Activity 1-4:
Working as
Family Partners



Purpose: To examine the ongoing family partnership agreement process and learn approaches for facilitating the process.

Preparation: For this activity you will need:


Coach Preparation Note: This coaching activity involves two sessions and two homework assignments.
  1. Provide an overview of the activity. Explain that this coaching activity

  2. Review the concept of family partnerships. Using the module's background information, discuss the purpose and characteristics of a family partnership. Ask the following questions to initiate the conversation:

    • What activities does a family partnership focus on?

    • How does a family partnership assist or benefit the family? Staff? The program?

    • What impact do program policies or procedures have on staffs ability to form a family partnership?

    • What current program policies or procedures would you change? Keep the same?

  3. (a) Discuss family partnership agreements. Using the background information as a guide, discuss the family partnership agreement process. Make the following points:

    • The family partnership agreement is an individualized, strengths based, family-driven process-one in which staff provide support to families in response to their interests and needs.

    • Family partnership agreements are ongoing;

    • The family is always the senior partner;

    • Each family partnership agreement is unique;

    • The family partnership agreement process requires program policies and procedures to guide and support professional staff practices; and

    • Whatever direction the family partnership agreement takes, it can be achieved by establishing strategies, responsibilities, and timetables.

    (b) Distribute handout 2 and discuss the process of working in a family partnership.

  4. Assign homework. Tell participants to interview at least three staff members about their family partnership experiences and the activities associated with these experiences; encourage participants to include one Head Start manager or coordinator. With staff, develop an interview guide that asks about practices that inhibit or promote family partnerships (see step 1, Session 2 for examples). Set a date and time for Session 2.
  1. Debrief the homework assignment. Encourage participants to discuss their interview with staff members.
    Ask:

    • What makes an effective family partnership?

    • What kinds of staff activities promote family partnerships?

    • What impacts do the Head Start program's policies and procedures have on staff ability to form and sustain family partnerships?

  2. a) Discuss different approaches for partnering with families. Emphasize that there are many different approaches for working with families; the decision to use one over the other is based on the interests, challenges, or wishes of the family. 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 definite 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 working as partners is different from "traditional" family interviews because the family is the senior partner; family members are regarded as experts about their family, while staff and other participants serve as resources for supporting the family.

  3. Assign homework. Distribute handout 5. As homework, ask participants to complete the self-assessment of their family-partnering skills.

  4. Debrief the homework. Ask participants to share their reactions, thoughts, and feelings about their self-assessment findings. With staff, identify some steps for professional development and add them to handout 5.

  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 multi-disciplinary teams, home visits, referrals, 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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