Family engagement is one of the most important indicators of quality in early learning environments. It incorporates so much more than participation in harvest carnivals, especially during this pandemic, when gathering in large groups is limited. Families are our partners in the nurturing and education of their children. We cannot do our jobs in a vacuum; we need the knowledge that families have about their children, their culture, and their goals for their children’s futures.

This month, we want to take a look at some of the elements of strong family engagement and how it can benefit everyone involved in your program. In this newsletter and accompanying blog post, we will focus on strategies ranging from simply enhancing communication with families to how to implement a formal family engagement intervention.

While some of the suggestions in this newsletter won’t be possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to consider how you might include in-person forms of family involvement once it is safe to do so.  Until then, programs will need to focus on safely strengthening relationships and engaging families using online or virtual tools.

For the article Types of Family Involvement, CLICK HERE

For the article Benefits of Increased Family Engagement, CLICK HERE

For the article Grassroots Family Engagement Strategies, CLICK HERE

For the article Director’s Corner:  Creating and Implementing a Family Engagement Plan, CLICK HERE