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Approaches to Family Engagement
GHC Early Childhood Program strives to provide family engagement opportunities and education activities that are responsive to the ongoing and expressed needs of the parents/families both as individuals and as members of a group. Our program, and the Head Start program nationally, believes that parents are the primary educators of their children. We maintain an “open door” policy, inviting parents to visit sites whenever they wish to observe, participate in activities, interact with their children, and meet with staff. A variety of opportunities are available for families and caregivers to partner with the Program.
The program strives for environments and interactions that promote involvement in the Program.
1. Family Engagement in Transition Activities: Individualized transition planning occurs for each child as they move in, out, and between programs. The transitions of children moving from Early Head Start to Head Start and from Head Start to kindergarten are thoughtfully planned for all in partnership with the family. Recognizing that these transitions may be a major change that comes with a high level of emotional response, staff work closely with families to consider what the experience will be like for the whole family. See Transition/Transfer Process for more information
2. Family Engagement in Home Visits: Both Education and Family Service staff offer home visits as a means of supporting connections between the parents, including fathers and/or father figures, child and staff; they allow the staff to learn about the child in the context of his family and home environment and allow the family to interact with the staff outside of the school environment. Family Service Home Visits are offered as early in the program year as possible and continue for as long as the family participates in the program, based on family interests and needs. Home Visits are arranged to support the scheduling needs of both the family and staff. If the family does not wish to have staff visit their home, or if there is any concern for safety, an alternative meeting place is selected. At the home visit, staff encourages families to discuss changes they have noticed in their child’s development. Family observations are connected to the program's curriculum, best practices in education and child development which support the family growth in their parenting role Home Visits are also an opportunity to connect about family goal setting, health outcomes, child outcomes, and activities to promote school readiness. See the Home Visit Approach Policy for more information.
3. Parent/Family Group Meetings: Parent/Family groups are formed at each center. At times, center groups that are geographically close together may be combined. Families are also welcome to attend any Parent/Family Group meeting. In the fall of each program year, each parent group will elect officers and policy council representatives to serve on behalf of their group. See Center Parent Group Roles and Expectations Policy for more information.
4. GHC-sponsored opportunities for Parent/Family Training: Each program year, the Early Childhood Program will sponsor local large group training or educational events. The Family Service Staff members work in collaboration with Case Managers and Family Support Specialists to plan and implement this training Included in these opportunities annually, families will be offered opportunities to participate in parenting intervention training utilizing a research-based curriculum that offers families guidance and information to practice parenting skills to promote children’s learning and development. All parents and families are invited to attend.
5. Outside opportunities for Parent/Family Training Events: Each year a budgeted amount of money may be set-aside for primary caregivers who wish to attend training or conferences. The Family Service Manager will distribute information on regional, national, state, and local conferences. Anyone wishing to represent Gads Hill Center Early Childhood Program at the conference must contact the Family Service Coordinator in order to be considered to attend. The Early Childhood Program Director may make specific recommendations for Policy Council parents to attend training. Every effort will be made to send family members who wish to participate in training.
All family members participating in our program are welcome to apply for consideration to attend such events; if multiple individuals apply to attend decisions will be made by the Family Service Coordinator and Early Childhood Director. All decisions will be made based on current funding. Individuals attending training or conferences on behalf of GHC with advanced approval will have their training paid for in full. All GHC policies will be followed by registrants. Mileage will be reimbursed at current staff reimbursement rates using budgeted travel funds. Meals will be paid in accordance with GHC per diem rates. Child care will be covered as written in the Child Care Reimbursement Policy. If individuals hear about a local or state training that could support the program's access to a community-building environment and they would like to attend, they should speak directly to their family service staff assigned to that site or the Family Engagement Coordinator. The Family Engagement Coordinator in partnership with the Early Childhood Program Director and/or the Finance Department, will consider attendance based on budgets and time available
6. Volunteering and In-Kind: Families are invited to volunteer within the classroom. Opportunities for volunteering also exist outside the classroom including, but not limited to, participating in staff interviews, assisting with recruitment efforts, completing site observations, Health/Safety checklists and program self-assessment, and joining Policy Council and parent/family groups and committees. Staff will provide any interested individual with list of volunteer opportunities and volunteer job descriptions. A volunteer packet must be completed for any regular volunteer before they can begin their volunteer work. The volunteer packet can be obtained from any classroom teacher or family service staff assigned to that site. A volunteer orientation will be scheduled and provided by the family service staff assigned to that site once the volunteer packet is completed and before the volunteer starts service. For additional information on volunteering see Volunteer Policy. A non-Federal match is required from all Early Childhood Program programs as a contribution to the total cost of the program. In-Kind hours are converted into a monetary value and counted as part of our nonfederal match. In-kind rates are determined annually by the Early Childhood Director and the Fiscal Department.
7. Advisory Committee: Families will be invited to participate in the Early Childhood Program Advisory Committee as they are interested. For more information see Community Partnerships Policy.
8. Other activities: From time to time additional activities may be open for family participation. Information will be shared with all appropriate individuals through Family Service staff and bulletins home to families. These opportunities may include but are not limited to: GHC Agency celebrations Participation in Head Start Federal Monitoring Visits o Field Trips.
9. Families Engaged in Community Advocacy: Throughout each year, families are provided information and opportunities to participate in community advocacy. At the local level, staff provides families with information regarding meetings at schools and within municipalities which they can attend and share their input.
Program-wide, information regarding national and statewide initiatives is shared with parents in order for them to make informed decisions and advocate if they choose. Through networking connections, our program provides information to parents regarding changes in social service programs parents may be enrolled in and proposals for changes in legislation and regulations that could impact families and how they can become involved with issues. Further support is provided to families by coordinating opportunities for them to visit the State House, learn about governmental processes, and meet with local representatives.
Additionally, participation in program governance through Policy Council provides an avenue for learning about advocacy within the broader community.
Family Engagement in the Childs Development
Program and education staff will provide parents activities that support the parent-child relationship and the child’s development using the following approaches:
• During the 1st visit, the teacher will explain to the parent the domain and objective from TS GOLD and share how they align with the Head Start Early Learning Outcome Framework.
• Educational staff will explain the individualization process to the parent.
• Educational staff will share with the family how the child is doing and the interests of the child.
• Discussions will be facilitated by teachers to solicit parent feedback on how they see their child and discuss if they have noticed new skills or interests in their child. • Together, staff and the parent will establish a developmentally appropriate goal for the child.
• Family support staff and teachers will explain the partnership with the goal at school and at home.
• Staff will strongly encourage the parent to work with the child on the home goal.
Home Visits
Home visits are required and give the opportunity for the parents and staff to come together and share the growth and learning of the child. Parents are able to share their thoughts and ideas and give input on their child's interests and development:
• Teachers will develop an ongoing relationship with the family during the visits.
• The teacher and the parents will share how they see the child developing and the child’s current interests.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
The teachers will utilize data reports from Teaching Strategies Gold to share child progress during the parent/teacher conferences.
The parents will be able to share their child's observations for the teacher to input into TS Gold or to use in classroom planning.
Both teacher and parent can establish the home goal or next steps for a new goal. Supporting English Language Learners and Dual Language Learners Programs to support the children and families by engaging and communicating in the families’ dominant language. Programs should slowly expose children to a second language as they show strengths and understanding in their first language.
The staff will support parents by communicating and providing paperwork in the parent's dominant language. If paperwork is not available in the parent's dominant language, the information will be verbally translated, or a translator will be brought in.
The parents will be asked about their child's dominant language and any other language they might be exposed to.
The parents will fill out a Home Language Survey if their child is in preschool – to get a better foundation on what language their child is most dominant in.
The children will be screened in the language they are most dominant in.
In the classroom, children will be supported in their dominant language by having someone in the classroom speak their language and give instruction and support in their dominant language.
The parents will be encouraged to continue to speak their dominant language at home with their child.
The children are exposed to a second language while at the center through discussion, instruction, engaging with other children, songs, books, curriculum, and activities.
The activities, letters, and forms are given in the parent‘s dominant language and in English to support their child at home and expose their child at home to English if they choose to.
the Spanish language (other languages) is supported in the classroom through books, songs, material, labels, and conversation.
The curriculums in the program support ELL and DLL and offer resources to the parents in their dominant language or will be translated for them.
The data reports will be shared in the parent’s language so they can hear and understand their child’s development and give their input on their child.
Classroom Time.
The classroom is a learning environment not only for the children but for parents as well.
Both children and parents can learn how to utilize the classroom and the materials to foster children’s learning and development:
The parents are invited to come in and spend time in their child's classroom for all programs.
The parents can help with leading activities (as they are comfortable) in the classroom with either a large or small group of children.
The parents are encouraged to share something about their culture (e.g., a book, song, food experience, or activity) with the classroom.
The parents will have the opportunity to see our print-enriched and multi-cultural classrooms and see how children are supported in language, literacy, and biliteracy.
The parents will see how teachers model instruction time and utilize materials, allowing parents to take the newly learned skills home to practice with their child.
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