ARTICLE
Audio (MP3) Listen in New Window Presentation (PDF) Open in new window Family Engagement in Early Intervention - Define school readiness - Assess quality of Indiana ECE - Evaluate Early Education Matching Grant Programs - Assess the quality and impact of First Steps - Identify effective family engagement practices to advance early education practices that welcome, include, and bring about successful school readiness practices for all children Why Talk about Family Engagement? What Families Gain What Providers Gain: - Frequency of participation - Amount of Participation - Duration of Participation - Quality of family-provider relationships - Average length of contacts - Positive emotional response to program Different Types of Families Highly Involved (high participation, high engagement Superficially involved (high participation, low engagement) Sporadically involved (low participation, high engagement) Uninvolved (low participation, low engagement) Framework Framework Domains of Practice Framework Domains of Practice Support Families as Child’s First Teacher ----------------------- Promote Positive Parent, Family, Child Relationships Strengthen FAMILY AS CHILD’s PRIMARY EDUCATOR AND NURTURER Connect Families to Peers and Community ---------------------- Support Engagement in Transition ASSIST FAMILY AS CONNECTED, SUPPORTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY Promote Family Well-Being ----------------------- Support Educational Aspirations of the Family Support FAMILY AS SAFE, HEALTHY, AND SELF-SUFFICIENT CAREGIVERS Create Leaders and Child Advocates Empower FAMILY AS CHILD ADVOCATE AND LEADER How are we measuring family egagement Strenghts of First Steps Barriers to Engagement - Attendance - Time - Format - Lack of understanding about approach/motivation - Diagnosis shock - Parent mental health - Life stressors - Parent history-lack of trust - Language/culture/literacy Barriers for African American families - Structural - Attitudinal - Cultural - AA families experience all of these more than white families. Think about your current strategies Strengthen FAMILY AS CHILD's PRIMARY EDUCATOR AND NURTURER - Communication - Get to know families - How to do it-ask - Barriers-language/literacy - Praise as well as suggestions - Invite Families - Be explicit - Repeat - Suggestions should be easy - Talking about Parenting Attendance must be part of the conversation -Attendance - Community Referrals - Discuss Family Priorities - Problem-solving - Program is welcoming. - Families receive information about importance Support FAMILY ATTAINMENT OF SAFETY, HEALTH, AND STABILITY - Know your families - Know your resources - Know where to look - Subscribe - Provider role release - Role of technology Connect FAMILY TO PEERS AND COMMUNITY AS PARTICIPATING/ CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS - Know your families - Know your resources - Individualized - Scaffold - Follow-up - Facilitate Empower FAMILY AS CHILD ADVOCATE AND LEADER - Allow families to feel successful - Praise whole family - Encourage/reinforce questions - Ask for input - Offer tips for other settings Recognize Power of Motivation Motivation Interviewing - Express empathy - Reflective Listening - Roll with resistance - Develop discrepancy - Support self-efficacy Resources http://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/4842.htm http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/family/rtp-series.html (Head Start fact sheets for seven family engagement goals) http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement (family engagement articles) Thank you! Katie Herron (kgherron@Indiana.edu) Follow us on Facebook (Early Childhood Center) Check out our website: www.iidc.Indiana.edu (click on Early Childhood Center)