strengthening families in family child care

Supporting Care Providers through Personal Visits

Incorporating the Strengthening Families approach

into work with family child care providers

Kerry CaverlyDirector of Replication, Training and Technical Assistance

Parents as Teachers Supports Quality Home Visiting for Family Child Care Providers

• 2004– Supporting Care Providers Through Personal Visits

curriculum and training created

• 2008– Supporting Infant/ Toddler Care Providers curriculum

developed incorporating the Strengthening Families approach

Parents as Teachers supports quality home visiting for family child care providers

Key Beliefs

• Provider-parent relationship is critically important.• The crucial early years of children's lives are critical for

optimal development.• We must support young children's development in all

settings.• Home visits are an effective and creative way to provide

needed support and resources to care providers.

Key Elements

• Curricula address care providers’ needs for:– supporting networks– information about child development– health and safety– ideas about activities to do with children– parent-provider relationships and child-provider

relationships

Key Findings

• Random assignment study of Caring for Quality Project by Cornell University

• Care provider visits using the Parents as Teachers Supporting Care Providers through Personal Visits curriculum significantly increased the quality of care. – Increased overall quality of the care setting– Increased language, reasoning experiences, and

learning activities– Increased social development

It’s all about relationships.

Strengthening Families approach: a perfect fit

• Helps with intentionality• Is strengths based• Increases engagement• Builds buffers for providers and parents

Strengthening Families self-assessment for family child care providers

Strategy one: Value and support parents

Strengthening Families self-assessment for family child care providers

Strategy two:Facilitate friendships and mutual support

Strengthening Families self-assessment for family child care providers

Strategy three: Strengthen parenting

Strengthening Families self-assessment for family child care providers

Strategy four:Facilitate children’s social and emotional development

Strengthening Families self-assessment for family child care providers

Strategy five:Link families to services and opportunities

www.ParentsAsTeachers.org

Kerry.Caverly@ParentsAsTeachers.orgwww.ParentsAsTeachers.Wordpress.com