6.1 Introduction

Family engagement is a key part of early childhood education, helping children grow and learn by connecting their home and school experiences. When families and educators work together, children feel supported and are more likely to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically. However, building these strong connections takes thoughtful strategies and an understanding of the challenges families might face.

Family engagement is one area where early childhood educators are not often prepared to work with families at this level. Improved professional development is needed to understand the benefits of engaging families in their children’s care. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the different ways families can be involved, from simple communication to working as active partners in their child’s education. We’ll explore practical ideas to create meaningful and lasting relationships with families, focusing on respect, understanding, and shared goals. By building relationships with families and tailoring engagement strategies to meet the families’ needs, you will provide various opportunities to connect and focus on a shared commitment to the child. You’ll also learn about common challenges that can make family engagement difficult and how to overcome them. By the end of this chapter, you’ll be ready to strengthen family connections and create positive partnerships that benefit children, families, and educators alike.

6.2 Levels of Family Engagement

Family engagement is a cornerstone of high-quality early childhood education. When families are actively involved in their child’s learning, it creates a strong partnership that benefits everyone involved. Family engagement can enhance children’s academic achievement, social-emotional development, and overall well-being. It also provides families with valuable insights into their child’s education and allows them to support their learning at home. By working together, families and early childhood programs can create a positive and supportive environment that fosters children’s growth and success.

Family engagement in early childhood education can occur at various levels, each reflecting different types of involvement and collaboration. Passive engagement represents minimal involvement, where families are aware of the school but participate only to a limited extent, often receiving one-way communication primarily from the school. Moving toward active engagement, families begin to take a more involved role by maintaining regular communication with the school, attending events, participating in activities, and supporting their child’s learning at home. Consider the difference between family involvement and engagement in Table 6a below.

At the level of collaborative engagement, families and school staff form partnerships, working together with shared goals and expectations for the child’s development. Families may take an active role in decision-making and planning, contributing directly to their child’s educational experience. Advocacy engagement occurs when families take on leadership roles within the school community, advocate for the needs of children and families, and participate in shaping education policies. Finally, cultural engagement highlights the importance of respecting and valuing diversity. Families and school staff collaborate to create an inclusive environment and integrate cultural perspectives into the curriculum and daily activities, fostering a richer and more equitable learning experience for all.

By fostering different levels of family engagement, early childhood programs can create a supportive and collaborative learning environment that benefits both children and families.

6.3 Strategies to Promote Family Engagement

Strong and meaningful relationships with families are essential in early childhood education. When families feel connected and valued, they are more likely to be actively involved in their child’s learning. This involvement can lead to positive outcomes for children, such as increased academic achievement, improved social-emotional development, and a stronger sense of belonging. By building trusting relationships with families, educators can create a supportive and collaborative environment that benefits everyone involved. In Figure 6b below, the teacher is offering a flexible family-friendly program in the park.

To foster meaningful family engagement in early childhood education, schools can implement the following strategies in Table 6b:

By implementing these strategies, schools can create a positive and supportive environment that fosters meaningful family engagement and benefits both children and families.

Head Start has created a Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) framework that can be used “in program-wide strategic planning, program design and management, continuous learning and improvement activities, as well as with governing bodies and parent groups” (Head Start, 2024, para. 1). Through this framework, Head Start uses positive and goal-oriented relationships, in addition to equity, inclusiveness, and cultural and linguistic responsiveness. The framework considers program foundations (program leadership, professional development, continuous learning and quality improvement), program impact areas (program environment, family partnerships, teaching and learning, community partnerships, access, and continuity), family outcomes (family well-being, positive parent-child relationships, families as lifelong educators, families as learners, family engagement in transitions, family connections to peers and community, and families as advocates and leaders) and child outcomes (safe, healthy and well; learning and developing; engaged in positive relationships with family members, caregivers, and other children; ready for school; and successful in school and life).

Families are the most important people in a child’s life. They know their child’s unique qualities and needs better than anyone else. When families and early childhood educators work together, they can create a better learning environment for the child. Early childhood programs like Head Start involve families as partners. This means listening to their ideas, valuing their input, and working together to achieve common goals. By building strong relationships with families, programs can better support children’s development and help families thrive. It’s important for early childhood programs to be responsive to the needs and cultures of the families they serve. This includes involving community members and agencies to provide additional support and resources. By working together, everyone can contribute to the success of children and their families. In Table 6c below, you can explore strategies for welcoming children and families in the classroom.

6.4 Barriers to Family Engagement

Barriers to family engagement in early childhood education can significantly hinder the positive outcomes associated with strong partnerships between families and schools. These barriers can include factors such as language differences, cultural misunderstandings, fear of judgment related to limited time or resources, and negative past experiences with education. When families face these challenges, they may feel disconnected from their child’s school or unable to participate fully in their education. This can lead to decreased academic achievement, social-emotional difficulties, and a sense of alienation for both children and families. Overcoming these barriers requires a concerted effort from schools, families, and communities to create inclusive and supportive environments that foster meaningful family engagement.

Despite the many benefits of family engagement, several barriers can hinder its effectiveness. Socioeconomic factors often play a significant role, as families with multiple jobs or limited resources may struggle to find time for school activities. Financial hardships, such as the costs of transportation, childcare, or school supplies, can also make participation difficult. Cultural differences present another challenge, as misunderstandings can arise from differing values, beliefs, or expectations. Language barriers may prevent families who speak a different language from fully understanding school communications, and schools may sometimes fail to show cultural sensitivity to families’ unique needs and preferences.

School-related factors can significantly hinder family engagement, especially in childcare settings where strong partnerships between families and educators are critical. Ineffective communication, such as using overly formal language or technical jargon or not providing materials in the family’s primary language, can create confusion or alienate families. For instance, a childcare program might send newsletters in English only, leaving non-English-speaking families unsure about upcoming events or important updates. Unclear expectations about how families can participate, coupled with logistical challenges like inconvenient meeting times, inaccessible locations, or the absence of childcare during meetings, can also discourage involvement. For example, scheduling family conferences during typical work hours without offering flexible options can exclude working parents.

Families with prior negative experiences with educational systems may feel reluctant to engage. For instance, a parent who previously felt judged or dismissed by educators might hesitate to attend events or communicate openly with their child’s caregivers. On the family side, a lack of trust in the childcare program, negative perceptions of education, or doubts about their child’s abilities can further widen the gap. For example, a family struggling with a child’s behavioral challenges might feel that the program does not value or support their child adequately. Personal challenges, such as a parent dealing with chronic health issues or managing a family crisis, can also make it difficult to prioritize engagement with the childcare program.

Systemic barriers magnify these challenges, particularly for families from marginalized communities. Limited resources in childcare settings, such as insufficient staff or lack of culturally relevant materials, can reduce opportunities for meaningful collaboration. Policies that do not prioritize family engagement, such as inflexible attendance rules for family events, can further alienate families. Broader societal inequalities, including poverty or discrimination, also play a significant role. For example, families living in underserved areas may lack transportation options to reach the childcare center or may struggle with fees for extra services.

By understanding these barriers, schools can develop strategies to overcome them and promote effective family engagement. To address these barriers, childcare programs can implement strategies such as offering multilingual communication, providing childcare during events, and fostering culturally responsive practices. These efforts can help build trust, ensure inclusivity, and create stronger connections between families and early education programs, ultimately benefiting children’s development and well-being.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed the Principles of Effective Family Engagement. These principles are listed below. These principles of family engagement were developed after expensive review of research on family engagement. Following these principles will help you meet the challenge of engaging families in each child’s early learning and development.

1. Programs invite families to participate in decision-making and goal setting for their child. Programs invite families to actively take part in making decisions concerning their children’s education. Teachers and families jointly set goals for children’s education and learning both at home and at school.
2. Teachers and programs engage families in two-way communication. Strategies allow for both school- and family-initiated communication that is timely and continuous. Conversations focus on a child’s educational experience, as well as the larger program. Communication takes multiple forms and reflects each family’s language preference.
3. Programs and teachers engage families in ways that are truly reciprocal. Programs and families benefit from shared resources and information. Programs invite families to share their unique knowledge and skills and encourage active participation in the life of the school. Teachers seek information about children’s lives, families, and communities and integrate this information into their curriculum and teaching practices.
4. Programs provide learning activities for the home and in the community. Programs use learning activities at home and in the community to enhance each child’s early learning and encourage and support families’ efforts to create a learning environment beyond the program.
5. Programs invite families to participate in program-level decisions and wider advocacy efforts. Programs invite families to actively participate in making decisions about the program itself. Programs also invite families to advocate for early childhood education in the wider community.
6. Programs implement a comprehensive program-level system of family engagement. Programs institutionalize family engagement policies and practices and ensure that teachers, administrators, and other staff receive the support they need to fully engage families.

6.4 Conclusion

In conclusion, family engagement is a powerful tool for fostering a child’s growth and creating a strong connection between home and school. By recognizing the diverse ways families can participate—whether through simple communication, involvement in school activities, or active collaboration in decision-making—educators can create opportunities for meaningful engagement with families that build trust and partnership. Implementing strategies that respect families’ unique backgrounds, strengths, and challenges allows educators to address barriers such as time constraints, cultural differences, or systemic inequities with empathy and creativity.

When families and educators work together with shared goals, open communication, and mutual respect, children benefit from an environment that nurtures their development. These partnerships not only support children’s learning but also empower families to feel confident and valued in their role within the educational community. As you apply the ideas and strategies from this chapter, remember that every effort to strengthen family engagement contributes to a more inclusive, supportive, and successful early childhood education experience. By fostering these connections, educators can create a ripple effect that benefits children, families, and the wider community for years to come.

Learning Activities

6.5 References

Gestwicki, C. (2017). Home, school, and community: A multicultural perspective (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Principles of family engagement. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/family-engagement/principles

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2024). New research. https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/news/new-research

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Welcome children and families. Young Children, 64(3), 6-9. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/jun2009/welcome-children-and-families

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families. (n.d.). Family engagement. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/family-engagement

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Office of Head Start. (n.d.). Parent, family, and community engagement (PFCE) framework. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/school-readiness/article/parent-family-community-engagement-pfce-framework

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2017). The two-generation model: Reducing stress and supporting families. Young Children, 72(3), 56-63. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2017/two-generation-model-reducing-stress

Images:

Figure 6a: Aitubo. (2024). Flux (v1.0). [AI image generator]. https://creator.aitubo.ai/

Figure 6b: Aitubo. (2024). Flux (v1.0). [AI image generator]. https://creator.aitubo.ai/