The work that Early, Migrant and Seasonal, and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start programs do with children from birth to 5 years of age, their families, and communities is intended to be imbedded in a context of strong relationships and intentional, individualized, responsive interactions. This podcast, which opens the Caring Connections podcast series, highlights the importance of the adult-child relationship and interactions as the base for all work in Early, Migrant and Seasonal, and AIAN Head Start programs.

The process of storytelling can help programs truly empower families. Hear from program staff about how storytelling has changed their Head Start/Early Head Start program for the better. Staff share how they hope this series of videos will help strengthen the work that providers do with migrant families.

Storytelling can be a highly emotional process, especially when families have faced traumatic events, are dealing with ongoing issues, or face problems that staff don’t feel equipped to handle. In this video, program staff reflect on the importance of communication, self-care, and having a network of support is for working effectively working with families.

Storytelling helps build strong relationships and supports effective family partnership agreements. Learning about families’ past experiences, strengths, and needs in an authentic way can help staff support meaningful progress for children, families, and communities.

When families share their stories with staff, it can be an emotional experience. Staff can encourage storytelling by sharing experiences or goals they may have in common with families. Recognizing these common ties and honoring the storytelling process can help strengthen relationship between staff and families.

The process of storytelling can also strengthen relationships within families. Watch this video to hear one staff member discuss on how this process of sharing, listening, and reflecting has helped the families in this Migrant and Seasonal Head Start program—and the community—in surprising ways.

When families share their stories, staff can better understand and identify resources to help families achieve those goals. In some cases, storytelling can help families recognize their accomplishments, resources, skills, and abilities.

Confidentiality is critical for developing strong and trusting relationships, especially for migrant families. It is important for migrant families to understand that personal information will be kept confidential. When families trust staff and share openly, staff can better help families access needed support and services.