"Strengthen a parent...and you strengthen a child."    Fred Rogers       

Outreach messages for families are the ideas or stories you want to share when you introduce families to your child care program in person or over the phone.   It may take  you some time to figure out what these messages are. Once you've decided, summarize the most important one and add them to your outreach flyer or your business card. 

Consider your main message when you ask others - whether families currently enrolled, your own family members, substitutes or staff members - to help you spread your child care messages to new families. Be sure your helpers have enough information to deliver your basic message consistently.  One or two or three sentences, or a short story or anecdote may be all you can expect your helpers to share.  Other details can be provided by you.

A story may work well to deliver an outreach message.  If you are proud of the children who learned to read picture books while in your care, you may find many opportunities to share that story.  If children in your program enjoy outdoor activities with you, talk about some of those experiences.  If you often use recipes from your children's families or organize family style meals at lunch time by preparing the food ahead in crock pots or making an extra casserole the night before, many families will be interested to hear that. 

If children are the focus of your time and planning, you will collect many stories about children's successes to share with new contacts. 

It's fine to brag a little about your best times.  Especially when you keep the focus on the children and their positive experiences.

Share your child care outreach messages and stories with us at help@applesforchildren.org. We'll pass them on, if you give us permission.