Pride Month: Creating an Inclusive Environment for All Families

No matter where you live or your cultural background, you are unified by belonging to a family. A family has been the basis of humanity; it reflects the beautiful diversity that describes societies and cultures around the world. Many definitions of family exist; however, at its core, the concept of a family is fluid and ever evolving. In today’s world, parents are bringing up their children within increasingly diverse forms. As early childhood professionals, we understand it is critical to create welcoming and supporting environments that resonate with every family. This resource provides information and strategies to support LGBTQIA+ families in your program.

What Does LGBTQIA+ Mean?

Over the years, as public opinion and attitudes toward the queer community shifted, the language describing sexual orientation and gender identity has evolved. For instance, given the ever-changing social trends within our society, the term LGBTQ proved to be too limiting. As the discussion relating to the matters regarding sexual and gender identities is still happening, recently, the term has been expanded to include people who identify as intersex and asexual. The plus sign is now specifically used to include those who are not directly named within the LGBTQIA+ abbreviation. It is important to be respectful and use the terms that people identifying as LGBTQIA+ prefer.

Why Do Inclusive Classrooms Matter?

Adrienne Rich, an American poet and essayist, famously described the significance of inclusion and diversity in schools and society by saying, “When those who have the power to name and to socially construct reality choose not to see you or hear you… when someone with the authority of a teacher, say, describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing” (1986, p. 199). Early on, children start the ongoing process of developing self-representation and the need to build a healthy sense of their group identities. They construct the concept of self and group belonging within their social environments, including classroom settings, and by building deep relationships with family members or peers. The messages children receive in their early learning programs can foster or hinder their development. Classroom space plays a vital role in stimulating meaningful and sustainable relationships and providing a safe and welcoming culture. Children and LGBTQIA+ families have the right to feel seen, feel safe, and feel valued.

Below are compiled links that increase the LGBTQIA+ visibility within your program and ensure that all families feel welcome and appreciated:

At the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, an essential part of our work is to continue deepening our shared understanding and raising our collective awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community. We agree that the discussion on matters relating to gender identity inclusion should be enhanced and promote meaningful reflection in professional environments in the early childhood education field. The month of June marks the special time when we honor the LGBTQIA+ movement; however, we are immensely proud to celebrate the inclusion and diversity of all families.

“It takes some strength of soul – and not just individual strength,

but collective understanding – to resist this void, this non-being,

into which you are thrust, and to stand up,

demanding to be seen and heard.”

–Adrienne Rich (1986)

Daria Drzewiecka is a Report Specialist and a member of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. She is also pursuing a doctoral degree in community psychology at National Louis University’s College of Professional Studies and Advancement. Daria earned a baccalaureate degree in psychology from Roosevelt University and a graduate degree in child development and early childhood administration from Erikson Institute. She is interested in supporting initiatives leading to integrated early learning and child development systems, connecting early childhood practice with policy and research, and the functioning and effectiveness of community-based coalitions addressing the importance of early years.

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Examining the Role of Employer Benefits and Turnover in Center-based Child Care

By Robyn Kelton, M.A. • June 27, 2025

INTRODUCTION Turnover rates in child care are among the highest in education, with over 160,000 workforce openings predicted annually (Bassok et al., 2014; Doromal et al., 2022; Joughin, 2021; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). While some turnover is expected and even necessary, the levels of turnover experienced in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC) are not only alarmingly high but deeply problematic. In 2021, a national survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children found that over 80% of child care centers were experiencing a staffing shortage, with the majority of those programs reporting one-to-five open roles, but 15% reporting between six and 15 open roles (NAEYC, 2021). Staffing shortages result in lost revenue, financial uncertainty, and program instability, often forcing administrators to operate below capacity and/or under reduced hours (NAEYC, 2021; NAEYC, 2024; Zero to Three, 2024). Limited enrollment slots and classroom and program closures lead to increased waiting lists (Zero to Three, 2024; Carrazana, 2023). In turn, families are placed in a highly vulnerable position of needing to leave the workforce to stay home with their child or turn to potentially unsafe or unregulated child care. Moreover, increased turnover in classrooms interrupts continuity of care and disrupts the relationships built between children and their educators (Reidt-Parker, J., & Chainski, M. J. (2015). Research has begun to highlight some of the programmatic and personnel characteristics predictive of increased staff turnover in ECEC programs. Low wages are most commonly identified as a strong predictor of turnover (Amadon et al., 2023; Bryant et al., 2023; Fee, 2024; Guevara, 2022; Totenhagen et al., 2016). However, workforce advocates and some researchers have begun to expand conversations on compensation to explore the impact the profession’s general lack of benefits such as paid time off, access to health insurance, and retirement benefits has on retention (e.g., Amadon et al., 2023; Bryant et al., 2023; Fee, 2024; Lucas, 2023). While informative, this body of work has typically approached benefits as binary variables (i.e., have or do not have) rather than reflect the spectrum on which benefits are commonly offered (e.g., the number of days off, the percent of insurance covered by the employer, and levels of retirement matching funds). This Research Note aims to expand on previous work investigating the relationship between benefits and turnover by exploring the possibility of a more nuanced relationship between the variables to determine if the level of benefits offered impacts turnover rates. METHOD This study used data collected via formal Program Administration Scale, 3rd Edition (PAS-3) assessments conducted by Certified PAS-3 Assessors between 2023 and 2025. To become certified, PAS-3 assessors must first achieve reliability (a score of at least 86%) on a test conducted after four days of training on the tool. Next, they must conduct two PAS assessments within three months of reliability training. PAS-3 national anchors reviewed the completed assessments for consistency, accuracy, and completeness. The study analyzed data from 133 PAS-3 assessments collected during the certification process across 12 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Mariana Islands. Measures Data for this study were collected using the PAS-3, a valid and reliable tool used to measure and improve Whole Leadership practices in center-based programs (Talan, Bella, Jorde Bloom, 2022). The PAS-3 includes 25 items, each composed of 2-5 indicator strands and scored on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = inadequate, 3 = minimal, 5 = good, and 7 = excellent). Item scores are averaged to determine a mean PAS-3 score. Of particular interest to this study is Item 5: Benefits. Item 5 measures employee access to health insurance and considers what percentage of the cost is paid by the employer, the total number of paid time off days within the first and fifth years of employment, access to a retirement plan, and the percentage at which the employer will match the employee’s contribution. Last, Item 5 explores provisions made to cover the costs of staff’s professional development. Non-applicable is allowed as a response for indicators related to health insurance and retirement if there are no full-time staff employed by the program. Sample Program enrollment ranged in size from four children to 285, with a mean enrollment of 65 and a median of 55. Total program staff for the sample ranged from two to 44 staff, with an average of just under 14 staff (13.93) and a standard deviation of 8.80. Table 1 below provides a detailed breakdown of staff by role and full-time and part-time status.