U.S. State Administrators' Perceptions of Immigrant Families With Young Children: Support Seeking, Advocacy, and Roadblocks

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  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Diverse Cultures Through Advocacy and Empowerment

Abstract

This paper is part of a larger study exploring ecologies, supports, and systems around immigrant families with young children and highlights the perspectives of state administrators overseeing initiatives and services for immigrant families with young children under age 5. A cross-sectional anonymous survey of 95 senior administrators across 45 states identified perceptions of families’ support seeking and roadblocks experienced. Perceptions of roadblocks and policy implementation ideas correlated with the degree to which the administrators perceive families to advocate for themselves and their children in seeking services. Identifying state leader perspectives on immigrant families with young children may help policymakers better address perceptional and systemic roadblocks that seem to preclude much-needed initiatives that can better support immigrant families.

Authors

• Zeynep Isik-Ercan, Rowan University

• Nicole Megan Edwards, Rowan University

• Madji Fall, Rowan University

• Latifa Sebti, Rowan University

• Huan-Tang Lu, Rowan University