Ways to Support Family Engagement

Family Child Care Family Engagement Lesson 2 Learn Ways to Support Family Engagement Guide	WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG ACTIVITY ID: 20051 Name Certifier Date
To support and enhance family engagement, providers can consider: Creating a welcoming family child care environment by greeting families during hellos and goodbyes, hanging welcome signs on the door, posting caregiver photos and information, hanging a board to post information about community and program events Providing a comfortable space in your program for families to observe or participate with their children while in your program Ways to get involved in the community and learn about different cultural backgrounds of the children and families they support Asking families how they prefer to receive information and consider different ways to communicate with families on a regular basis and prepare written materials in the home languages of families they support Ways to gather information from families and learn about what is important to them, such as using surveys or creating a question-and-answer section on a program website Opportunities for families to be involved in decision-making and voice their opinions Opportunities for families to volunteer and spend time in the family child-care setting: Share a favorite family song or dance Read a favorite family story in their home language Create a family fun area in the care setting where families can spend time playing and learning with their children Supporting a family meeting or family night by suggesting: That families gather together on a regular basis—once a month or quarter Meeting or session topics (learning a new language class, stress management for adults, first aid, infant and toddler safe sleep) Community members or speakers to help with topics A space where these meetings can take place, if outside your program is preferred Possibly including families from other family child-care programs in the meetings Providing families with activities and materials to use at home or in the community; consider recording routines and interactions during the day within the family child-care that families can watch, learn about, and use at home

Guide

WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG

ACTIVITY ID: 20051

Name

Certifier

Date

To support and enhance family engagement, providers can consider:

Creating a welcoming family child care environment by greeting families during hellos and goodbyes, hanging welcome signs on the door, posting caregiver photos and information, hanging a board to post information about community and program events
Providing a comfortable space in your program for families to observe or participate with their children while in your program
Ways to get involved in the community and learn about different cultural backgrounds of the children and families they support
Asking families how they prefer to receive information and consider different ways to communicate with families on a regular basis and prepare written materials in the home languages of families they support
Ways to gather information from families and learn about what is important to them, such as using surveys or creating a question-and-answer section on a program website
Opportunities for families to be involved in decision-making and voice their opinions
Opportunities for families to volunteer and spend time in the family child-care setting:
- Share a favorite family song or dance
- Read a favorite family story in their home language
- Create a family fun area in the care setting where families can spend time playing and learning with their children
Supporting a family meeting or family night by suggesting:
- That families gather together on a regular basis—once a month or quarter
- Meeting or session topics (learning a new language class, stress management for adults, first aid, infant and toddler safe sleep)
- Community members or speakers to help with topics
- A space where these meetings can take place, if outside your program is preferred
- Possibly including families from other family child-care programs in the meetings
Providing families with activities and materials to use at home or in the community; consider recording routines and interactions during the day within the family child-care that families can watch, learn about, and use at home