Information and Resources Related to Serving Immigrant Families

Date postedMay 1, 2025
News and Updates,

Many families face challenging times, particularly those in immigrant communities. The current social and economic climate creates real fears for these families, and the providers who support them are also experiencing the impact.

At EveryChild California, we recognize the importance of responding with compassion, clarity, and practical resources. That's why we're dedicated to equipping early learning professionals to navigate these moments with confidence, offering a range of resources, from policy updates and advocacy tools to practical guidance for serving all families, regardless of their background or status.

Legislative Action

EveryChild California tracks a number of bills related to Early Learning and Care programs. Bills we are currently tracking related to serving immigrant families include:

  • AB 49
  • AB 495

To learn more about these bills and their progress in the Assembly and Senate please visit our Legislative Resources page.

Resources from State Agencies

*The information below was published in Community Care Licensing PIN 25-06.1-CCP

CCP has no requirement to collect immigration status of an applicant for licensure, or of a family or children at enrollment. Many immigrants and their families may be hesitant to access government services or assistance due to immigration-related concerns. To facilitate their access to services and supports, it is important to have resources available for families in various preferred languages.
Child care licensees play a key role in supporting children’s learning and development. They provide language-rich activities that incorporate the diverse language and cultural backgrounds of children in care and acknowledge their unique strengths. Licensees are encouraged to understand the experiences of immigrant children and families to meet the needs of the children in their care. Please consider using the resources set forth in the “Information and Resources” section on pages 3 and 4 to assist in this effort. Licensees also play an important role in creating a welcoming and safe environment for children to learn, grow, and thrive. Safe spaces provide positive and warm interactions, help children feel comfortable to learn, promote resiliency, and support children through healing-informed practices while engaging with families. Again, please consider using the resources set forth in the “Information and Resources” section on pages 3 and 4 to assist in this effort.
Licensees should, as appropriate provide trauma-informed care (TIC) and include training for staff on how to recognize trauma responses, and avoid creating stressful situations by, for example, establishing predictable routines and avoiding language that may be upsetting for families and children. Please consider using the resources set forth in the “Stress and Trauma Resources” on page 3 and 4 to assist in this effort.
Lastly, on-going communication between licensees and the families they serve helps develop trust-based relationships which are essential to providing high-quality child care services. To support communication, licensees should provide information to families in the family’s preferred language. When possible, there should be staff who speak the language of children served within a program. If such a language match is not available, licensees should use interpreters or written translations to communicate with families. Licensees should consider reaching out to trusted local community organizations such as the local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency or the California Child Care and Resource Referral Network for assistance with interpretation and translation.
    Licensees should consider evaluating and, if necessary, modifying, their policies and protocols related to:
    • Identifying staff members authorized to respond to requests from a government officer of authority (e.g., CCP staff, including Licensing Program Analysts, Law Enforcement, Immigration Officers, etc.);
    • Contingency plans including but not limited to, emergency phone numbers, authorized adults to pick and drop off, substitute providers, staffing needs, and emergency evacuation procedures;
    • Storing and protecting records and personal information about parents, children, and staff;
    • Communicating urgent information to staff and parents;
    • Clearly communicating to staff and families about authorized visitors and how staff, parents and guardians are able to access the facility
    • Establishing expectations for visitors, including guidance and responses to requests for access to facility grounds;
    • Collecting only necessary family and child care worker documentation required by CDSS or other agencies
    • Maintaining and updating records for emergency contacts and individuals authorized to pick up and drop off children.
    The CCP is required by law to conduct routine, unannounced inspection visits of licensed child care facilities. When a Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) arrives at your child care facility, they will introduce themselves and provide identification. The LPAs must carry their California state badge or business cards on their person: Licensees are encouraged to get acquainted with their LPAs by reaching out to the Regional Office (RO) to get into contact with them. 
    The Department has identified several resources available to child care licensees to use with immigrant families and their children.  For the full list of resources, please review PIN 25-06.1

    Resources from our partners and members:

    Additional General Resources:

    Know Your Rights and Emergency Planning Resources:

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