Nursery World - Training Talk - Supporting families from diverse cultural backgrounds

Courses on supporting families from diverse cultural backgrounds have helped one setting's understanding and communication. By Gabriella Jozwiak

When the phone rings at the Grove Community Project nursery in Birmingham, manager Sarah Wood (pictured) often hears the caller simply state a language. ‘Georgian or Urdu,’ she says. ‘Then I rush out and find a member of staff who speaks that.’

The 25-year-old setting has always catered for a multinational population. Despite this, in July this year Ms Wood and her 12 staff shut the nursery for a day to explore the challenges of diverse communities. Cascade Solutions intercultural trainer and consultant Shirley Billage delivered two half-day courses on supporting families from diverse cultural backgrounds and communicating with them. Both are designed for early years settings and involve activities including group discussion exercises, watching and reflecting on video clips, and creating action plans. No written work is required.

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