Latina mothers in Early Head Start: negotiating cultural differences through relationships with home visitors
| Author(s) | Barolet-Fogarty, Megan | |
| Date Accessioned | 2017-06-22T11:32:43Z | |
| Date Available | 2017-06-22T11:32:43Z | |
| Publication Date | 2016 | |
| Abstract | Latino families comprise over a third of the enrollment of Early Head Start (EHS), a federally funded child development program serving low-income pregnant women and children under the age of three (Office of Head Start, 2015). Utilizing an ecological systems framework and critical race feminist lens, this qualitative study examines the experiences of immigrant Latina mothers participating in an EHS program in Delaware. The primary focus is on how mothers and EHS home visitors negotiate different child rearing practices and parental ethnotheories in the context of a home visiting program model. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with a total of 22 participants, representing the perspectives of mothers, home visitors, and an administrator. Interviews with Latina mothers revealed that they appreciated the opportunities gained by raising young children in Delaware even while they faced challenges that might have been reduced by living in a more familiar environment. Latina mothers compensated for the loss of support systems due to migration by relying more heavily on formal resources and services, including the relationships they built with their home visitors. Strong relationships with home visitors and the perception that their beliefs were respected led mothers to share positive impressions of their involvement with EHS. Home visitors reported success negotiating cultural differences by recognizing parental authority and discussing sensitive topics after establishing relationships based on trust and openness. This research shows that immigrant Latina mothers value services such as Early Head Start that recognize and respect their cultural beliefs and support them in navigating the challenges of raising young children in an unfamiliar environment. | en_US |
| Advisor | Trask, Bahira Sherif | |
| Advisor | Hustedt, Jason T. | |
| Degree | Ph.D. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Human Development and Family Studies. | |
| Unique Identifier | 993260180 | |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/21488 | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | en_US |
| URI | https://search.proquest.com/docview/1877658098?accountid=10457 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Head Start programs -- Delaware. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Women immigrants -- Delaware. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Hispanic American mothers -- Delaware. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Home visits (Education) -- Delaware. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Child rearing -- Delaware. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Cultural awareness -- Delaware. | |
| Title | Latina mothers in Early Head Start: negotiating cultural differences through relationships with home visitors | en_US |
| Type | Thesis | en_US |