I'm Cindy Croft, executive director of the center.

And I'm here with Priscilla Weigel, the assistant director.


Hi, Priscilla.

Cindy, good to be here.


Yes.


And we are happy to be be talking about something that we spend a

lot of time with our coaches about.And we feel like maybe we haven't talked about this in a podcast before.

And it's the topic of expulsion.

Yeah.

Which is a very critical topic right now with all the recent research that's come out.

And so we just thought it would be a great time to bring it to the forefront again.


So we hope that all of our listeners will really tune in and think about as we're talking, maybe some of the language they use when they

talking to parents about the children that they're working with.

And if they've got some questions, they can always get a hold of us at

the center for Inclusive Childcare, www.inclusivechildcare.org.

So let's begin, Priscilla.

And we're really also using a tip sheet that comes right off of our

website called Tip Sheets How to Prevent Expulsion in Childcare.

And we're also using a handout that we have called how CICC Inclusion Coaching Prevents Expulsion.

And let's just start with defining it for those that are listening.


Sure.

Well, expulsion is often cloaked in other terms by providers.


Often it will be called disenrollment.

Ask the child to leave, asked the family to find other care.

But truly, it is expelling a child because you're removing from them.

You're removing them through dismissal from your care setting.

And so it's often due to those issues that we all know, we all experience challenging behavior.
And oftentimes what is happening and what we're seeing a lot of in our coaching work is just kind of a knee jerk reaction to just say to a family, you can't come back, your child cannot come back tomorrow
and not preparing a conversation, not having a discussion, not even looking at preventative measures.

But it is the quick fix for challenges.
And we are advocating in these podcasts that it should be your last resort if ever happens and not your first choice.

Do you also ever hear people use the phrase that we're all familiar with from developmentally appropriate practice, goodness of fit, sort of in a way that's opposite the real meaning, which means the child is not a good fit for the child as sort of an excuse?

And I'm saying that, and I'm probably ruffling some feathers when I say that, but people will say, well, it's not really a good fit
for the child to be here when goodness of fit is all about.


The environment needs to be adapted for the child, and personnel need to make accommodations for the child.So then the child can adjust.

Yes.


But the child isn't the one who makes the adaptation because they're just the child.


And truly, we are the ones who have the ability to adapt in so many different ways.


And so I think that really using the language is what we're really encouraging all of our coaching team to do.

And when we're out doing training for providers to use the word expulsion because it is expulsion, what goes along with expulsion sometimes?


Well, there's also suspension.

Thank you.


Well, I knew it in my head, but it wasn't coming off of my time.


No, suspension is another one that's very common.


Suspending the child, removing them to the director's office or just like they were in elementary school and they have to go to the
principal's office or to say, you know what, we need a break and you need a break because this behavior is just out of control.
So we're going to try to break the pattern.
So why don't you have keep your child home for three days and then come back next week and we'll see how things go.
And then oftentimes what happens after that is the child is expelled eventually or it's just calling the parent at 09:00 in the
morning and saying, you know what? You need to come and pick up your child because they are just
having a really hard day and we just can't handle them here.


That being called to come and pick up the child.

I think that's what we see so much of here in our work.

And I do not think that the teacher or the director would consider that a suspension


They probably wouldn't.

Right.


They really do think the child needs a break.
We need a break.


But in fact, what you're saying is that's considered a suspension,especially when we're looking at now what's coming out from the
feds in some of their policy statements around expulsion and suspension.


So now that we kind of know we're talking, we're going to use the language, we're going to call it what it is.


Why is expulsion such a bad thing for these little ones?


Well, it's a quick move that is really an adult solution for an issue that isn't helping a child work on behavior or giving any other options for tools for making good choices.

It's putting the burden on the family to fix the situation when
really that family is paying us as a child.

They're paying me as a child care professional to care for their child.

And I'm the expert in the field because I have child development knowledge.


I'm licensed, I'm providing quality care.
I might be parent aware rated.
I might have an accreditation through Nacy or other organizations.
And so they come to that door and they say, here's my child, take care of them, please.

I'm going to pay you money to do that because I trust you to be the professional.


And so when we are then saying to that family, no, we're done.
We're not following through with any of that support and trust that parent has given us.

And we're putting the burden on them and on their child for something that very well may be related to our environment might be the dynamics of the kids.

It might be the skills and tools that the teachers and the providers are

given in the classroom or in the family child care setting.


So it's such an adult, it can be solved through the adults in the

world not putting the burden on the child.

And I know there are some people listening who are saying, oh, right,

you're saying that, but you don't know about this child that I have

and how hard it's been on my staff.

And we are going to talk in subsequent podcasts about some

strategies.


But we do want to say a little bit more before we close this one out

on what are really about some of the ramifications on the ongoing

social emotional development of these young kids who get kicked

out of programs many multiple times.


So if you're a little one and you're being suspended or expelled,

you're much more likely to be ill prepared for kindergarten and

school when you get started because you're missing out on that
learning, maybe due to behavior challenges that just aren't
addressed.

And then that disconnect and that constant movement of getting
those new settings, building new relationships, you're more likely to
be at risk for school failure, obviously, after not missing out on
critical learning foundations, low self esteem.


Think about how it feels to be the kid that's always labeled as bad or
naughty or that kid, that child.
Oh, he's the one.
Oftentimes there's a scapegoat for a lot of the issues that come up in


the classrooms or in the childcare settings they are experiencing at a
very young age, multiple losses of peer groups and connections,
providers that they love and really trust who are then gone from their
lives just overnight.

That lack of sense of being part of a community and belonging
somewhere where others care about them and need them to be a
part of things.


And it's just truly basing that child's worth and their importance
on just what they're doing and maybe some of those mistakes
that they've made instead of who they really are inside.


They don't get to find out who they are.

They don't get to find out that someone, a loving, caring,
nurturing adult, thinks that they're pretty special and that they have
some possible amazing things within them to achieve and accomplish.



Wow.

So that's the point that we're going to close on this podcast.
And I think those are really important points for everybody to
think about.


And I will say that if you're in Minnesota and you're listening,
the center for Inclusive Childcare has inclusion coaching that can
come out to a program and help if you're kind of struggling with
guidance or even a classroom.

And we also have infant toddler and health and safety coaching.
And they're kind of all in the same vein of what do I need to do in my
program to make it run a little more smoothly so I can prevent
some behaviors from occurring or from this child not being as
successful as I'd like them to be.


And they just need to contact us again at inclusivechildcare.org.

But we will continue with this discussion.

Thank you for so much.