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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 15, 2001 D-03fCITY OF LORI COUNCIL COMMUNICATION AGENDATITLE: Presentation Regarding "Success By 6", a Parent Education Program MEETING DATE: August 15, 2001 PREPARED BY: Janet L. Hamilton, Management Analyst RECOMMENDATION: None. BACKGROUND: Presentation by Corrine Cervantez, Executive Director of Success By 6, will present information regarding the Parent Education Program. Success by 6 has been granted funds of $252,000 by the San Joaquin County Children and Family Commission to provide four Parent Educators and a Project Coordinator to introduce the Parents as Teachers Curriculum into East Lodi. The Parents as Teachers (P.A.T.) Curriculum is a family education and support program based on the belief that parents are the first and most influential teachers of their children, Parent Educators from Partner agencies are the Council for the Spanish Speaking (Concilio) and Family Resource and Referral Center. Hiring skilled Parent Educators is essential to the success of the P.A.T. program. Parent Educators will work with families having children from pre -natal to five years of age, conducting personal home visits, group meetings, developmental screening, and connections with community resources. FUNDING: None. Respectfully submitted, )(A,j C� z � �,. - / 4 - J et L. Hamilton nagement Analyst APPROVED: Dixon Flynn -- Ci Manager How Parents as Teachers Works When you implement a Parents as Teachers program, everyone in your community r benefits. Whether it is children, who achieve greater academic success over time; parents, who increase confidence in their parenting role; the local school district, which develops good relationships with parents from the beginning; or government leaders, who invest in a cost- effective measure, Parents as Teachers will positively impact your community. Two of the basic assumptions on which Parents as Teachers (PAT) is built are that all families have strengths and that parents are the experts on their child. Through the four components of the program, Parents as Teachers promotes parent involvement in learning from the very beginning of a child's life and fosters optimal development of the young child. Personal Visits: Personal visits are the heart of the PAT program and by far its most popular component. PAT -certified parent educators, trained in child development and home visiting, go to each family's home on a regular basis. The personal visit allows the parent educator to individualize and personalize the Parents as Teachers program for each family and child. The parent educator supports parents in taking the child development and child-rearing information specific to their own child and using it within their own family. Parents are helped to understand what can be expected from a child at each stage of development. Appropriate parent-child learning activities are also a part of the visit. The number and frequency of visits depends on the needs and desires of the family (and, of course, funding available to the program) Group Meetings: Group meetings for parents serve two major purposes: first, to create opportunities for families to share successes and common concerns about their children's behavior and development; second, to provide additional input from the staff and from outside speakers. Parent-child activities are provided during many group meetings to reinforce the importance of family interaction. Group meetings are held in the evenings and on Saturdays as well as weekdays to allow fathers and mothers who work outside the home to participate. Meetings designed only for dads allow fathers the opportunities to define and enjoy their role. Developmental Screening: These screenings serve two purposes: to reassure parents when the child is developing on target, and to identify problems early to assist parents with appropriate interventions. Developmental screening is conducted annually, beginning at age one. Parents also are encouraged to observe and monitor the child's development on an ongoing basis. Parent and parent educator observations coupled with periodic screening help ensure against undetected delays or learning difficulties during the first years of life that may interfere with success in school. Connections with Community Resources: PAT programs help parents link with other resources within the community that provide services beyond the scope of Parents as Teachers. These resources may include speech and hearing clinics, diagnostic services, programs for children with special needs, learning resources for children and parents, lending libraries for parents and children, health and mental health agencies, social service agencies, etc. For more information on Parents As Teachers contact United Way of San Joaquin County Success By 6 (209) 320-6216. Success By 6: Strategies froin the Field PARENT EDUCATION Parent Education provides parents of all backgrounds with the education and support they need to be effective parents and to help their children succeed in school. Parent Education helps parents understand the roles that they play in fostering the development of their children, especially the importance of the first three years of life in laying the foundation for later learning. Parent Education is designed to enhance the effectiveness of parents and caregivers by increasing their knowledge, developing their skills, and encouraging them to examine their attitudes, and when appropriate, to change their behavior. Key features include: • Curriculum that provides information on child development and child rearing practices. • Training which provides the necessary skills for encouraging language development, intellectual growth, curiosity and social skills in children. • Motivation for parents to provide age appropriate activities which will increase their child's success in school and life. Support and guidance for parents during challenging periods. Program design may include: • A target audience such as all parents with a newborn, low-income parents, all parents in a school district, or parents with children in a specific program such as Head Start. • Individual home visits and/or group meetings in the community, at schools, businesses, places of worship, and other sites accessible to parents. • A specific curriculum, or a flexl'ble program which responds to each family's needs and develops individualized plans. • Paraprofessionals from the targeted community who deliver services and serve as role models. • Mentoring and/or role-playing as teaching tools. • Linkages with other community services. • Periodic screening for each child. • Educational programs for parents as well as children, such as literacy or computer skills. Banc'flts include: • Increased language and social development among children. • Greater confidence and self-esteem among parents. • Fewer cases of child abuse and neglect. • Positive attitudes towards and increased involvement in a child's school community. Success By 6: Stl•ategies from the Field HOME VISITING Home visiting is a cost-effective prevention strategy which uses professionals or trained paraprofessionals to provide quality, in-home case management. By visiting a home, one often learns the root causes of a family's problems and can intervene more effectively. Home visiting fosters positive parenting, builds self-esteem and conununication skills, encourages families to take advantage of preventative health care and other cornmunity services, and often decreases parental stress and isolation. Home visiting is viewed as one of the most promising supports to children and families for preventing many social problems. Both the U.S. General Accounting Office and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect consider home visiting a "highly effective service delivery strategy," noting that no other single intervention has the promise that home visitation has as a prevention strategy. Keyfeatures include. • Meeting the needs of families in their own environment. • Linking families with other basic needs, such as food, housing, education, health care, child care and transportation. • Offering voluntary program participation to parents. • Providing services before families become separated in an abuse or neglect situation. Bengfils include: • The U.S. Government Accountin; Office reports that clients receiving home visiting services, compared to those who do not, have fewer low birth weight babies, fewer reported cases of child abuse and neg{ect, higher rates of child immunizations and age-appropriate child development. • Over time, families receiving home visiting services maintain positive outcomes such as less dependency on public assistance, and greater family stability and self-sufficiency. • Home visiting is cost effective. Compare the costs of home visiting vs. foster care for a year in your community. Early Brain Development lour childs brain begins to develop while you are pregnant and continues to grow rapidly after birth. To help the early brain growth of your child... • Love your babe and spend time holding, talking, touching and seeing things together. • Read books, look at pictures, sing songs and enjoy your child' These acti%ities stimulate your child's physical. mental and emotional deyclopment. Did You Know? • A secure home life is eery important for your babN s future. • Children whose parents have talked to thein since infancy have better language skills. • A babe develops best when he/she is talked to. touched, and held. • Ibung children exposed to iiolence. neglect, and poor nutrition are a higher risk for Niolent behaxior, depression, and mental disorders. • Every child is born with abilities to learn. Positive experiences strengthen their abilities and begin to prepare them for a successful start in life. 03 Mission Our Success By 6 community is working to help families raise their children to be learners and ready for school by age 6. \n% opinions. finding~. and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarilN reflect the Dieu;s of the Bank of America Foundation, UCCESS BY 110, Helping all children succeed for Nic. 404 East Vain 5lrovi • Slncktun. C \ 9520' P.O. tint 1585 • titockton. CA 952ol-158;1 (209) 320-6216 Fav (209) 469-69412 1'Ilia I l'. 1 41'1 \ J i 11 l' �Q! 11 I I I i i'( I\l Jl l II .t II ri Helping all children mcceed for life What Is UCCESSY�ffl'qw(�) Helping all children succeed for life. Since 1989. United Mays across the country have heen investing; in early childhood through Success By 61. United Waa convenes community leaders to coordinate the efforts of business. government, labor, education. health and human ser\ ice providers. fey Success By 61 strategies are: • Raising awareness about early childhood development • Improving; access to critical health and human services • :advocating for public policy that supports all children Why Do We Need Success By 6? Children of America have complex issues to face that require new strategies and solutions. Success by 6° has entrepreneurial spirit that creates those nc\c solutions to help all children succeed for life by: • Focusing community resources on preparing children for success in school and life. • Building relationships We kecn the private and public sectors. • Creating a shared vision or children's Lyell -being. • Identifying the assets and strengths of the family. Success By 6 Works! Currently, United k,�ays in over 230 communities arc developing or have implemented a vision for children that responds to the needs of the commu- nity. Success By 6` has proven to be an investment strategy to leverage resources. change service systems. influence public policy and educate the community about the importance of healthy early childhood development. For more information on Success By 6 in the San Joaquin County area. call (209) 320-6216 email: ccervantesCunitedwaysjc.or' Parents As Teachers All parents are teachers. Parents as Teachers is an internationally respected family education and support program for parents with children from prenatal through age 5. Through Parents as Teachers, parents acquire the skills to help make the most of children's crucial early -learning years. The program covers child development. encourages language development, intellectual growth. social and motor skills. and strengthens the parent-child relationship. Success By W. is funded through a variety of community partnerships. corporate gifts, employee contributions through their United Way pledge and various fund-raisers throughout San Joaquin County. :Many thanks to Bank of America vyhich pro�idvd the original grant to start Succus B\ 6 in our community. This www is Lard upon <nppnrt frons the Mani: of Aincrica f ounilab)[iA%V\ Sw ( k,, s R\ 6 Enham.rmrnt Initiatke.