Head Start Minute

August 8, 2012
Greetings!   Sponsored by Training Without Travel
 
Let's continue with the topic of family goal setting.

You know we offer goal setting opportunities to parents. You also know that they don't HAVE to set goals. In the end, it's up to them whether they want to set family goals. What we want to ensure is that they have a chance to learn more about this opportunity; to see where the advantages might be -- to see how we might support them and provide information and even suggest referrals for them as they continue to grow.

We all want the good life. We all want to keep learning and growing. We all want to provide the best we can for ourselves and our families.

So, the first thing is that the parent needs to feel comfortable with you. Hopefully, you set up goal setting possibilities with those individual families you are assigned to.

Goal setting with families is a process. It starts with building a relationship and giving them information about the benefits and opportunities of Head Start. Head Start is not just for children. Let them know all the opportunities for a rich Head Start year, including a chance to set and achieve goals.

Sometimes, when I've interviewed a family service worker during a monitoring review -- the staff person might say -- this parent didn't have any goals they want to set. If that happens too many times with a group of parents, it causes me to wonder if they are being prepared for goal setting possibilities -- whether they can see it as a real benefit and not just something they're supposed to do.

This week I'll provide some suggestions for preparing parents for goal setting. It's important to train family service staff in this area. Take advantage of enrollment and parent orientation to start letting parents know about the process. The Family Needs Assessment (to use the term in the Head Start Act) is a really important preparation for family goal setting. You may really like the forms you already use. If you do, fine. See below to see if there is anything else you want to add.

Sincerely,

 

  
Sharon Cochran
Co-Developer, Training Without TravelView our ezine archives
Providing On-Demand Training for Head Start Programs  
Tips For The Family Assessment

  

THE NAME

 

family assessmentRather than calling it Family Needs Assessment, I like to call it: FAMILY REFLECTIONS: FAMILY ASSESSMENT OF STRENGTHS, INTERESTS AND NEEDS. So, besides checking only on possible needs, you're also finding out where they see their strengths and where their interests lie as they continue to develop as a family.

 

TALKING POINTS

 

So, I'm sure your family assessment checks to see if parents are taking advantage of their resources -- earned income tax credit, WIC program, subsidized housing and the other resources available for food, shelter, clothing, family mental health, nutrition, and other services we provide through information and referral. What about all the parent involvement opportunities that make a rich year at Head Start? Are these included in your Family Assessment of Strengths, Interests, and Needs?

 

THE ROLE OF THE HEAD START ACT IN FAMILY ASSESSMENT

 

Check your family assessment if you would like to ensure that you are covering all the topics of the Head Start Act, 642, Part B. You notice there is lots of emphasis on family literacy and parent-child interaction-really the topics of family literacy. You notice the Head Start Act really emphasizes transitioning children to their next setting. It emphasizes community partners. It emphasizes supporting learning and involvement for those with limited English.

 

There's a lot to be said for using your family assessment form at the same time that the parent is goal setting. You/they can go back and forth between assessment and goal setting.

 

If you would like to see some sample talking points CLICK HERE. Feel free to use them or not to add to your family assessment. You may like your family goal setting; however, if you get even one little idea, that's good.

 

 

 

THE GOOD LIFE - FAMILY GOAL SETTING AND DEVELOPMENT

 

Family Goal Setting is a part of a goal setting series from Training without Travel. You can purchase it separately for $119.00, click here.

 

OR, purchase this on-demand program as a series of 4 modules for $357.00, click here.

 

The series includes staff personal goal setting and that could be a fun and inspiring pre-service or in-service for any or all of your staff this month!

 

 Training Without Travel On-Demand Training Programs

 

Training without Travel has been preparing resources for Head Start programs over the last five years. Take a look at all of the programs Training Without Travel offers:

  • The Good Life: Family Goal Setting - NEW!
  • No Regrets: Staff Personal Goal Setting - NEW!
  • High Impact: Professional Goal Setting - NEW!
  • Program Governance 101
  • Head Start Games: Fun with the Performance Standards
  • Games 2: New Fun with the Performance Standards
  • Head Start 101
  • Performance Standards 101
  • Preparing for a Federal Monitoring Review- 2012
  • We're Glad You're Here
  • Not Just for Children: the key role of parents in Head Start
  • Supervisor 101
  • Bringing Out the Best in You and Others
  • Managing Staff in Stressful Times
  • Creating a Culture of Customer Service Excellence
  • The Healthy Leader: Learning to Lead at Your Best
  • Dealing with Difficult People

Click here to check out these resources.

 
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