There are approximately 67.8 million individuals (about twice the population of California) for whom English is not their primary language spoken at home. The United States Census Bureau indicates that the number of individuals speaking a language other than English at home increased from 23.1 million in 1980 to 67.8 million in 2019. According to the Census, the five most frequently spoken languages other than English are Spanish/Spanish Creole, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic. The accessibility of resources and support in languages other than English can have a significant impact on families seeking child care finding a setting that is reflective of their language and culture. Unfortunately, access to resources, information and professional development (PD) opportunities in other languages for members of the child care workforce is limited.
Elizabeth López Acevedo
Elizabeth López Acevedo is an Early Care and Education Specialist within the Child Care Systems Building Team at Child Care Aware of America. Her work focuses on ensuring CCR&Rs, child care providers, and families are provided with information and resources to support their needs. Elizabeth brings the experience of working in direct care and providing training and technical assistance within a statewide Child Care Resource & Referral agency to Child Care Centers, Family Child Care programs and Head Start. She possesses a Bachelor in Elementary Education and a Master in Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood Education.