.
  • 6. I encourage all staff and consultants to understand and accept that family is defined differently by different cultures (e.g., extended family members, fictive kin, and godparents).
  • 7. I encourage all staff and consultants to accept and respect that among different cultural groups male-female roles in families may vary significantly (e.g. who makes major decisions for the family, play and social interactions expected of male and female children).
  • 8. I support all staff and consultants in developing the understanding that age and life cycle factors must be considered in interactions with families (e.g. high value placed on the decisions or childrearing practices of elders or the role of the eldest female in the family).
  • 9. I encourage all staff and consultants to recognize that even though their professional or moral viewpoints may differ, they should accept the family/parents as the ultimate decision makers for services and supports for their children.
  • 10. I support all staff and consultants to accept that religion, spirituality, and other beliefs may influence how families respond to illness, disease, and death.
  • 11. I support all staff and consultants in their understanding that beliefs and concepts of mental health or emotional well-being, particularly for infants and young children, vary significantly from culture to culture.
  • 12. I encourage all staff and consultants to recognize and accept that familial folklore, religious, or spiritual beliefs may influence a family’s reaction and approach to a child born with a disability or later diagnosed with a disability or special health care need.
  • 13. I assist all staff and consultants in understanding that beliefs about mental illness and emotional disability are culturally-based.
  • 14. I support all staff and consultants in understanding that culture has a great influence on how parents, families and communities respond to these conditions and related treatment/interventions.
  • 15. I assist all staff and consultants to recognize that the health care practices of families served in our Early Head Start or Head Start program may be rooted in cultural traditions.
  • 16. I assist all staff and consultants to recognize that the meaning or value of early learning, early childhood education, early intervention, and/or school readiness may vary greatly among cultures.
  • 17. I assist all staff and consultants to understand that approaches to disciplining children are influenced by culture.
  • 18. I support all staff and consultants in understanding that families from different cultural backgrounds will have different expectations of their children for acquiring toileting, dressing, feeding, and other self-help skills.
  • 19. I assist all staff and consultants in understanding that customs and beliefs about food, its value, preparation, and use are different from culture to culture.
  • 20. Before visiting or providing services in the home setting, I encourage all staff and consultants to seek information on acceptable behaviors, courtesies, customs, and expectations that are unique to families of specific cultural groups served in our Early Head Start and Head Start program.
  • 21. I encourage all staff and consultants to review our programs or agency’s mission statement, goals, policies, and procedures to ensure that they include principles and practices that promote cultural diversity, cultural competence and linguistic competence.
  • 22. I encourage all staff and consultants to seek information from family members or other key community informants that will assist us in responding effectively to the preferences and needs of children and families from diverse backgrounds served in our program.

Communication Styles – Supporting Staff

This section or excerpt of the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment for Early Head Start and Head Start Program Administrators requires administrators to reflect upon and rate themselves on whether or not culturally and linguistically competent communication styles are integrated into all aspects of programming and encouraged in staff supervision.

  • 1. I encourage all staff and consultants to attempt to learn and use key words in the languages and dialects of the children and families served so that they are better able to communicate.
  • 2. I support all staff to attempt to determine any familial terms used by children and families that will assist and/or enhance the delivery of services and supports.
  • 3. I encourage all staff and consultants to use visual aids, gestures, and physical prompts in their interactions with children, parents, and other family and community members with limited English proficiency or who are English language learners.
  • 4. I assist all staff and consultants to be aware that when interacting with parents, other family and community members with limited English proficiency or who are English language learners, that:
  • a. Limitations in their ability to speak and/or understand English are not a reflection of intellectual functioning.
  • b. Limitations in their ability to speak and/or understand the language of the dominant culture is not related to their ability to communicate effectively in their native or primary language.
  • c. They may or may not be literate in their native or primary language or English.
  • 5. I encourage all staff and consultants to ensure that all bulletins, newsletters, and notices to parents are written in their native or primary language.
  • 6. I support all staff and consultants to understand that for some parents and family members it may be necessary to provide information in non-written formats, because word of mouth may be a preferred method of receiving information.
  • 7. I assist all staff and consultants in their understanding of the definition and related practices of linguistic competency and I:
  • a. Encourage them to apply them within our program.
  • b. Encourage all staff and consultants to use them in their interactions with children, parents, family and community members.
  • 8. I encourage all staff and consultants to use bilingual or multilingual staff and/or trained/certified foreign language interpreters for meetings, conferences, or other events for parents and family members who may require this level of assistance.
  • 9. I encourage all staff and consultants to invite parents and family members to volunteer and assist with activities regardless of their ability to speak English.
  • 10. I encourage all staff and consultants to use a variety of approaches and formats to communicate with children, parents and other family members with disabilities.
  • 11. I encourage all staff to arrange accommodations for parents and family members who may require communication assistance (e.g. hard of hearing, visual disability, physical disability, low or no literacy) to ensure their full participation in all aspects of our Early Head Start or Head Start program.
  • 12. I encourage all staff and consultants to use plain language in interactions with parent, family and community members.

Physical Environments, Materials, And Resources – Supporting Staff

This section or excerpt of the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment for Early Head Start and Head Start Program Administrators requires administrators to explore the ways in which they support the development of a physical environment that is welcoming and reflective of the young children, and families served within the program. This section also assess whether or not administrators assist staff and consultants to design a center environment that is culturally and linguistically responsive to the children, families and community served.

  • 1. I encourage all staff and consultants to hang pictures, posters and other materials that reflect the cultures and ethnic backgrounds of children and families we serve.
  • 2. I encourage all staff to include materials for the dramatic play/housekeeping area that represent different cultures (including dolls, clothing, cooking utensils, household articles, furniture, and other items).
  • 3. I support all staff in including pictures and storybooks in the book/literacy area, that show the different cultures of children and families served.
  • 4. I assist staff to include toys and other play items that represent the various cultural and ethnic groups in my community and the society in general.
  • 5. I encourage staff to read a variety of books to children to expose them to various life experiences of people from ethnic and cultural groups other than their own.
  • 6. I encourage staff to provide opportunities for children and their families to create their own books and include them among the resources and materials in the classroom.
  • 7. I encourage staff to provide opportunities for children and their families to share experiences through storytelling, puppets, or other props to support the “story telling tradition” common among many cultures.
  • 8. I support teachers to plan trips and community outings to places where children and their families can learn about their own cultural or ethnic history as well as the history of others.
  • 9. I assist staff to select videos, films, or other media resources that reflect diverse cultures to share with children and families served in our program.
  • 10. I encourage staff to play a variety of music and introduce musical instruments from many cultures.
  • 11. I encourage staff to ensure that meals provided reflect the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of children and families served.
  • 12. I encourage staff to provide opportunities for children to prepare and/or sample foods typically served by different cultural and ethnic groups.
  • 13. I encourage all staff and consultants to create an environment that reflects the cultural diversity within the society at large even if the children and families in our program are of the same cultural or ethnic group.
  • 14. I support staff to ensure that curricula include holidays that are unique to the culturally diverse children and families served in my program.