Summary of Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond

00:00:00 - 00:30:00

In the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," Lauren Hogan, senior director of public policy and advocacy at NAEYC, welcomed attendees and discussed the importance of early childhood educators' roles in supporting undocumented families. The webinar focused on sensitive locations, handling immigration enforcement actions, and maintaining privacy and confidentiality. Early childhood programs, including childcare, preschool, pre-k, and headstart, are considered sensitive locations, but there's no clear definition of what "known and licensed" means. The speakers emphasized the need for programs to have a plan in place to safeguard against enforcement actions, such as designating a staff member to speak with agents and minimizing disruption to children. They also discussed the importance of taking precautions when immigration agents are in the neighborhood, keeping children away from their sight, and contacting immigrants' rights organizations for support. The speakers emphasized the need to respect confidentiality, follow privacy laws, and communicate clearly with families about why certain information is being requested. They also suggested providing resources and support for families dealing with immigration-related issues and stress, and offering trauma-informed care. The webinar provided resources for early childhood providers, including fact sheets, articles, and webinars, to help create inclusive and supportive environments for refugee children and families.

• 00:00:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," Lauren Hogan, senior director of public policy and advocacy at NAEYC, welcomes attendees and sets the agenda for the discussion. The webinar focuses on the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators in working with children and undocumented families. Hogan emphasizes that the webinar is not about politics but about the professional and moral obligation of early childhood educators to advance equity and diversity. She shares statistics about the number of children under age 6 who are part of immigrant families, many of whom live with undocumented family members and face the threat of family deportation. The webinar will address questions about what it means to be a sensitive location, handling immigration enforcement actions, collecting information while respecting privacy and confidentiality, and supporting staff members. Experts from NAEYC and the Center for Law and Social Policy will provide guidance on these topics.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the discussion focuses on the Department of Homeland Security's policy of not conducting immigration enforcement activities in sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals. Early childhood programs, including childcare, preschool, pre-k, and headstart, are considered sensitive locations. Programs that are licensed but not registered or regulated may still fall under the policy. However, there is no clear definition from ICE and CBP regarding what they mean by "known and licensed." Reports suggest that the policy is not consistently enforced, and it's essential for programs to have a plan in place to safeguard against enforcement actions. The plan includes designating a staff member to speak with agents, determining who needs to be notified, and minimizing disruption to the children. When an immigration agent shows up, they should be spoken to outside the facility or in the waiting area, and requests for entry should only be granted with proper credentials, approval, and a warrant.
• 00:10:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the speakers discuss the importance of taking precautions when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are in the neighborhood of early childhood programs. They recommend keeping children away from agents' sight, alerting parents, and contacting immigrants' rights organizations for support. The speakers also suggest preparing phrases for staff to use if they encounter an immigration agent at the door. They emphasize the importance of early childhood programs being seen as safe and trusted resources for families, particularly for immigrant and undocumented families, who may keep their immigration status private. The speakers suggest providing information about immigration policy changes and immigrants' rights, making it openly available to all families, and having a point person to serve as a resource on immigration issues. They also stress the importance of following state and federal privacy laws and reviewing internal procedures to ensure compliance.
• 00:15:00 In this section of the webinar titled "Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the speakers discuss the importance of respecting confidentiality and following appropriate procedures when handling sensitive information, particularly regarding families' immigration status. They emphasize the need to limit the collection of unnecessary information and to communicate clearly with families about why certain information is being requested and how it will be used. The speakers also suggest offering guidance to staff to ensure they are asking permissible questions during enrollment and intake processes. Additionally, they recommend explaining these procedures and policies to families to build trust and establish understanding. The speakers acknowledge that some families may be dealing with the challenges of being undocumented, and suggest ways programs can adapt to meet their unique needs, such as offering alternative meeting locations and being flexible with attendance policies.
• 00:20:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the speaker emphasizes the importance of considering the implications of immigration policies on legal immigrant families and their engagement with government services and early childhood programs. She highlights how families may be reluctant to disclose their immigration status or challenges, and suggests looking for signs of anxiety and stress in families and communities instead. The speaker also discusses the importance of understanding the local context and partnering with community organizations to provide resources and support for families dealing with immigration-related issues. The topic of trauma-informed care is introduced as a crucial approach for early learning programs to create safe spaces for children dealing with various traumas, including immigration-related stress.
• 00:25:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the speakers discuss the importance of supporting staff when dealing with the impact of policies on families and children. They emphasize the need to share resources related to mental health services, social workers, advocates, and legal aid providers. The speakers also highlight the personal and professional impact on staff, especially those with immigrant backgrounds, and suggest opportunities for staff to share experiences and strategies for coping with increased stress levels. They recommend providing mental health consultants, creating a sense of community among staff, and developing partnerships with immigrant serving organizations to stay updated on changes and provide accurate information and resources. The CLASP team has developed various resources on immigration issues, which are available on their website.
• 00:30:00 In this section of the "Webinar: Sensitive Locations and Beyond," the presenter discusses resources for early childhood providers in response to the changing immigration context. They highlight a fact sheet on early childhood programs as sensitive locations, available in English and Spanish, and encourage its distribution. Another resource mentioned is an article from Teaching Tolerance, providing policies and steps for educators to support immigrant students and families. The presenter also recommends an article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) titled "Welcoming Refugee Children into Early Childhood Classrooms," and a webinar on creating trauma-sensitive classrooms. These resources aim to help early childhood educators create inclusive and supportive environments for refugee children and families, addressing the trauma they may have experienced. The slides will be available for download, and the presenter promises continued development of resources from NAEYC and partners.