Transcript Slide 1
Chapter 13
Working with Families,
Volunteers, and the Community
©2013 Cengage Learning.
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Chapter Objectives
• Identify strategies for establishing reciprocal
relationships with families.
• List items to be included in a handbook for
families.
• Discuss contents and the value of center
newsletters.
• Understand the process of recruiting and
adding volunteers and becoming active in the
community where services are provided.
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Goals of Director
• Develop a first-class program for children
and their families
• Work with parents and volunteers
• Create a positive program climate
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Parent Program
• Must contain:
– Positive attitudes toward families and what they can
contribute to the center program
– A recognition of the changing complexion of center
families
• Multicultural mindset
• Valuing diversity (including language)
– Communicate trust
• Parent receiving area
• Resources for parents
• Consistent staff
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Parent Program
• Parent program can be divided into three
major categories
1. Parent contacts
2. Parent education
3. Parent involvement
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Discussion Question
1. If parents seem uncertain about
becoming involved with the center,
what ideas do you have to promote
parent involvement?
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Parent Contacts
• Parent contacts range
– Arrival or departure greetings
– Formal interviews
– Scheduled conferences
– Parent meetings
– Phone calls
– Parent feedback
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Parent Education
• Designed to improve
– Parenting skills
– Interpret the center program
– Vocational education
– Remedial classes (complete GED)
– Information on consumerism, nutrition, stress or
time management
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Parent Education
• Could be formal or informal
– Workshops
– Panels
– Presentations
– Seminars
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Parent Involvement
• Parent involvement is more than conferences and parent
education
– Active in planning, implementing, and evaluating the
total program
– Helping out in the classrooms
– Working with children in a small, informal reading
experience
– Doing clerical work, repairs, or making equipment
– Donating materials
– Serve on the board or advisory committee
– Demonstrate a skill (weaving, pottery)
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Parent Involvement
• Parents may feel
– threatened by teacher knowledge
– limited by their own school experiences
– protective of a child with special needs
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Parent Conferences
• Share positive child experiences
• Show child work, samples
• Develop plans to facilitate the child’s
progress
• Give parents time to share
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Discussion Question
1. Why is it important to allow time for
parents to share information about
their child?
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Parent Handbooks
• Handbooks are a way to communicate
basic information about the program
– Statement of center philosophy
– Outline of daily program
– Feeds and arrangements for payment
– Transportation policies
– Health and safety policies
– Snacks and meals
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Parent Handbooks
• Handbooks are a way to communicate basic
information about the program
– Services center staff will offer children and families
– Center discipline policy
– Requests for help from parents
– Summary of scheduled events
– Expectations about child’s use of transition objects
– Description of legal obligation of center staff to report
any evidence of child abuse
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Volunteer Programs
• Provide ways to
– serve the needs of the program
– advocate for children
• Volunteer recruitment
– Volunteer bureaus
– Senior citizen groups
– Business groups
– High schools
– Church groups
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Volunteer Programs
• Volunteer orientation
– Get a clear understanding of how they fit into the total
services offered by the center program
– Provide staff directory and make introductions
– Review daily schedule
– Information on child guidance and center philosophy
– Confidentiality of families and students
– Logistics such as sign-in/out, where they should call if
they expect to be absent, where they put their
personal things
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Professional Organizations
• Joining professional organizations can
– help directors in their professional career by
obtaining new colleagues, associates
– enhance their program with new ideas
learned through the organization
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Professional Organizations
• Examples:
– National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC)
– National Association for Child Care
Professionals (NACCP)
– National Afterschool Association (NAA)
– National Child Care Association (NCCA)
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Working with the Community
• Referral agencies
• Chamber of Commerce
• Community Coordinated Child Care
(4Cs)
• Jaycees/Kiwanis
• Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts
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Discussion Question
1. Can you think of other ways for a
center director to work with the
community?
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Chapter Summary
• The Director
– is accountable for the parent program
– helps staff establish parent relationships
– recruits volunteers
– works with professional organizations
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