This practice involves a collaborative partnership between educators, families, and communities to support children's learning, development, and well-beingi. Family engagement initiatives recognize that families are a child's first and most influential teachers. By promoting family engagement in early care and education (ECE), educators empower families to be active partners in their child's learning journey, strengthen the connection between home and school, and create a supportive network of care and support for children and families alikeii. Effective family engagement in ECE addresses a variety of purposes:
- building positive relationships between educators and families by creating welcoming, inclusive, and culturally responsive environments where families feel valued, respected, and supportediii
- two-way communication between educators and families to share information, exchange ideas, and build mutual trust and understanding, and to support children's learning and development at home
- involving families in decision-making in program policies, curriculum planning, and individualized learning goals to best meet their children’s needsiv
- encouraging active participation in their child’s education and in the ECE programv
- supporting transitions for children and familiesvi as they move between ECE settings, from home to childcare, and from preschool to elementary school
- valuing and celebrating the cultural and linguistic diversity of familiesvii
- building parenting skills, knowledge, and confidenceviii
- collaborating with community partners and resources ixthat support families' well-being and resiliencex
Resources Required
Training for ECE professionals and outreach efforts to parents of young children are both essential to the authentic engagement of families as partners in their children’s early development. Culturally responsive and strengths-based strategies for family engagement can greatly affect the degree of trust and participation of diverse families. Coordination among community and school-based entities to increase convenient access to resources to support families is also necessary.
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