Activity 1-3:
Strategies for Working as Family Partners



Purpose: To learn approaches for working in partnership with families.

Preparation: For this activity you will need:

  1. Introduce the activity. Emphasize that there are many different approaches for working with families; the decision to use one over another is based on the interests, challenges, or wishes of the family.
  2. (a) Review formal and informal approaches. Explain that contact between staff and family may be both formal and informal. Make the following points:
    • Formal Approaches. Formal contact often occurs in accordance with written policies or procedures, and is used when there is a def mite purpose for Head Start staffs, family members', or invited community service providers' involvement. Formal strategies include team meetings, written plans, letters, and/or home visits. Visits can take place at the Head Start site, the family's home, or such community settings as a church, park, or recreation center.
    • Informal Approaches. Informal contact continues through a more casual, easy, or relaxed manner. This can include "checking in" with parents by phone, talking with parents when meeting them unexpectedly, sending notes home with the child, reaching out to parents when they come to the Head Start center, and encouraging families to apply their skills and talents to Head Start activities.
    (b) Reinforce that these approaches are different from "traditional" family interviews because the family is the senior partner; family members are regarded as experts about their family, while staff and others serve as resources for supporting the family.
  3. Begin a small group exercise. Distribute handout 4. Divide the group into two teams. Assign each team one approach (formal or informal) for continuing the partnership. Ask each group to read the family scenario and answer the following questions:
    • Which of the Nukamtu's concerns or issues could this approach best address?
    • What specific strategy or strategies would you use to carry out this approach?
    • How do you think the Nukamtu family would react to this approach?
    Ask each team to appoint a reporter to summarize discussion for the larger group.
  4. Debrief the exercise. After 20 minutes, reconvene the large group. Ask each team to recap its discussion for the large group. Invite other teams to share their reactions, thoughts, and feelings.
  5. Closing. Explain to participants that there are many ways to work with families and that one approach may not work all the time, even with the same family. Encourage participants to practice using a variety of approaches to work with families. Reinforce that while formal approaches such as team meetings, home visits, and support groups can address a family's concerns, informal approaches such as notes home, phone calls, peer support, informal chats as parents drop off or pick up their children, and opportunities for families to contribute their skills and talents to Head Start activities are equally valuable.


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