Building Partnerships with Families Series
The goal of parent and family engagement is to work with families to build strong and effective partnerships. Explore these three resources to learn ways to strengthen relationships with families.
Family Services Professionals Learning Resources
Welcome, we are so glad you’re here! As a family services staff member, you are essential to helping families identify and progress toward their goals and dreams for themselves and their children.
Are you new to the profession or maybe you have experience working with children and families but are new to family engagement in the Head Start program? The resources below can help you become familiar with Head Start family services and the importance of building respectful partnerships over time.
Get oriented to your position with the Overview of the Family Services Role in Head Start Programs, which describes key responsibilities, skills, and functions. The Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework is a road map that leads to positive and enduring change for children and families.
Other resources in this collection cover topics like economic mobility, equity considerations, and the family partnership process.
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework
The Office of Head Start (OHS) Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework is a road map for progress. It is a research-based approach to program change. It is designed to help Head Start programs achieve outcomes that lead to positive and enduring change for children and families.
Overview of the Family Services Role in Head Start Programs
This resource offers an introductory guide that describes the key responsibilities, skills, and competencies of the family services staff in their journey with families and children in the program.
Family Economic Mobility Toolkit
The Family Economic Mobility Toolkit shares information, ideas, inspiration, and hands-on resources to help Head Start staff partner with families on their journeys toward economic stability and mobility.
Family Services Managers’ Seasonal Program Planning Tool
Family services managers can use this tool as a road map to plan and organize family services tasks and activities throughout the program year.
Tips to Support Family Services Staff Wellness
Review strategies to support the wellness of family services professionals and home visitors; the resource is written for program supervisors and leaders as well as family services staff and home visitors themselves.
Equity Considerations for ERSEA
Head Start staff can use this resource to bring an equity lens to discussions about Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) procedures and best practices.
Relationship-based Competencies to Support Family Engagement
In this series, learn more about the core knowledge and competencies early childhood professionals need. Find out how these skills are key to engaging families effectively in positive, goal-oriented relationships.
Engaging Community Partners to Strengthen Family Services
Learn how programs can enhance community engagement and partner with families. This series is intended to guide efforts to strengthen child and family outcomes.
The Family Partnership Process: Engaging and Goal-Setting with Families
Strong, healthy families give their children the best chance at success in school and in life. The Family Goal-Setting Guide explores how strong partnerships can positively influence the goals families set in the Family Partnership Process.