2019 Winter Kansas Child

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FAMILIES AS COMMUNICATORS:Early childhood providers and families have effectiveand ongoing communication.• Programs and families consistently initiatecommunication and share knowledge that istimely and facilitated through multiple methods.• Practices, supports and resources are responsiveto the cultural, ethnic, racial, language and socioeconomiccharacteristics and preference of families and their communities.What does it look like in practice?• Families, educators, practitioners and the community engage inconsistent, two-way communication.– Establish multiple modes of communication to share information.– Ensure communication between families, educators, practitionersand the community is continuous and fluid.– Engage parents in conversations where child assessment data areshared, and parents learn about children’s progress.• Families are able to comfortably and confidently communicate witheducators, practitioners and the community.– Introduce families to those who will be working with the familyand child.– Provide families with interpreters for effective communication.– Make written documents available in multiple languages.– Communicate with families and their children in the context of theirlanguage, culture and traditions.• Families have a shared understanding of desired program outcomes.– Have procedures in place to communicate with all families.– Provide orientation to the program for families.– Encourage family participation by including an open-door policy,family volunteers, and participation opportunities.– Integrate families’ traditions and culture into instructionalpractices, events and activities.FAMILIES AS ADVOCATES:Families actively engage as an advocate anddecision-maker for their child.• Families have opportunities that promote informedoptions and decision-making.• Programs and communities engage families byproviding opportunities to be involved in programleadership and decision-making.• Programs and communities empower families to be advocates.• Families are aware of resources for selecting and accessing neededservices.What does it look like in practice?• Families have access to community supports and resources.– Utilize a needs assessment to determine supports and resourcesthat will benefit families.– Connect families with relevant supports and resources.– Support families in navigating services.• Families are supported by community collaborations.– Provide networks of support.– Facilitate referrals to additional health or educational services.– Identify and address gaps in services and unmet needs in thecommunity.• Families are involved within the community based on their interestsand goals.– Create safe and respectful communities that foster engagementand participation.– Encourage families to participate in volunteer opportunities andcommunity service projects based on their interests and goals.FAMILIES AS PARTNERS:Successful partnerships exist betweenfamilies and professionals based upon mutualtrust and respect.• Early childhood professionals use child andfamily strengths as a basis for engagingfamilies.• Families promote learning for their children.What does it look like in practice?• Families have strong partnerships and trusting relationships amongeducators, practitioners and the community.– Initiate relationships with families that are receptive, responsiveand respectful.– Offer formal and informal opportunities for families to build anagreed-upon and collaborative relationship.• Families, educators, practitioners and the community are equalpartners in decision-making that affects children and families.– Involve families through the use of feedback tools to informprocedures and strategic planning.– Include families in the creation of policies, practices and programs.FAMILIES AS COMMUNITYMEMBERS:Families are active participants in their communitiesand connect to resources and services.• Comprehensive services are available,affordable and accessible.• Communities provide broad supports for families.• Families live in safe and stable environments.What does it look like in practice?• Families have access to community supports and resources.– Utilize a needs assessment to determine supports and resourcesthat will benefit families.– Connect families with relevant supports and resources.– Support families in navigating services.• Families are supported by community collaborations.– Provide networks of support.– Facilitate referrals to needed additional health or educationalservices.– Identify and address gaps in services and unmet needs in thecommunity.• Families are involved within the community based on their interestsand goals.– Create safe and respectful communities that foster engagementand participation.– Encourage families to participate in volunteer opportunities andcommunity service projects based on their interests and goals.KANSASFamily Engagement and PartnershipStandards for Early ChildhoodIn the fall of 2019 a resource wascreated and can be accessed onlineat http://bit.ly/388pjrW.Printed copies may be ordered bycalling the Kansas Parent InformationResource Center at 1-866-711-6711.6A Publication of Child Care Aware ® of Kansas
Building Trust&Engaging DadsBY KATRINA MINTERThe Family Conservancy is focusedon helping children take advantageof the amazing opportunities thatexist early in life. For the past 20 years, TheFamily Conservancy (TFC) has offered parentingeducation at two Kansas City, Kan.,public housing authority sites. While thepopulation of these communities has experienceddramatic transformation, the parents’need for support has remained.The families who attend these classes experienceunique and wide-ranging disadvantages.Many distrust social service providers,having been disappointed or frustrated byprograms that didn’t live up to their promises.Additionally, with an influx of refugees in recentyears, language-related challenges havebecome more prevalent.In many ways, the program’s success andstaying power can be credited to the constantpresence of Sabrina Boyd. Boyd’s ability torelate to families and her unrelenting commitmentto improvement have allowed herto establish trust with the often isolatedcommunities at the housing authoritysite. Despite participants speakingmore than 10 different languages,Boyd has managed to build bondswith the diverse families that attendher classes.One of the most significant program improvementshappened in 2009. After years ofnoticing that fathers were much less engagedand often allowed women to ask all the questions,Boyd and the team at The Family Conservancydecided to pilot a class specificallydesigned to help fathers understand their role.The new class aimed to teach new fathersthings most of them needed to learn. Classescovered topics such as providing infant care,understanding child development, safe sleep,bonding with children, psychological trauma,and the importance of father involvement.For Milton, an early participant, these lessonsproved to be a lifesaver. Milton attendedparenting classes for about a year before movingout of the area. Shortly after the move,Milton’s wife tragically died. In a new community,Milton was all his two boys had.Visiting family for the holiday’s last winter,Milton stopped by Boyd’s classroom. Withhim were his kids, now 10 and 7. Miltongushed as he told Boyd about all the amazingthings his kids were doing. He also saidthat he didn’t like to think about where hisfamily would be without the information shehad taught him.In addition to teaching fathers about childdevelopment, these classes have evolved toexpose participants to potential career opportunitiesand a support system for each other,especially in a community where violence isprevalent and families often say, “This is justthe way it is.”For the past several years, The Family Conservancyhas partnered with Kansas Children’sService League (KCSL), which hasbeen able to provide a male facilitator to assistthe class. “Having a male teacher has been abig advantage,” said Boyd. “He is able to offerinvaluable, male perspective.”These classes are always evolving and improving,but the value of this effort to engagefathers is apparent. Dads who attend theparenting classes have become more involved,not just in class, but in theirchild’s life.KATRINA MINTERManager of CommunityPrograms, The FamilyConservancyKatrina Minter holds a Bachelor’sdegree in social work from MissouriWestern State College. Her experienceincludes 10 years directing child careprograms and the last 22 years in the nonprofitsector with The Family Conservancy inKansas City, Kan., where she is the manager ofCommunity Programs. Katrina is the motherto 2 stepdaughters and Nana to 4 beautifulgrandchildren. She enjoys spending time withher husband, family and friends. Her passionis making a difference in the lives and childrenand families.www.ks.childcareaware.org7
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2019 Winter Kansas Child

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