Grantee and delegate agencies must engage in a process of collaborative partnership-building with parents to establish mutual trust and to identify family goals, strengths, and necessary services and other supports.  This process must be initiated as early after enrollment as possible and it must take into consideration each family’s readiness and willingness to participate in the process.

The Head Start and Early Head Start recruitment application provides the first opportunity for families and staff to begin their conversations in order to establish a partnership. At enrollment, Early Head Start (EHS) and HS Family Advocates introduce each enrolled family to the HEAD START Model for case management and family partnering. It is a strength based model that provides an assessment scale in all the family domains. Family and staff partner in identifying family strengths, capabilities, and needs. An individualized plan is developed by the family with support from the Family Advocate to conquer challenges facing each family. The Family Advocate interacts with families in their home or comfort environment for approximately 45 minutes. The frequency and time of the interactions are determined by the parent with the support of the Family Advocate.  

Approximately 90 days after the agency’s enrollment deadline has been met Family Advocates or another content area case manager will have met with each Family to document strengths, capabilities and needs, assess level of self-reliance, and partnered with family to identify at least one goal. A plan of action to achieve goal/goals and progress notes to chart progress will also have been documented on  the Family Partnership Agreement data base forms prior to centers closing for winter break in December(90days). Initial assessments and contacts for each school year child attends program are input on the Data Base system. The end of the year assessment is conducted prior to the closing of school in June to identify changes in the family from the beginning of the year.

In-house and community referrals are made as soon as possible in order to support and strengthen the family based on the assessment results. Referrals for crisis situations are made immediately whenever the crisis occurs. Follow up results are documented in the progress notes, on the referral forms, and FPA goal section  .  

Family Advocates will score the FPA follow up goal section in  December, March and June. Follow-ups with family via home visits, calls, correspondence, continues until family transitions out of program and are always documented in the Data Base system.    

After Head Start and Early Head Start enrollments are held, the Folder/Data Base Reviews, and Individualized Education Planning meetings, parent trainings, volunteer opportunities, parent meetings, parent breakfasts and other opportunities are planned by staff and parents for partnership relationships to be established and maintained throughout the school year.

All families will be staffed at case management meetings.  Families assessed at level 4 or 5 require intensive intervention from the center teams and/or community partners. Each family to be case managed would select with the assistance of the Family Advocate who they want to participate in that meeting. Usually the team would consist of the parent, family members, Site Manager, child’s teacher, Family Advocate, and the center support team members and/or community partner .

EHS Pregnant Mom staff will make regular home visits with their enrolled families.  In these educational visits, the staff train the parents to teach their child/children pre-kindergarten skills with items they have in the home.  Through these interactions, staff identify family strengths, needs and goals and work with the other content area staff to document and assist the family with a plan of action to meet the needs/goals.

As part of this ongoing partnership, grantee and delegate agencies must offer parents opportunities to develop and implement individualized family partnership agreements that describe family goals, responsibilities, timetables and strategies for achieving these goals as well as progress in achieving them.  In home-based program options, this agreement must include the above information as well as the specific roles of parents in home visits and group socialization activities (see 45 CFR 1306.33(b)).

The EHS Pregnant Mom staff members partner with the women on a regular basis to determine their emotional, physical and social state, and they provide services the parents identify as being needed with the assistance of other content area staff.

By December of each school year Family Advocates will have met with each Family to document strengths, capabilities and needs, and partnered with family to identify at least one goal. A plan of action to achieve a goal/goals and progress notes to chart progress will also have been documented in the Family Partnership Agreement data base forms. Initial assessments and contacts for each school year child attends program are documented on all data base forms. The end of the year assessment is conducted in June and documented to identify changes in the family from the initial assessment which is documented each year on the data base forms.  Family Advocates will score family outcomes on the goal follow up section of the FPA during the months of December, March and June. Follow-ups with family via home visits, calls, correspondence, continues until family transitions out of program and is always documented on data base forms.

To avoid duplication of effort, or conflict with, any preexisting family plans developed between other programs and the Early Head Start or Head Start family, the family partnership agreement must take into account, and build upon as appropriate, information obtained from the family and other community agencies concerning preexisting family plans.  Grantee and delegate agencies must coordinate, to the extent possible, with families and other agencies to support the accomplishment of goals in the preexisting plans.

During the conversations with parents, Family Advocate staff will ask parents whether they are receiving services from other agencies and if the parents will consent to a partnership between the agencies and the parents to maximize services and avoid duplication of services.  The parents establish the parameters regarding what information is shared and identify the entity or entities the parents consent to release information.  A consent form for release of information is signed by the parents.  Meetings with the parent, community agency and Head Start staff are arranged to enhance the goals already in place for the family.  The community agency continues as the family’s primary partner and the Head Start staff partner documents the community partnership plan on the Family Partnership Agreement data base form of HEAD START of Greater Dallas, Inc. (HSGD, HS or agency).

Written nonfinancial agreements are established by HS management staff in all content areas with private and public agencies that serve families within the HS income guidelines.  These agreements are used by the Family Advocate staff  to support each family’s plan of action and develop positive self-esteem in families by building on successfully completed goals.  Coordinated community services may be in the form of shared case management services, joint home visits, pooling of resource information and assisting parents as a coach.  The parent helps decide how involved each agency becomes in this process.

A variety of opportunities must be created by grantee and delegate agencies for interaction with parents throughout the year.

Each center will outline a monthly activity calendar that provides planned opportunities for parents and staff to interact.  Formal and informal activities are planned during parent meetings or parent committee meetings.  Parents assist staff in brainstorming and implementing parent luncheons, visits to the dentist, field trips, male brunches, Mom’s night out, car washes, center cleanup day, parent trainings, Head Start Awareness parades, etc.

Meetings and interactions with families must be respectful of each family’s diversity and cultural and ethnic background.

All meetings and interactions with families are respectful of each family’s diversity and culture and ethnic background. Interpreters will use assistive listening equipment to facilitate communication. Literature will be provided in the language of the family whenever possible. Staff and parents will be provided with diversity training opportunities. Families will be able to share their cultures and ethnic backgrounds with staff, enrolled children and other families through meal preparations and planning, center celebrations, storytelling and as presenters for workshops or other diversity trainings.

Grantee and delegate agencies must work collaboratively with all participating parents to identify and continually access, either directly or through referrals, services and resources that are responsive to each family’s interests and goals, including:

A Directory of Services compiled by the Community Council of Greater Dallas will be available to parents at each center.  Content area staff will provide ongoing training for parents on how to access resources throughout the year using the city of Dallas assistance number 311 , Texas assistance number 211, and emergency assistance number 911. Community Fairs will be conducted annually by the agency and Early Head Start/Head Start centers for families to directly interface with community providers.

Emergency or crisis assistance in areas such as food, housing, clothing, and transportation;

Families needing emergency or crisis assistance will be referred by the appropriate content area staff for resources provided through a community agency or from resources available within the agency.  Referrals will be provided via the following forms: 

1)             A written referral given to the parent to take to a community agency.

2)             A phone call to a contact person who provides the parent with a needed resource.

3)             The content area staff will take the parent to the resource with a referral.

Documentation of contact and outcome of referral is written in the Family Partnership Agreement data base form s and in the referral notebook by the Family Advocate staff or the content area staff making the contact.

Education and other appropriate interventions, including opportunities for parents to participate in counseling programs or to receive information on mental health issues that place families at risk, such as substance abuse, child abuse, and neglect, and domestic violence; and

Substance Abuse staff will accept referrals from centers to meet with families to discuss substance abuse issues in the family.  Families will then be referred to treatment, counseling and/or self-help groups as appropriate to meet their individual needs.  Substance abuse education programs will be presented to HS and EHS parents.  Mental Health staff will provide counseling, stress management and referrals for parents in crisis.  Referrals will be made to resources within HS or within the community for treatment, counseling or other services, as appropriate.

Family Advocate staff will provide counseling, trainings, set up parent support groups or refer families, as appropriate, to assist families with child abuse/neglect issues, domestic violence issues, substance abuse issues or other health issues that prevent families from being self-reliant.

Opportunities for continuing education and employment training and other employment services through formal and informal networks in the community.

Family Advocate staff will refer families for continuing education, employment training opportunities and employment services to Dallas SER, The Bill J. Priest Center, Texas Workforce Commission or other community agencies, when parents voice a need for the services at any time during the school year.  Staff will explore these training and employment options with parents in conversations with parents during the Family Partnership Agreement process.  When parents identify training and employment needs, the staff will provide the family with a copy of the referral to take to the agency or school that meets their need and follow up as agreed with the parent as to the results of the referral.  Job listings for HS and EHS positions will be posted at all centers for any enrolled child’s family member having the job qualifications to apply.  Family Advocate staff will assist families with the completion of their job applications or resumes as needed, and ensure familes have training on how to interview. Job fairs will be conducted on site and in collaboration with other agencies to match families with employment that provides apprenticeship opportunities when appropriate.

Grantee and delegate agencies must follow-up with each family to determine whether the kind, quality, and timeliness of the services received through referrals met the families’ expectations and circumstances.

The time frame established by the parent and staff for follow-up on referrals will be a part of the plan of action documented in the Family Partnership Agreement.  Family Advocate staff will discuss results of referrals and document the outcomes of the referrals.  Parents not receiving services because of unavailability of resources will be referred to other agencies that have resources.

Services to pregnant women who are enrolled in programs serving pregnant women, infants, and toddlers.

Early Head Start grantee and delegate agencies must assist pregnant women to access comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care, through referrals, immediately after enrollment in the program.  This care must include:

Staff will refer pregnant women enrolled in the HS and EHS program for dental, medical and nutrition services for postnatal and prenatal comprehensive care to ensure the wellness of the women and their child/children.

Nutrition staff will conduct assessments throughout the year and provide nutrition counseling, menu planning, and food preparation training to families.

Health promotion and treatment, including medical and dental examinations on a schedule deemed appropriate by the attending health care providers as early in the pregnancy as possible; and

EHS and HS staff will assist a pregnant woman with setting up dental and medical exams with her community health providers, as appropriate, for each trimester of the parent’s pregnancy.  Medical and dental concerns (such as tooth decay, edema, elevated blood pressure and gestational diabetes) are carefully monitored and the appropriate treatments are administered.  After delivery, the staff provide parents with information for follow-up exams.

Mental health interventions and follow-up, including substance abuse prevention and treatment services, as needed.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health staff will schedule group and/or individual prevention training sessions with pregnant and non-pregnant parents.  Parents needing services will be referred by Family Advocate staff to the Substance Abuse or Mental Health content area staff for treatment, counseling, self-help agencies, in-house resources or community resources, as appropriate, for mental health and substance abuse issues.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide pregnant women and other family members, as appropriate, with prenatal education on fetal development (including risks from smoking and alcohol), labor and delivery, and postpartum recovery (including maternal depression).

Substance Abuse and Mental Health staff will make educational materials available, such as pamphlets, posters and videos on the risks of smoking, drinking, drugging, and on mental wellness during pregnancy, labor, delivery and during the child’s and family’s various developmental stages.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide information on the benefits of breast feeding to all pregnant and nursing mothers.  For those who choose to breast feed in center-based programs, arrangements must be provided as necessary.

HS and HS staff working with pregnant women and nursing mothers will provide pamphlets, posters, videos and educational sessions on the benefits of breast-feeding.  Areas within the HS and EHS centers will be identified and made available for nursing mothers to breast-feed their babies.  Bottled breast milk will be refrigerated before feeding and discarded after 48 hours.

In addition to involving parents in program policy-making and operations (see 45 CFR 1304.50) grantee and delegate agencies must provide parent involvement and education activities that are responsive to the ongoing and expressed needs of the parents, both as individuals and as members of a group.  Other community agencies should be encouraged to assist in the planning and implementation of such programs.

During enrollment, the parents of every child will be interviewed, and medical and dental histories will be taken.  At this time, health staff will be able to identify whether or not the child has an established medical home.  If the child does not have a source of ongoing care, the Health staff will assist the parents in accessing a source of care.  The Health staff will encourage the parents to become proactive in their children’s health care process.  The Health staff teaches parents how to assist their older children in flossing and all their children in regular teeth brushing, how to maintain current immunizations, and what questions to ask of their health providers.  Collaborations are established with other agencies to plan and implement health fairs, and other health services for Head Start and Early Head Start families.

Early Head Start and Head Start settings must be open to parents during all program hours.  Parents must be welcomed as visitors and encouraged to observe children as often as possible and to participate with children in group activities.  The participation of parents in any program activity must be voluntary, and must not be required as a condition of the child’s enrollment.

Early Head Start and Head Start staff provide a warm and nurturing environment for children and families.  Family members are always welcomed into the program.  Beginning at orientation and throughout the year, the importance of volunteering is emphasized.  Volunteer forms are completed at enrollment by the families, which match their interests and availability with the volunteer activities the family members can participate in at the center and at home.  Volunteer orientations are provided for parents to inform parents of the different volunteer roles and parental involvement opportunities that are available.

Volunteer banners are posted at each center in the language of the population served to welcome the volunteers.  A volunteer board showing volunteer opportunities and accomplishments is available and updated by parents and staff.  At the end of the year, volunteers assist staff in planning a Volunteer Awards ceremony.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide parents with opportunities to participate in the program as employees or volunteers (see 45 CFR 1304.52(b)(3) for additional requirements about hiring parents).

Program job vacancies are posted in newsletters and on the center bulletin boards for parents to participate in the Head Start and Early Head Start program as employees when they meet the job qualifications.  Parents have opportunities to serve as paid substitute classroom aides or volunteers.  Child Development Associate (CDA) certification classes and other trainings are provided on-site by Community Junior Colleges for parents to enhance their employability.  Head Start staff and community agencies provide parents and family members with job readiness, resume writing and job skills training on-site and in the appropriate community agencies.  Each content area offers opportunities for parents to learn more, to plan services with the staff, to volunteer and to work with staff on a one-on-one basis.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities to include parents in the development of the program’s curriculum and approach to child development and education (see 45 CFR 1304.3(a)(5) for a definition of curriculum).

The Education Advisory Committee is comprised of parents, staff and community representatives who assist in planning activities for the Head Start/Early Head Start child development and education program.  Newsletters, parent trainings and take-home activities are provided for parents to learn how their children develop cognitively, socially, physically and emotionally.  Parent conferences are held with parents and teachers so that the parents can share their knowledge of their child/children, and staff can add this information to their observations and testing in formulating an individual education plan for each child.

Staff and parents are provided with information and training to enhance their cultural awareness.  Referrals, trainings and opportunities for meeting the needs of families are provided in their language and with consideration of their cultural diversity.  Parents share their art, music and food preparations of their culture with the children and staff.

Grantee and delegate agencies operating home-based program options must build upon the principles of adult learning to assist, encourage and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children.

Family Advocates emphasize that the parent is the primary educator of his/her child(ren).

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities for parents to enhance their parenting skills, knowledge, and understanding of the educational and developmental needs and activities of their children and to share concerns about their children with program staff (see 45 CFR 1304.21 for additional requirements related to parent involvement).

Grantee and delegate agencies actively involve the parents in teaching their children.  The parents are taught how to teach age appropriate skills with the items and materials the parents have in the home.  Family shopping, mealtimes, bath times, trips or recreational activities become opportunities for parents to teach their children educational concepts, develop language and other skills and explore feelings.  Parents are encouraged to be creative and to use their past and present experiences in teaching their child/children.  As parents teach their children, the children also learn and acquire a thirst for knowledge and their confidence and self-esteem are enhanced.

The staff and parents bond during their regular home visits and center visits.  Together, they review the results from each previous week and discuss family concerns about the child.  This provides opportunities for discussion on behavior management strategies, toileting practices, child development practices and ways to assist the child in adjusting to the center based program.

Families with children with disabilities are provided with information about available services and programs and are encouraged to ensure their children receive the appropriate free services provided in the community to meet the educational needs of their child/ children throughout their school years.  During their tenure in Head Start/Early Head Start, the Special Services staff provide any necessary services for the children in collaboration with community agencies and transition the children into the appropriate programs when they leave Head Start and Early Head Start.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide, either directly or through referrals to other  local agencies, opportunities for children and families to participate in family literacy services by:

Increasing family access to materials, services, and activities essential to family literacy development, and

Head Start and Early Head Start staff provide parents with an on-site lending library, plan field trips to libraries, sign up parents for library cards to enhance their literary skills and assist them in enhancing their child/children skills.  Take-home activities to encourage reading to the children are provided.  ESL, GED and ABE classes are available for parents, as needed, in their language.  Education staff and volunteers tutor, coach and mentor parents in their literacy endeavors. Parents are encouraged and supported to go back to school, attend college and/or participate in job training programs.  Information and training is provided on where and how to apply for scholarships and financial assistance programs in partnership with community agencies.

In addition to the two home visits, teachers in center-based programs must conduct staff-parent conferences, as needed, but no less than two per program year, to enhance the knowledge and understanding of both staff and parents of the educational and developmental progress and activities of children in the program (see 45 CFR 1304.21(a)(2)(iii) and 45 CFR 1304.40(i) for additional requirements about staff-parent conferences and home visits).

Teachers make two home visits a year (once in the fall and again in the spring) in addition to the two staff-parent conferences scheduled during the year.   Head Start/Early Head Start staff schedule conferences as needed throughout the year with parents to share the child’s progress and obtain feedback from the parents regarding their suggestions, expectations, questions and concerns.  Conferences are held at the time and place most convenient for parent participation.

Grantee and delegate agencies must provide medical, dental, nutrition, and mental health education programs for program staff, parents, and families.

Health education programs for staff, parents and families are provided on first aid, prenatal and postnatal care, oral hygiene procedures, lead poisoning, home safety, fire prevention, childhood illnesses and immunizations, and blood borne pathogens.  Parents are taught how to assess their own family’s health needs, find the services in their communities and how to use them appropriately.

Nutrition education programs for staff, parents and families are provided on encouraging positive eating habits, experimentation in new foods, avoiding junk foods and providing nutritious family meals and snacks on a limited budget.  The nutritional needs of children at various levels of their growth and development are taught, along with how to use food as a learning activity for the children and adults.  Food selection, preparation, sanitation and storage training is also provided.  In collaboration with the Extended Nutrition program, professional training toward a career in the food service industry is provided for Head Start/Early Head Start parents and families.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse education programs for staff, parents and families are provided on how to maintain mental wellness, stress management, recognizing and resolving burnout, understanding children’s growth and development, child rearing practices and concerns, how to fully develop a child’s potential, and behavior management at home and in the classroom.

Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that, at a minimum, the medical and dental health education program:

The Health staff work with the Head Start and Early Head Start families to ensure that the families have ongoing family health care throughout the school year.  Information is provided to families about medical and dental resources, followed by an orientation of the prerequisites for the families to enroll and participate in their local health care facilities for ongoing family wellness.

Encourages parents to become active partners in their children’s medical and dental health care process and to accompany their child to medical and dental examinations and appointments; and

A vital part of the orientation process involves staff encouraging the parents to be involved in all aspects of their children’s medical and dental care, to ask questions, and to seek a second medical opinion, as necessary.  Parents are informed of how important it is for them to accompany their children for medical and dental services.

Provides parents with the opportunity to learn the principles of preventive medical and dental health, emergency first-aid, occupational and environmental hazards, and safety practices for use in the classroom and in the home.  In addition to information on general topics (e.g., maternal and child health and the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), information specific to health needs of individual children must also be made available to the extent possible.

Head Start/Early Head Start parents are sent a letter  requesting Health and Dental exams be acquired by each family before the children are enrolled in the program and no later than their entry date into the program. Acquiring this information allows the Health staff to assess the needs of enrolled children and develop individualized Health plans.

Nutrition education in the selection and preparation of foods to meet family needs and in the management of food budgets; and

Families will receive nutrition information once a month.  This information will include newsletter and basic nutrition education handouts.  Training by the nutrition specialists will include ( but not be limited to) the selection and preparation of foods to meet family needs, guidance in money management, menu planning, basic nutrition and help in consumer education.

Nutrition specialists will interact with parents at enrollment and during the school year to discuss the nutritional status of their child or children and offer recommendations.  Children will be referred to the Women, Infants and Children  (WIC) program when appropriate.  Follow-up will be done within 60 days and will be documented on the family contact form located in the child’s folder.

Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that the mental health education program provides, at a minimum (see 45 CFR 1304.24 for issues related to mental health education):

Parents accompany their child to appointments, provide emotional support for the child and ask providers to explain medical conditions and procedures so that the child and parents understand the procedures.  Properly informed parents can grant informed consent for dental, medical, mental health and nutritional services. Parents recognize the importance of preventive care and of detecting signs of health problems early for more successful treatment, and commit to the long-term provision of needed services to their families.

Head Start/Early Head Start staff will involve parents in advocacy and activities with other community entities that serve their families via:  Parents serving on Health, Education, and Family and Community Partnership Advisory Committees, parents participating on Boards, Policy Committees, Policy Council, participating in parent/teacher organizations, and joining or starting community groups that enhance safety or address other needs in the parents’ communities. Leadership development classes will be made available to families. Ongoing participation of parents will be encouraged and supported by staff, as parents gain confidence and build self-esteem and skills.

Head Start and Early Head Start will staff support children and families during transition into and out of the programs.  Parents will be encouraged to visit the Early Head Start or Head Start program before the child enters into the center.  Families will be given opportunities to share information and ask questions about the care of their child in the program.

Early Head Start pregnant mothers will participate in a variety of activities that will increase their knowledge of infant and toddler development.  In addition, the mothers will participate in classroom visitations before the birth of the child.  Mothers will become familiar with the classroom, understand the importance of the bonding and attachment process, feeding techniques, scheduling, and flexibility.  During the classroom visitations, the mother will understand what goes on in the infant rooms and learn what the teacher is accomplishing as she interacts with the children in her care.  These activities will support parenting skills at home and empower the mother to feel confident in her participation in Early Head Start and as the family moves into the Head Start program and other child-care settings.

At the beginning of the school year during enrollment or within the first two weeks of the child’s enter date, the parent is given information by the Site Manager about the services the Transition staff provide.  Topics are covered that will help the parents with adjustment concerns, tips on communicating with the teachers in the Early Head Start and Head Start programs and activities that they can use at home with the child.  Transition Services are included in the Parent Handbook.  The center staff members conduct orientations and parent training throughout the school year to help families prepare for the next placement.  Parents’ roles and responsibilities are discussed and individual transition planning with families leaving the program takes place during parent meetings.

Early Head Start pregnant mothers participate in a variety of activities that will increase their knowledge of infant and toddler development.  In addition, the mothers will participate in classroom visitations before the birth of the child.  Mothers will become familiar with the classroom, understand the importance of the bonding and attachment process, feeding techniques, scheduling and flexibility.  During the classroom visitations, the mother will understand what goes on in the infant rooms and learn what the teacher is accomplishing as she interacts with the children in her care.  These activities will support parenting skills at home and empower the mother to feel confident in her participation in Early Head Start, and as the family moves into the Head Start program and other child-care settings.

At the beginning of the school year, during enrollment, or within the first two weeks of the child’s enter date, the parent is given information about the services the transition staff provides. Covered topics include suggestions to help the parents with adjustment concerns, tips on communicating with the teachers in the Early Head Start and Head Start program and activities that they can use at home with the child. The Transition Coordinator (in conjunction with the center) conducts orientations and parent training throughout the school year to help families prepare for the next placement.  In addition, parents are given ongoing opportunities to seek assistance through the Transition Contact Form located in each center.  If the parent has a question or concern, the parent fills out the contact form and the parent or support staff will put it in the Transition Box located in the center.  The Transition Coordinator will pick it up and contact the parent either by telephone or in the center, to address the parent’s transition needs.

Parents are also given the opportunity to ask questions and receive individual planning as the child and family is adjusting to the new center by requesting information at the Fall Parent/Teacher Conference.  If the parent has a concern, the Education Specialist will share the conference form with the Transition Coordinator.  The Transition Coordinator will call the parent and schedule a time to meet if needed with the parent.  This opportunity is also given to the parent during the Spring Parent/Teacher Conference.  This is in addition to other times that parents and transition staff will interact.

Parents’ roles and responsibilities pertaining to the child’s new placement are discussed during parent meetings and individual transition planning with families leaving Early Head Start going into Head Start or other child-care settings.  A total of three Parent Meetings are conducted during the school year.  The fall meeting that begins in September - October introduces the families to the transition process by encouraging parents to store important documents that they will need throughout their child’s school life.   Personal Portfolios, “Items Needed for School,” and “10 Known Facts about Parents and School” are presented to the parents.  The winter parent meeting includes an introduction to materials and forms that will be used until the end of the year.  Parents are invited to accompany the child on school field trip. Parents are encouraged to visit the schools of their choice.  Parents are also given information on kindergarten round-ups and a list of sample questions they may need to use at these Round-Ups.  In addition, parents are given a list of information they will need for registration.  During these meetings, the Transition Coordinator will discuss the “Consent to Release Records” form with the parent(s) and ask them to complete and sign it.  Social Services/Parent Involvement staff will also talk with parents as they interact in the centers and continue getting signatures on the Consent to Release Records form.

Parents who are unsure of their child’s receiving school are still asked to sign the consent forms and provide a telephone number in order for the Transition Coordinator to provide ongoing placement records to transfer over the summer months.  Support staff provide copies of the child’s Health Summary and Consent form to Parent.

In addition to educating parents on roles and responsibilities as they move from Early Head Start to another child-care setting, the Transition staff offers opportunities for parents to request that staff accompany them to the new setting and help develop an individual transition plan to help the child and parent ease into the new setting.

As children leave the Head Start program going into kindergarten settings, parents are given information on helping children succeed in school, school readiness, being healthy and Title I funding as it relates to helping parents learn the system and give appropriate information to school staff.  Literacy activities are given to parents to use during summer months.  Parents are also given information on how to access free or low cost after-school care.  This will ensure parents are given the opportunity to be placed in the advocacy position for their child.

A staffing will be held with parents of children with special needs who are transitioning to public school.  The Special Services Specialist will inform the parents of their continued rights to free and appropriate education and any special services that are necessary.  Parents are given a packet with all information that is being transferred to the LEA, and counseled on the importance of continually advocating for their child to access special services.

Center based HS and EHS parents will be encouraged to participate in home visits and taught the benefits of home visits beginning with orientation, parent conferences and throughout the school year.  Teachers and other staff will conduct home visits with parents to:

Make connections between the home and program settings, learn more about child/parent interactions, develop rapport, identify learning opportunities in home environments, identify techniques that can be generalized to other children in the family, and focus individualized attention on family strengths, interests and goals.

Teachers will make two home visits a year (once in the fall and again in the spring) in addition to the two staff-parent conferences scheduled during the year.  Family Advocate staff make home visits based on each family’s assessment outcomes. Some families after the initial home visit may need weekly visits, others monthly, etc., to meet the family’s goals/needs and to chart their progress toward self-reliance.

Home visits will be scheduled at the convenience of parents/staff and at a site designated by the parents.  Safety issues will be considered and adhered to in arranging home visits.  Teachers, Home Visitors, Family Advocates and other staff will be provided with appropriate training, supervision and support for safely conducting home visits.  The parents are also used as resources to set safety standards for conducting home visits.  Family Advocate staff make home visits as they partner with parents throughout the year.

The Early Head Start staff will make regular home visits as appropriate.  A family with a newborn child receives a visit within two weeks from the Health and/or Family Advocate staff to identify and discuss needs and interests related to the child’s and mother’s health care being provided by a community medical facility.