The better that families are able to meet their children’s basic need for shelter, food, and clothing, the more that family members will be available to support their child’s learning. Effective programs provide support to families who want it, usually by linking families with resources in the community through referrals. To support family functioning and promote resilience in families and young children, programs and teachers can establish community partnerships and identify key resources for families, connecting them to those resources considered appropriate. In particular, services that help families become self-sufficient and prevent risk of stress or at least reduce ongoing, intense stress, allow family members to become sources of support for each other. Services that promote positive, nurturing relationships among family members enable families to become more resilient and strengthen the children’s capacity for learning. Once working relationships with other service providers in the community are established, preschool programs can work to ensure that families receive needed services and children experience continuity in their learning and development.
Strengthening Families: Five Protective Factors
Five protective factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families Approach: parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children. Research studies support the common sense notion that when these protective factors are well established in a family, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect diminishes. Research shows that these protective factors are also “promotive” factors that build family strengths and a family environment that promotes optimal child and youth development.
Source: Center for the Study of Social Policy, n.d.
Family Functioning
Programs
Collaborate with staff, families, and social service providers to develop policies and procedures related to family support.
Respond to questions or concerns from staff members or other adults and act as a professional resource.
Provide professional development opportunities to staff on family functioning, protective and risk factors, and community resources.
Teachers
Articulate an understanding that families function in a variety of ways and that children or families may require support outside the program.
Demonstrate an understanding of risk, stress, and resiliency factors related to family functioning and how to support all families appropriately.
Take steps for further inquiry when concerns arise based on observations of a child or family.
Communicate daily with families about children’s well-being.
Refer questions or concerns to other staff members when appropriate.
Work with colleagues to respond to signs of risk or stress in children, as developmentally appropriate and individually meaningful.
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Your coworkers can work with you to support families that are experiencing stressors.[1]
Programs
Establish effective relationships with partners to ensure continuity of children’s learning and development.
Maintain professional connections to community and state partners.
Teachers
Understand the importance of community partnerships in meeting children’s needs.
Form effective partnerships and collaborations with families, professionals, and community representatives.
Support the needs of children, their success, and their well-being by maintaining professional connections to community and state partners.
Connecting Families with Resources
Programs
Support staff and families in the referral process as appropriate.
Work with community resources to conduct outreach or provide services to program families as appropriate.
Anticipate families’ needs for support based on knowledge of the families’ circumstances or of current events that may affect them (e.g., economic climate, natural disasters).
Identify key community resources that support program practices and family needs, including services that support families with dual language learners’ communication with the program.
Share information with colleagues and develop connections to the program.
Teachers
Demonstrate familiarity with community resources to support children and families.
Respond to requests from families about community resources and refer questions to appropriate staff members.
Protect the confidentiality and privacy of families.
Engage in conversations with families about referrals to community resources and assist in identifying or gaining access to services as needed, with consideration for the diverse linguistic and cultural experiences of families.
Identify signs that children or families may require support outside the program, maintain documentation, and initiate closer observation or further inquiry, collaborating with families as appropriate.
Provide resources linked to classroom instructions to assist families in supporting continued development and maintenance of the home language.
Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Families experiencing food insecurity could benefit from this community resource, a food bank.[2]
Use of Community Resources
Teachers
Gain knowledge about the importance of community resources that can enhance professional expertise and children’s learning experiences.
Use community resources routinely to enhance their knowledge about families and services and classroom learning activities.
Note
Often resources for families are compiled and sometimes sold for the cost of printing can be purchased from a church or community organization. Check your local area to see if that is an option for you.
The power of a resource
One morning a mother dropped off her three children to their classrooms in the childcare program and then went to the director of the programs office, closed the door behind her, and sunk to the floor crying. She shared with the director that her husband is bipolar and had been off his medication. The night before he had thrown her and her three children ages 4, 3 and 1 out of the house without shoes, keys, coats or any food or diapers. She was able to call a friend to take her in for the night, but they could not stay there another night. She needed help. After listening, the director was able to pull out her book of local resources and find her temporary shelter, a low cost lawyer, a treatment center for her husband and access to food and clothing. While sometimes all they need is a listening ear, there are times that families need help and resources. Having those gathered ahead of time can be helpful for struggling families.
