Examining Caregiver-Staff Racial, Ethnic, and Language Concordance in Early Head Start Home-Based Services

Early learning and development programs, including home visiting, provide caregivers with skills and resources to form strong relationships with their children and set families on a trajectory for success. However, the quality of home visiting services and families’ engagement in the program influence program effectiveness and family outcomes. Racial, ethnic, and language concordance among home visitors and caregivers may affect home visiting quality and family engagement; however, little is known about these associations in an Early Head Start (EHS) context. The current study draws on secondary analysis of the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (Baby FACES, 2009–2012) longitudinal and nationally representative datasets to explore within- and between-year associations among home visiting program quality, family engagement, and caregiving quality as a function of racial, ethnic, and language concordance in a sample of families enrolled in EHS home visiting services. Within-year home visiting quality and family engagement were higher among families whose caregivers were racially, ethnically, and linguistically concordant with their home visitors (with some exceptions). Home visiting quality and family engagement were positively associated with caregiving quality among discordant, but not concordant, groups in subsequent years. Results highlight the importance of psychometrically validated instruments that assess racial concordance in a home visiting context, including those that examine racial/ethnic and language concordance in the provision of EHS services. Findings call for future investigation into intermediaries between EHS program characteristics and family engagement. Home visiting intervention services, such as Early Head Start, set families up for success. Home visiting program quality and family engagement vary based on provider and family characteristics. Within-year home visiting quality and family engagement were greater among concordant groups. Between-year associations among home visiting and caregiving were positive among discordant groups. Findings inform culturally competent home visiting practices and call for further investigation.