Strengthen Home-Program Partnerships
Learn about partnering with families to support school readiness for African American boys in a strengths-based, culturally responsive approach.
Family Engagement
Family engagement is a collaborative and strengths-based process through which early childhood professionals, families, and children build positive and goal-oriented relationships. It is a shared responsibility of families and staff at all levels that requires mutual respect for the roles and strengths each has to offer. Family engagement focuses on culturally and linguistically responsive relationship-building with key family members in a child’s life. These people include pregnant women and expectant families, mothers, fathers, grandparents, and other adult caregivers. It requires making a commitment to creating and sustaining an ongoing partnership that supports family well-being. It also honors and supports the parent-child relationships that are central to a child’s healthy development, school readiness, and well-being. The Office of Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework is a guide to learning how family engagement promotes positive, enduring change for children, families, and communities.
Building Partnerships with Families Course
Take this learning course on the Individualized Professional Development (iPD) Portfolio to improve your knowledge and practices about building strong, strengths-based partnerships with families.
Introduction to the Family Services Role
Explore this four-module course for knowledge and strategies you can use to effectively provide family services, available through the Individualized Professional Development Portfolio.
Families as Team Members in the Coordinated Approach to Disabilities Services
This webinar explains how and why family engagement is an essential part of a coordinated approach to disabilities services.
Supporting Family Advocacy
This webinar features parents of children with disabilities and their path to family advocacy.
Effective Strategies for Family Communication and Engagement
This webinar highlights foundational resources from the 2022 Disability Services Coordinator Institute. Hear about approaches to supporting families of children with disabilities or suspected delays.
Planning for Successful Transitions for Children with Disabilities
This webinar provides information and strategies to support children with disabilities and their families through planned transitions.
Engaging Families of Children with Disabilities
Learn how to effectively partner with families of children with disabilities. This partnership not only promotes children’s learning and development, but also supports family learning, advocacy, and leadership skills.
Parent Tips for Effective Family Engagement
Programs can use this resource, created in partnership with parents, to guide the development of their family engagement strategies and parent leadership opportunities.
Self-Care Tips for Family Services Professionals and Home Visitors
Promoting simple but effective ways to support one’s own wellness can contribute to the wellness of individuals who work with families, the overall program, and the families served.