2. Creating Effective Family Partnerships

Getting to know families is all about creating positive and authentic partnerships. Families and the individuals that make up a family are an intersection of their backgrounds and cultures. Our goal is to ensure that family interactions with program staff are positive from the very beginning, that we are intentionally providing ways to get to know families and children, and use strategies that make families welcome and included in our program.

In this video, we will begin by talking about the importance of meaningful family partnerships. Then we will share strategies for developing strong relationships with families. This includes creating an inclusive intake process, tailoring communication for families with children with disabilities, and using effective communication strategies. Finally, we will see an example of an effective family partnership when 4-year-old Leonard attends Lego camp. Let’s dive in!

Meaningful family partnerships are a cornerstone of all early childhood programs. Families know their children best and are the biggest part of their lives. When children enroll in our programs, we have the chance to get to know them and their families, and to learn about their child’s strengths, challenges, and the activities that bring them joy. This starts with creating opportunities for back-and-forth communication with families. How can we share information with families AND provide ways for families to share information back with us? We should think of these as a two-way street.

Let’s look at three strategies for developing strong family relationships! One of the successful elements a program can put into place is to provide a more inclusive intake process. This helps us get meaningful information from families before their child begins the program. Although you might not be directly responsible for this aspect of your program, it’s important to prioritize gathering information from families and planning for ways to effectively communicate with them. Almost every program asks families about their children’s allergy and health needs. For children with intellectual disabilities, it is equally important to ask them about their children’s communication and support needs. This might include options for families to write in information about their child’s needs and preferences, or the chance to visit your program and meet with staff ahead of time.

We can also offer families a few different ways to communicate. This could include texts, emails, quick in-person chats, or even texting or sharing photos of their children during the day via an app. How might your program provide ways to engage in this type of communication so you can develop family partnerships in a way that is most comfortable for the family? As part of getting to know families, you can even use technology to virtually meet with them and share a video tour or photos of your environment. When sharing information, it’s crucial that this be accessible for everyone. Materials should be translated and available in multiple formats including print, electronic copies, emails, texts, through an app, and in multiple languages.

Take a minute to reflect: How do you gather information about families in your community? What are some important questions to ask so you can learn more about them?

When we’re working to develop partnerships with families, we might find that families of children with disabilities have different needs and priorities for relationships with teachers or staff. It’s likely they’ll want more information about the program and how their child spends their time there. They may need specific information about their child’s behavior, eating or toileting habits, or interactions with friends. Or, they may feel anxious sending their child to a new place and would probably appreciate specific information about the day’s events. When children with communication delays or complex communication needs participate in our programs, we should plan on sharing more detailed information about the child’s day, as the child may not be able to share this information themselves.

Once your program begins, plan for various ways you can communicate with families. Communication develops connections! Simple things can mean a lot. For example, the power of an individual greeting cannot be understated! Make sure you warmly greet each child and family every single day. Make an effort to talk with families at the end of the day, sharing some specific information about what the child did, who they played with, or what they really enjoyed. Some programs use an app to share photos and notes with families, others post things on a website, blog, or private social media group. Maybe your program has a bulletin board outside your room with detailed information about the schedule, certain events, and photos of teachers or staff. And as we talked about before, it is likely that families of children with disabilities and complex communication needs will need more specific information.

Let’s look at an example of how one community camp created an effective partnership with one family: Leonard, a lively, (bilingual), four-year-old with autism is excited for his first day at LEGO camp. Leonard’s dad, Gordon, feels a little nervous because Leonard has never been to camp before. The camp has asked each family to share a bit about their child, and Gordon met with the director ahead of time to talk about Leonard’s support needs. The director emailed a detailed schedule of the day’s events, including photos, and Gordon was happy to review this at home with Leonard. As they walk in, Leonard is warmly greeted by a counselor, who gets down on his level and says “Hi Leonard! Welcome to LEGO camp!” Upon seeing a table of LEGO and other kids’ buildings, Leonard runs over to join them. Gordon explains that he brought some headphones for Leonard, and how he sometimes prefers to wear them when things get loud. The staffer puts them in Leonard’s cubby, saying “I saw that on his intake form – thanks so much for sharing that with us!”. Gordon also explains about Leonard’s food allergies, and the staff emphasize their “no sharing food” rule, which puts Gordon’s mind at ease. He is thrilled to see Leonard transitioning so easily and goes over to give him a hug goodbye. The counselors let him know that they will text if anything happens, and make sure their communication app is installed on Gordon’s phone. As he walks to his car, his phone dings and up pops a photo of Leonard building with Star Wars LEGOs. Included is a short note reading: “Leonard and Jackson are working on a drone army!” Gordon is so relieved and so proud of his son.

At pick-up a few hours later, he notices Leonard is wearing his headphones while happily building with some other kids. He is really pleased to see Leonard using this accommodation and playing with other kids. One counselor approaches Gordon and says, “Leonard had a great day! He seemed really excited about all the Star Wars minifigs, and played with Sam a lot – they really stuck together. He had all his snack, and used the bathroom around 10:30. Tomorrow, we’ll be doing more building, and getting out some new sets. Check out the pictures on our app!” Later that evening, Gordon and Leonard look at the photos shared by LEGO camp staff on the app, and Leonard smiles widely and points at a photo of him and Sam lining up all the Star Wars minifigs, saying “Drone Army!” Gordon comments, “Thanks so much for sharing! We are excited for tomorrow!”

This camp has done a fantastic job creating meaningful family partnerships. They provided ways for families to share information about children’s support needs, sent home camp details ahead of time, planned for back-and-forth communication using an app, and welcomed Leonard’s accommodations. With these things in place, Leonard has a great time and his father feels comfortable and confident that his son is supported, included, and having a great time at camp.

Take a minute to reflect: What could you do to develop meaningful family partnerships with the families in your program? How can your program improve communication with families of children with intellectual disabilities?