Transition to Kindergarten: Partnering with Families and Schools
Explore this simulation to practice relationship-building between a Head Start coordinator and a special education team leader from a receiving public school.
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.
Explore this simulation to practice relationship-building between a Head Start coordinator and a special education team leader from a receiving public school.
In this interactive simulation, practice using relationship-based communications skills to raise and discuss concerns about a child’s development with the family.
A strong relationship between families and Head Start staff is essential to promoting healthy child development and positive learning outcomes. Strong relationships are rooted in trust and comfort, which you can build by being genuine, sincere, curious about them and their goals, and supporting them as they work toward those goals.
The goals of the Head Start training are to develop skills and practices for developing strong relationships with families in order to help families identify and set goals.
Learn about these five strategies to partner with families going through a challenging situation.