Abstract
Children with justice system-impacted parents often experience educational, social, and emotional challenges, yet little is known about how educators support these children in early childhood settings. This study explored early childhood educators’ perspectives on children’s experiences, available support systems, and factors shaping educators’ ability to provide support. Nineteen early childhood educators from across the United States participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis informed by the bioecological model, with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC-22) providing complementary linguistic analysis. Three themes were identified: children’s experiences in school contexts, support systems across educational contexts, and educators’ roles, experiences, and constraints. Educators described emotional distress, family instability, academic challenges, stigma, and resilience among children with justice system-impacted parents. They emphasized relationship-based, trauma-informed practices while reporting limited training and formal support systems. Findings underscore the need for coordinated school-based supports and educator preparation to promote educational equity and well-being.