Family Engagement: Learning with Families

Posted by Early Childhood Action Collective on October 16, 2017

This paper aims to support policymakers in setting expectations for effective family engagement through policy and to equip them with best practices to support providers in implementation. An exploration of how policy, contextualized to Philadelphia, can promote strong family engagement across programs is first presented. This is followed by a strategies section that offers examples of how providers can put family engagement policies into practice. By reading and understanding the strategies, policymakers will be more informed and prepared to identify opportunities and barriers for providers as they craft policy and guidance. Additionally, the strategies and accompanying examples offer accessible information that policy makers can share with providers to demonstrate what meets expectations and to lessen the burden on providers expending time to find strategies.

Philadelphia’s pre-k program, PHLpreK, identifies parental engagement and a transition plan for kindergarten as one of the markers of a quality pre-k program. From a practical standpoint, this makes sense–after all, families are the constant as their child moves through formal and non-formal learning settings. Engaging them as partners in their child’s education and preparing them for subsequent grade levels supports continuity. Research supports the importance of family engagement, with findings indicating that it does indeed hold benefits for children across multiple domains. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report Parent Engagement Practices Improves Outcomes for Preschool Children concluded that:

 Programs that promote positive parenting practices and parent-child relationships can reduce behavioral problems.
 Promoting home learning activities and effective teaching strategies can foster early learning.
 Strengthening parent-teacher partnerships can boost academic and social-emotional skill development.
 Emphasizing a child’s physical health can aid healthy overall development.

http://ecactioncollective.org/images/Family-Engagement-FINAL.pdf