Fostering Healthy Identity Framework

DEY has released a new framework to support early childhood educators, caregivers, and parents in supporting young children’s healthy racial identity development.

The early years are a crucial time for a child’s development, meaning early childhood educators are responsible for supporting the whole child. In addition to supporting a young child’s physical, cognitive, language, and social/emotional development, early childhood teachers must support healthy identity development. Healthy identity development is crucial to ensuring all children have the self-confidence required for leading healthy, fulfilling lives. Identity formation in the early years happens in stages through interactions with family, schools, communities, and society.

Though race is a social construction, the reality of living in a world constructed on race-based discrimination is very real. If we are to educate young people to build an anti-bias and anti-racist world, we must begin by fostering healthy racial, ethnic, and cultural identity in the early years. We can no longer hold on to the misconception that children are too young for this vital work, and instead, we must recognize how racial identity development can be healthy and unhealthy and accept our role in ensuring all children develop healthy racial identity development.