Identifying Needs

We have mentioned that families need community support. There are a wide variety of ways that communities can support families and their local school districts. Many school districts form committees to reach out to local businesses for support (Epstein et al., 2002). For some, this might look like donations for school events, but it can also be used in other ways. For example, if there is a school district that has the children of a large factory or business in their catchment area and few parents are coming to the school to volunteer or to attend events and conferences, the school might work with the factory on how to make it possible for parents to be at the schools more often without fear of losing their jobs.

Some factories could close one day for conferences, allow paid time off, or allow parents to request release time from work for when they want or need to be at school events. There have also been businesses that have events like a “Lunch and Learn,” in which the business brings in a qualified community member to talk about how to prepare your child for kindergarten, how to engage in enrichment activities on the weekends, how to find quality child care in the area, etc.

In identifying needs and supports we can look to Urie Broffenbrenner and the theory of ecological systems. Brofennbrenner’s theory states that “human development unfolds in a nested set of systems involving cultural, social, economic, and political elements, not merely psychological ones. These systems and their interactions can nurture or stifle optimal development” (Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, n.d.). Taking this approach, we can help families create a visual model of their existing supports and then identify gaps where support is needed. Your model might look something like this:

Community Supports for Families

Communities can also help families by providing new crosswalks with traffic lights on busy streets for families who need to walk to school or maybe organizing walking school bus groups in neighborhoods for those who live too close for bus service. There are also public health departments that can arrange for vaccine days or dental health check days in schools. Social service workers can be available to help families who may need to apply for nutrition assistance or state medical insurance or help to pay utility bills, etc. When families, communities, businesses, and schools work together; children benefit and the community thrives. The possibilities are endless when there is a willingness for community entities to communicate and brainstorm ways to support children and families.

As part of your ongoing work with families, building partnerships, and engaging them in their child’s education, you may become aware of resources that the family could benefit from. What are the resources available in your community or beyond that you could share contact information about with families?

Consider these broad categories, to build a resource list for your use with children and their families:

a) Basic family needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. Where are your community food and/or clothing banks? Where could you refer a family for housing support?

b) Cultural and language support for families. Our classrooms represent children and families from multiple languages and multiple cultures. It is important to identify those in your community whom you can turn to for information and support. Are there interpreters and translators available? Is there a community organization that focuses on specific and individual cultures for support?

c) Developmental support and referrals. Teachers monitor child development as part of an ongoing curriculum and assessment cycle. When you identify possible concerns, or a parent shares concerns with you, where can you refer for assessment?

d) Resources for medical needs and challenges. Families sometimes do not know where to access medical help or insurance. What are the health care services and supports available nearby?

Now that you have explored the importance of family partnerships, what strengths do you bring to building relationships with families List those here:

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Attributions

1. Figure 9.10: Word Cloud of Terms by Anne Adrian is released under CC BY 2.0
2. Figure 9.11: Author-Created Image of an Eco Map by Ardene Niemer, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
3. Figure 9.12: Holding Hands by aaron gilson is released under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0