Benefits of Engaging Families Virtually
Researchers have identified many benefits of virtual service delivery. The most common benefits are increased access and improved convenience and flexibility.
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.
Researchers have identified many benefits of virtual service delivery. The most common benefits are increased access and improved convenience and flexibility.
Explore this resource to foster positive parent-child relationships through everyday staff-parent relationships. Find prompts and questions that invite partnership-building conversations with parents.
Head Start staff and parents bring unique elements to their relationship while they work with a focus on supporting children’s growth and learning.
Head Start staff can use these three steps to build relationships with parents and support their learning and decision-making.
The positive, goal-directed relationships Head Start staff form with parents can strengthen the relationships parents have with their children. This parallel process supports parents in self-discovery.
Secure relationships are the foundation of trust. By using positive, strengths-based attitudes, staff can create trusting, supportive partnerships with parents.
Personal and cultural background informs how people parent. Head Start and Early Head Start programs can provide important support to parents who want the best for their children.
This Home Visiting webinar discusses the importance of understanding that all behavior has meaning. Explore how children use behavior to communicate their wants, needs, intentions, and emotions.
Explore research, strategies, and resources that support social and emotional learning through intentional parent-child interactions in this Home Visiting webinar.
Explore strategies and resources to plan individualized virtual home visits for all children and families. Learn about new resources available to assist with virtual learning and engagement.