Reimagining Early Childhood for Black Children

We often imagine young children's joyful faces and boundless curiosity when we think about early childhood. But for many Black children in the U.S. and elsewhere, these early years can also bring their first experiences of racial bias, cultural erasure, and systemic inequity. As mental health professionals, we must ask: How can we facilitate early living and learning environments that affirm, uplift, and protect the identities of Black children?

Child and man sit on a beige couch in a cozy room. The child smiles, holding paper, while the man with a tablet looks supportive.

The Power—and Risk—of the Early Years

Research confirms what many of us have long known: early childhood is foundational. The brain is rapidly developing, and children are forming critical understandings of themselves and their place in the world. These years shape a child’s educational trajectory, socio-emotional well-being, and even long-term health outcomes.

For Black children, however, early experiences in the world often carry hidden risks. Cultural bias can lead to over-surveillance, harsh discipline, and low expectations—even in preschool. In fact, Black preschoolers are nearly four times more likely to be suspended than their White peers. This isn’t about behavior; it’s about perception. For Black children, systemic racism is an adverse childhood experience (ACE).

Cultural Mismatch and Misrecognition

Too often, the assessment tools available to clinicians do not reflect the lived experiences of Black children. Their home languages, familial practices, spiritual values, and cultural ways of knowing are rarely incorporated into the pre-service or in-service training programs. This cultural mismatch can lead to what some scholars have called misrecognition—when a child’s behavior, communication, or emotional expression is pathologized simply because it doesn’t fit dominant cultural norms.

When Black children aren’t seen in their fullness, they may begin to internalize feelings of inadequacy or develop mistrust in educational and healthcare systems. This, in turn, affects engagement, identity formation, and long-term developmental outcomes.

What Culture-Centered Early Development Looks Like

We need to shift from deficit-based models to culturally responsive frameworks to transform these outcomes. This means:

Affirming Identity: Mental health professionals should center the cultural strengths of Black children, including their language, art, history, and community narratives. Representation matters.
Culture-centered, Trauma-Informed Care: Many Black children navigate stressors related to racism, economic hardship, and community violence. Clinicians must be equipped to respond to these realities with empathy and care.
Family Partnerships: Black families are rich in knowledge and resilience. Clinicians must establish authentic partnerships with children’s parents/caregivers.
Decolonizing Practices: Mental health professionals must begin decolonizing their training and learning about culture-centered psychological theories and associated interventions.

Two people seated in a modern living room having a conversation. One takes notes, the other gestures. Neutral tones and a calm atmosphere.

The Urgency of Now

We cannot afford to wait until Black children are in crisis during their later adolescent years. We must address racial disparities now. The work begins in the sandbox, at story time, in those precious early years when children are forming their sense of belonging and brilliance.

To ensure that Black children thrive, we must radically reimagine what early childhood development can be—one that nurtures their genius, protects their joy, and amplifies their voices.