A Design for Family Support: Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community
National Alliance of Business [for the Head Start Bureau]
This training guide is intended to help Head Start staff develop the essential partnership-building skills that contribute to Head Start's overall effectiveness as a supportive, family-centered community. Each of the guide's three modules details module outcomes, concepts, and background information. Module 1 defines family support in terms of principles and practices, and provides activities to clarify the ways staff and the agency can move forward in showing families that they are part of a caring Head Start community. Building blocks for developing a community of family support are discussed, practiced, and assessed by staff. Module 2 addresses essential skills for working with families by giving staff the opportunity to examine and practice two essential skills for building partnerships with families: (1) partnership talk; and (2) joining with a family. This module also encourages skill development in addressing challenging behaviors that may surface in individuals during staff-family meetings, and situations which may impede the partnership-building process. Module 3 addresses mobilizing family strengths. The guide's section on continuing professional development provides activities for expanding and reinforcing staff skills in family support. Contains 12 resources, including books, journals, newsletters, information systems, organizations, and audiovisual materials.
National Alliance of Business [for the Head Start Bureau]. A Design for Family Support: Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community (1996). National Alliance of Business [for the Head Start Bureau]: Alexandria, VA.
(102 pages).
Sponsoring Agency: Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services
Language: English
Reading Level: Average
Formats Available: Printed Material
(Single copies of most Head Start publications are available free of charge to
individuals and organizations outside of Head Start with priority given
to fulfillment of orders from Head Start programs. Exceptions are:
National Training Guides [for the Head Start Learning Community] are only
available to non-Head Start Organizations individuals through the Government
Printing Office (GPO). Send orders prepaid to: Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371-954, Pittsburgh, PA
15250-7954. Phone: 202-512-1800.
)
National Alliance of Business [for the Head Start Bureau]
Head Start Information and Publication Center
Order Fulfillment Department
P.O. Box 26417
Alexandria, VA
22313
Phone: (866) 763-6481
Fax: (703) 683-5769
Email: puborder@headstartinfo.org
URL: http://www.headstartinfo.org
Languages Available: English
Intended User Audience:
Target audiences for this guide's training program are Head Start staff directly involved with families, including staff working in the areas of family and community partnerships, education and early childhood development, and child health and development. The material is also intended for teachers and caregivers as they conduct home visits and partner with parents to support children's development. Finally, program managers and coordinators can benefit from this guide as they help staff evaluate their skills and pursue plans for continuing professional development.
Product Development:
Specific product development information was not obtained for this material.
Product Evaluation:
Product evaluation information was not able to be obtained for this material.
Product Dissemination:
Product dissemination information was not able to be obtained for this material.
Review #1
About the reviewer:
The reviewer has worked in the field of early intervention for the past nine
years providing training and technical assistance to families and
professionals. As an African American parent of a child with special
needs and privileged to work with African American families (young,
old, rural, urban, poor, middle class, etc.), the reviewer brings
a unique perspective to the service delivery process in early
intervention.
Audience:
This material was developed to assist trainers at local Head Start program sites. It is intended to enhance Head Start's current family support efforts. Head Start staff, teachers and caregivers, and program managers and coordinators are taught the skills that are needed to embrace and work with families. Although these skills are especially relevant for staff that work directly with Head Start families, this reviewer thinks it can be adapted and used successfully in any program that promotes the family support philosophy.
Strengths of the Material:
This training guide is made up of three step-by-step instructional modules of average reading level. Each module provides several activities that have a specific learning format such as workshop, coaching, next steps, and continuing professional development. Training strategies are identified by the use of helpful icons for each activity. For example, the workshop icon indicates a training strategy that fosters the development of skills through group interaction.
The modules are designed with clear instructions to assist the trainer in preparing for each activity. A variety of methods are used for conveying the information, i.e., case studies, handouts, role-play, and values or self-reflection exercises. The activities are thought- provoking with strategic steps for implementation. For instance, Module 1 - "What is Family Support?" explores the family support principles while offering ways to apply the principles by using "building blocks" strategies. It clarifies ways for moving forward in showing families that they are valued and respected and encouraging family confidence and optimism. Module 2, on the other hand, emphasizes the importance of establishing relationships or rapport with families through conversation rather than formal interviews. Follow-up training strategies are located at the end of each module. They are designed to help participants review key information, practice skills, and examine their progress. There is also a resource section, located at the end of the guide, which describes books, journals, newsletters, information systems, organizations, and audiovisual materials that offer in-depth information on the topics covered in the modules.
This material is exceptional in encouraging participants to acknowledge and respect the uniqueness of families. It consistently builds upon the goal of strengthening families through developing supportive relationships.
Limitations of the Material:
There is no indication that this product has been developed in any language other than English. Although family diversity is discussed in this material, it does not address cultural or linguistic differences. This reviewer is puzzled, since the Head Start community includes migrant and Native American programs. The family scenario and role play activities do not represent the different ethnic groups representative of Head Start programs.
While this material recommends that trainers and coaches be trained in family-focused philosophy and theory and have experience in service delivery to low-income families of diverse cultural backgrounds, it does not encourage instruction by culturally and linguistically diverse presenters, nor does it encourage family-professional co-instruction.
Another limitation of this material is that there are no specific strategies to address challenging issues such as homelessness, child neglect, substance abuse, family violence, etc., although the materials refer to these issues.
Adaptations:
This material lends itself to use for in-service training by any program providing family-centered support services, as well as pre-service training. However, this reviewer would recommend that trainers outside of the Head Start community supplement their training sessions with other resources. The guide Culturally Responsive Family-Focused Training (CRAFT) by Deborah Chen and Linda Brekken is a good example. Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide to Working with Children and Their Families (2nd ed.) by Lynch and Hanson (1998) is another good source. Other materials that address working with families from diverse backgrounds and/or with children with disabilities should also be considered.
Generalizability:
This material is useful for its intended audience; however, much of its content could be useful to any social service delivery system that provides services to families. Users should be aware that the material lacks content in diversity and should be prepared to tailor the content to the unique needs of the professionals and families represented within their Head Start community.
Recommendations:
This reviewer recommends this material. Its emphasis on strengthening families is its strength.
Producer's Response:
Not available for this material.
Review #2
About the reviewer:
The reviewer has been professionally involved in minority education
for over 25 years. She has a doctorate in bilingual and special education
with background in early childhood. She directs a bilingual preschool
for Hispanic children with disabilities. Her areas of expertise include
bilingual special education, assessment, and parent involvement.
Audience:
The developers of the material target Head Start staff, teachers and caregivers, program managers and coordinators. However, the material is excellent in training any individual working with families in a variety of capacities. The material is very appropriate for the population for whom it has been developed. Individuals from a variety of disciplines would benefit from this material. The material cuts across all ethnic and cultural groups.
Strengths of the Material:
The material is clearly written. All the steps in presenting the material are provided, including the handouts. The material is general enough that it would apply to any family that the group being trained is working with. In addition, there appears to be enough flexibility in the format of the training that examples specific to a given population can easily be embedded in the training.
One of the strongest aspects of the material is its ability to develop, through the training process, an openness to and acceptance of families. This involves accepting families regardless of their situation or their shortcomings. Trainees are challenged to reframe or examine their assumptions about families from a more positive perspective. The "Building Blocks of Family Support" are a running thread in the training. They include: (1) encouraging the family to expand its network of support; (2) helping the family acquire new skills; (3) involving all family members, as well as key players, in activities which support the family; (4) identifying family strengths; (5) making the family the senior partner; and (6) initiating relationships with families through conversations, not interviews.
Each training module is well organized. The trainer uses a variety of activities in getting the material across to the participants. The material includes self-reflection exercises, observation, role-plays, videos, handouts, group work, and case studies. Activities in each module require participants to be active rather than passive recipients of information.
Limitations of the Material:
This reviewer found few limitations with the material. Some of the information is redundant; however, it serves as a good reminder of key elements of the training. Head Start's philosophical underpinnings are apparent in the material. Also, cultural and linguistic diversity is not directly addressed in the material.
Adaptations:
If individuals are working with a particular cultural group, it might be helpful to incorporate information that would allow personnel to be more sensitive to certain cultural differences. For example, "making the family the senior partner" and "helping the family acquire new skills" might require different approaches depending on cultural values and perspectives. While the authors are very careful not to impose a mainstream perspective on families, understanding the cultural values of families is important to becoming more effective in building family support.
Generalizability:
The material can be generalized to most communities. Minor adaptations in the training might have to be made; however, the content appears to be useful almost anywhere.
Recommendations:
This reviewer recommends this material. The material is written in a manner in which it can be used and adapted to provide training in any community.
Producer's Response:
Not available for this material.
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