Understanding Families, Third Edition (Supportive Approaches to Diversity, Disability, and Risk)

Families of young children are more complex and diverse than ever—and today’s early childhood professionals must be fully prepared to meet their needs. With the third edition of this bestselling text, pre- and inservice practitioners will develop the critical skills and knowledge they need to understand and support diverse families of children birth to 5. Enhanced with timely updates reflecting changes in the research and the field, this new edition is ideal for use as a professional reference or a core introductory text for child and family courses. Early childhood educators and interventionists will keep this book close at hand year after year to advance their cultural competence and help them meet the individual needs of each family they work with.

LEARN HOW TO:

• work effectively and respectfully with families across different contexts, from site-based intervention to home visits
• better understand the racial, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic underpinnings of a family’s life
• develop interventions that reflect each family’s viewpoints, practices, and preferences
• communicate and collaborate effectively with every family
• provide culturally responsive support to families of children with disabilities
• address risk factors such as poverty, addiction, and violence
• support the emotional well-being of families and strong caregiver–child attachment
• guide families in developing the confidence and competence to achieve their goals and help their children thrive

New and updated information on: linguistic challenges and translanguaging | immigrant and refugee families | DEC EI/ECSE Standards and Recommended Practices | race, equity, and social justice | foster families | unhoused families | curriculum materials