Family Service Advocates (FSA) are the staff members who have primary responsibility with families.
What Is Family Engagement?
Family engagement is the process we use to build positive goal-oriented relationships with families. It is mutually respectful, responsive to families’ cultures and languages, and includes genuine efforts to understand each family’s beliefs, values, and priorities. Effective family engagement involves parents and professionals working together toward the goals that families choose for themselves and their children. Family engagement also contributes to better outcomes for the whole family.
How Do We Engage with Families?
When a family expresses interest or submits an application for our program, FSAs will contact them to help acquire documents, and process their application for our centers or waitlist.
Once a child is enrolled, our FSAs work with the families through case management to make goals and identify barriers to those goals. FSAs will then make referrals to connect families to community resources to better their outcomes over 7 different areas. These outcome areas include:
- Family Well-being.
- Positive Parent-Child Relationships.
- Families as Lifelong Educators.
- Families as Learners.
- Family Engagement Transitions.
- Family Connections to peers and community.
- Families as Advocates and Leaders
Why Is Family Engagement Important?
For Children
Parents and providers want what is best for the child, both in and outside of the early childhood setting. Ongoing, intentional, and meaningful engagement with families leads to relationships that support children’s healthy development and school readiness.
For Families
Family engagement can help parents and family members feel recognized for their expertise and spark their interest in collaborating with providers and programs. Effective family engagement also promotes the safety, trust, caring, encouragement, and hope that affect the well-being of both the child and the family.
“Parent” and “Family”
We use the words parent and family to honor all adult caregivers who make a difference in a child’s life.
Parents refers to biological, adoptive, and stepparents as well as primary caregivers, such as grandparents, other adult family members, and foster parents.
Families can be biological or non-biological, chosen or circumstantial. They are connected through cultures, languages, traditions, shared experiences, emotional commitment, and mutual support.
Contact Us
- Jayla.Gash@achr.com – Darden Early Head Start – The Burton House 310 Roden Court, Opelika
- Mateo.Arenas@achr.com – Darden Head Start– The Burton House 310 Roden Court, Opelika
- Carolyn.Davis@achr.com – Darden Head Start– The Burton House 310 Roden Court, Opelika
- Demtrica.Harrison@achr.com – King Center Head Start– The Burton House 310 Roden Court, Opelika
- Tia.Tarver@achr.com – Edelman Center Early/Head Start –Center Office 403 Red Fox Dr, Hurtsboro Al