Working in partnership with parent’s mean: 

  • Understanding that all parents have strengths, and helping families build on their strengths and recognize personal power to ensure family success. 
  •  Viewing parents as the experts on their own children and supporting them with resources. 
  • Listening carefully to parents concerns and helping them identify solutions that will work for their family 
  • Including parents in the development, implementation, and evaluation of processes and programs that are driven by parents needs and incorporate their ideas and suggestions 
  • Helping parents take responsibility and learn to advocate more effectively for themselves and their children 
  • Working to understand parents’ language and culture, adjusting communication to reflect differences 

 

Head Start major goals to support families: 

  • Forming relationships with families aimed at improving the conditions and quality of life 
  • Helping families identify and use resources to support them in dealing with demanding or stressful situations  
  •  Contributing to the development of children by offering families support in carrying out parenting responsibilities 
  • Employing strategies, which help families by effectively addressing their concerns and challenges, while achieving their goal 
  • Being a family advocate for the families to assure that needed assistance is received  
  • Family Support is defined as a set of relationships and principles that strengthen the developmental journey with families. Family support helps each family construct a foundation from which to foster the growth of it’s members. 
  • We are helping parents grow in parenting, problem solving, coping skills, knowledge of child development, and advocacy skills for their child and themselves. 

Parent opportunities 

  • Home Based/ Center Based 
  •  PALS 
  • Parent meetings 
  • Community volunteers 
  • Parent survey 
  • Parent committees 
  • Family service assessment / individualized partnership agreement/ family engagement outcomes 
  • Family well being 
  • Positive parent – child relationships 
  • Families as lifelong educators 
  • Families as learners 
  • Family engagement in transitions 
  • Family connections to peers and community 
  • Families as advocates and leaders 
  • Fatherhood Involvements 
  • School readiness/ Transition