Question

How does equity impact child development? What are the barriers that children face that impact their development?

Answer 1

Equity can be described as the elimination of privilege, oppression, disparities, and disadvantage that historically have excluded those be- longing to particular groups. This is the first and overarching of several research policy briefs around issues of equity. When taken as a whole, these briefs will create a space and open a dialogue around the issues related to fairness, opportunity, and every child’s right to participate in equitable early childhood practices. While participating in these practices, young children should be recognized, understood, and ap- preciated at personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels. This document is hyperlinked to other research briefs that expand upon the following subsections: High Quality Culturally Responsive Early Childhood Teachers, Strength-Based Views of Children and Their Languages, Racial Equity and Anti-Racist Teaching in Early Childhood Education, Children’s Right to the Language, Access to Diverse Books, Playful Explorations, and A Shift from Readiness to Learning.