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Learning Session 4: How Can We Engage F ili P t ? Families as Partners?

Nemours is currently funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under a five-year Cooperative Agreement (1U58DP004102-01) to support states/localities in launching early care and education learning collaboratives focused on childhood obesity prevention. The views expressed in written materials or publications, or by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Early Childhood Health Promotion and Obesity Prevention

National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives (ECELC) Project

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

– For generous funding support and expertise

Nemours

– For their expertise, materials, support, and time spent on the project’s implementation

G t h S C t f N t iti Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition

– For the evaluation component of this national effort

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Learning Session 4

Why Should We Change?

How Can We Continue to Make Healthy Changes? Celebrating Success:

Our Plans in Action!

ActionPeriodLS1 Action 

PeriodLS2 Action PeriodLS3 Action 

PeriodLS4 Action PeriodLS5

We Change?

Go NAP SACC*

Long‐Term Action Plan & Storyboard

Our Plans in Action!

Continue Long‐Term Action Plan

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What is Our Role in Making Healthy Changes?

Pilot Action PlanPilot Storyboard

How Can We Engage Families as Partners?Continue Long‐Term Action Plan (Emphasis on Family Engagement)

*Go NAP SACC is a Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care for ECE settings comparing their current practices with a set of best practices

TA Breakout TA Breakout Groups –

LS3 Action Period

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Part A: Part A: Principles of Family Support

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pp

ECEECECommunityCommunity

SocietySociety

legislation

Department of Education

Health and Human Services

unemployment

economy

federal and state budgets

health department

child care licensing

healthcare providers

mental health services

CCR&R

QRIS

schools and colleges

The SocialEcological

Model

ChildChild

FamilyFamily

ECE ECE Program Program StaffStaff

ECEECEProgramProgramEnvironmentEnvironment

ECE ECE ProgramProgramPoliciesPolicies

workplace supports, benefits

and leave

rate

food and

WIC

CACFP

grocery

pre-service and professional development opportunities

central kitchens

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ChildChild

media

urban planning

food and beverage industry

religious institutions

community gardensparks

grocery stores

culture

food service vendors

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Elements of Family Engagement

In order to effectively engage families, providers should practice:

F il t i i l– Family support principles

A philosophy and approach of collaboration with families to increase participation in the program and to build trust

– Parent Involvement Practices

Program design features and activities that enhance the program staff/ family relationships so the center becomes a place where families feel comfortable leaving their children

– Protective factors

Strategies using family support and best practices to strengthen the parent / child relationship

Integration of all three elements can enhance the learning environment to support child development

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What is Family Support?

An approach to strengthening and empowering families and communities so they are able to foster the development of:foster the development of:

– Children

– Youth

– Adult family members

A shift in the way services are provided to focus on the whole family, not just the child enrolled in care

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Parent Involvement Practices

Integrate culture and community

Provide a welcoming environment Provide a welcoming environment

Strive for program-family partnerships

Make a commitment to outreach

Provide family resources and referrals

Set and reinforce program standards

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Cultural Awareness Scavenger Hunt

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Activities to Promote Cultural Awareness in Your Program Skin Color Match-ups- set out different colored

stockings and ask children to match their stocking with their skin color and discuss their observationswith their skin color and discuss their observations

Take pictures of different hairstyles and types of hair and have children explore and talk about the differences

Have parents and families bring in music of their culture and allow the children to dance to it

Take thumbprints of each child and talk about the differences in the print (use magnifying glasses to assist with seeing the prints)

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Physical Activity Break

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Strengthening Families™ Framework:Key Protective Factors

1. Parental resilience – ability to cope with challenges1. Parental resilience ability to cope with challenges

2. Social connections – network of people who care

3. Knowledge of parenting and child development

4. Concrete support in time of need – access to resources

5. Social and emotional competence of childrenp

Seven Strategies to Promote Protective Factors

1. Valuing and supporting parents

2. Facilitating friendships and mutual support

3. Strengthening parenting

4. Responding to family crises

5. Linking families to services and opportunities

6. Facilitating children’s social and emotional gdevelopment

7. Observing and responding to early warning signs of child abuse and neglect

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Does Your Program Feel Welcoming to All Families?

What message does your program send to families?

H d i i l i How do you incorporate various cultures into your classroom environment?

Are there spaces and opportunities available for families to gather comfortably to talk?

Are there opportunities for families to engage in decision making?

Does your classroom have inviting displays that illustrate various cultures and learning opportunities to create a comfortable environment for children and families?

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Bringing Families Together: Building Community Video

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Creating a Family-Friendly Environment Activity Ac

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Part B: The Importance of The Importance of

Effective Communication

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Communication

Develop positive communication strategies and focus on the well-being of the child

Value open and honest communication to encourage partnerships

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Cultural Competence

Respect the individual

Understand various cultural backgrounds

Understand appropriate personal space and eye contact

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Three Valued Communication Skills

Active listening

Verbal and nonverbal feedback

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“I” messages

Active Listening

Facial Expressions

– Should reflect emotional content of what is being id ili f i tsaid: smiling, frowning, etc.

Body Language

– Nodding head can indicate affirmation

– Leaning towards speaker can convey attention

– Maintaining an open body position can suggest an g p y p ggopen mind

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Verbal Feedback

Verbal feedback such as “Yes” and “I understand” can convey feelings of understanding and acceptancecan convey feelings of understanding and acceptance of other’s feelings

Restating the words of the speaker can help the speaker feel as though they are understood and affirmed

Asking open-ended questions may bring important information or new understanding

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“I” Messages

Reduces conflict

Increases dialogue

Allows the individual to accept responsibility for their personal thoughts, feelings and behaviors

Creates a positive environment that promotes effective communication

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“I” Messages

There are three parts to “I” messages:

– Express the feelings about the action “I feel…”

– State the action “When…”

– Describe the effect of the action “Because…”

Avoid using YOU

– A YOU message can escalate conflict. These messages usually blame, accuse , threaten, order, put down or make the other person feel guilty.

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“I” Message Examples

Express the feeling

– “I feel overwhelmed…

State the action

– “…when you assign extra children to my classroom…”

Describe the affect of the actionesc be t e a ect o t e act o

– “…because I don’t have time to work on lesson plans.”

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“I” Messages With Staff

“I” messages can be used:

Wh ki i h– When working with staff members

– In a positive or negative manner

– If you are an observer of a situation

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Eight Tips for Communicating with Families

1. Take time to develop lasting relationships with families

2. Focus on your shared interest in the well-being of the child in y gthe classroom

3. Be proactive with information

4. Try to understand and focus on the family’s perspective

5. In a difficult situation, take time to reflect and talk it through with a colleague before responding

6. Use the principles of active listening and respectful i icommunication

7. Give families the benefit of the doubt

8. Remember that families can be strong partners in helping children grow up healthy and ready to learn

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Hot Button Activity

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Discussion:

What are some habits that block or open

communication?

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Physical Activity Break

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Lunch

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Role Playing Role-Playing Activity

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Part C: Facilitating Change in

Your Program

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LS4 Action Period

Why Should We Change?

How Can We Continue to Make Healthy Changes? Celebrating Success:

Our Plans in Action!

ActionPeriodLS1 Action 

PeriodLS2 Action PeriodLS3 Action 

PeriodLS4 Action PeriodLS5

We Change?

Go NAP SACC*

Long‐Term Action Plan & Storyboard

Our Plans in Action!

Continue Long‐Term Action Plan

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What is Our Role in Making Healthy Changes?

Pilot Action PlanPilot Storyboard

How Can We Engage Families as Partners?

Continue Long‐Term Action Plan (Emphasis on Family Engagement)

*Go NAP SACC is a Nutrition and Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care for ECE settings comparing their current practices with a set of best practices

Facilitating Change in Your Program: LS4 Action Period

Facilitated by the program Leadership Team

– Training for program staff

– Mini-version of the Learning Session that the Leadership Team attended

Opportunity to:

– Complete Action Tasks related to making healthy change

– Continue to work on your Long-Term Action Plan

Trainers provide technical assistance (TA)

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LS4 Action Period The Leadership Team will:

– Set up a time to train program staff

G id t ff th h l ti th L i– Guide program staff through completing the Learning Session 4 Group Discussion Worksheet

– Enhance their Long-Term Action Plan goals to include family/parent engagement

– Continue to work on their storyboards

– Assist in the completion of Post Go NAP SACC InstrumentsInstruments

– Bring all Action Period materials back to LS5 Learning Session 4 Group Discussion Worksheet

Storyboard

Post Go NAP SACC Instruments

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Brag Session ActivityActivity

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TA Breakout Groups

Question & Answer

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Physical Activity Break

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Part D: Early Learning Early Learning

Standards (ELS)at Home

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Early Learning Standards at Home

Health and Physical Development

Social and Emotional Development

Approaches to Learning

Language and Communication Development

Cognitive Development

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Health and Physical Development at Home Encourage parents to:

– Sing, move and dance with their children

– Play games that involve all five senses

– Enjoy walking, climbing, running and jumping

– Take their child(ren) to the doctor and dentist for regular check-ups and immunizations

– Promote healthy eating behaviors, good hygiene and basic safety practices

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Social Development at Home

Encourage parents to:

– Talk with their child about th i f litheir feelings

– Tell them they love them

– Praise their child often

– Comfort and reassure them

– Read and sing

– Give children choices

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– Give children simple instructions, small responsibilities and household chores

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Approaches to Learning at Home

Encourage parents to:

– Play with their child to d l i l kill ddevelop social skills and help them to understand who they are

– Explore the outdoors

– Explore arts and crafts

– Explore new places

Work together to solve

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– Work together to solve problems

Language Development at Home

Encourage parents to:

– Talk with their child as h iblmuch as possible

– Ask questions and listen for answers

– Teach words and language

– Point out things as they are driving or riding

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are driving or riding

– Recite nursery rhymes

– Play rhyming games

– Say tongue twisters

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Cognitive Development at Home

Encourage parents to:

– Ask their child questions and set up opportunities that encourage their child to think for themselves

– Take trips to interesting places such as a museum, library, or local business to stimulate their child’s curiosity and sense of wonder

– Play a variety of developmentally-appropriate games with their child

Choose toys for their child that encourages a variety– Choose toys for their child that encourages a variety of ways to

– Provide different situations that allow for creative problem solving

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Activity and Discussion

Home Activities and ELS

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Part E: B i i It Bringing It

All Together

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Resources

Nemours’ Best Practices for Healthy Eating

F il i h– Family tip sheets

Nemours’ Best Practices for Physical Activity

– Family tip sheets

Dr. Craft’s Active Play!

– Chapter 7: Physical

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C apte 7: ys caActivities for Families

Sesame Street Healthy Habits for Life

– Section 3: Every Day is a Healthy Day

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LS4 LS4 Feedback

Forms

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