assignment

8.1 Why Working With Families Is So Important

Building supportive and collaborative relationships with families is one of the most important priorities in early childhood education. Trust between home and school is built over time, starting with the very first phone call or visit to the program. Positive relationships between program staff and family members are supported in small ways, such as the friendly tone of voice a teacher uses at pickup time, or in big ways, such as the welcoming policies described in the family handbook.

Benefits to Children

Just as infants and young children must learn how to trust others in order to learn and grow, an early childhood program must earn a family's trust before the child can fully participate in what the program has to offer. Children benefit when families and teachers communicate and work closely together, forming trusting relationships and sharing expectations and ideas (Barbour, 2007).

Strong parent-school relationships create positive outcomes for children both cognitively and emotionally (Callender & Hansen, n.d.). For example, studies of Head Start children reveal a positive correlation between parent involvement and children's academic growth in the areas of vocabulary, literacy, and mathematics (Wen, Bulotsky-Shearer, Hahs-Vaughn, & Korfmacher, 2012). Other studies indicate that parental involvement in school improves children's behavior and self-esteem, and it also decreases the chances children will be referred for special education services (Callender & Hansen, n.d.; Henrich & Blackman-Jones, 2006; Pena, 2000).

Benefits to Families

Parents and other family members, such as grandparents, also benefit from family involvement in early childhood programs. The staff members of the early childhood programs, including administrators, teachers, and caregivers, serve as role models for parents, demonstrating nurturing and learning relationships and interactions. Parents who spend time in their children's early childhood classrooms learn strategies for supporting children's learning that they can use in their own interactions with their children (Keyser, 2006).

Benefits to the Program

For the early childhood administrator, building a strong collaborative partnership with families is good for business. Whether your organization is nonprofit or for-profit, your program's success and reputation are built on the positive word of mouth generated by happy families. From marketing to fee collection, strong collaborative relationships with families will help make every part of the administrator's job easier and more productive.

Parent involvement also helps inform and enhance the work of teachers and administrators. When parents and teachers communicate frequently, teachers learn more about the traditions, values, and culture of the families, and can use this information to shape the curriculum and activities (Gonzales-Mena, 2008).

For administrators, parent involvement can sometimes help the program comply with regulations and requirements. For example, every Head Start program is required to have parent representatives serve on an advisory board (Family Development Services, 2012).

Challenges

Working with parents can be challenging. Parents of young children are busy and often stressed. Any time there are differences between a family's beliefs and values and the beliefs and values of program staff members, there is the potential for conflict and misunderstanding. Linguistic and cultural diversity can create obstacles to good communication.

There is an intensity to the relationships teachers and caregivers form with children, and this intensity sometimes results in a tendency to judge parents and the decisions that they make. Early childhood professionals at all levels need training and guidance to form successful partnerships with parents. Teachers and caregivers also need the support of their supervisors, mentors, and role models to learn to be open and sensitive to parents and families, to be supportive and empathetic without judgment (Carter, 1992).

8.2 Strategies for Successful Partnerships

A program's commitment to families begins with the organization's mission. As described in Chapter 1, a good mission statement explains the purpose of the organization and what it hopes to achieve. For most early childhood programs, that mission will include specific references to working with and supporting families. All of the program's materials, in both the text and the images, from the organization's logo to the philosophy statement that's printed in the brochure, should consistently communicate that working with and respecting families is a top priority.

Helping families feel welcome and respected in an early childhood program may begin with the warm smile and greeting they receive as they enter the doors, but there are several key practices that are essential for supporting these connections between the early childhood program and the families it serves. These practices include effective communication, establishing policies that are welcoming to families, and incorporating adequate staff training.

Effective Communication

The administrator establishes, supports, and maintains systems for ongoing communication with families, both formally and informally. Regular and ongoing communication between staff and families is the primary method for building the relationship between home and school (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

Communications begin with the family handbook and the conversations that take place during the enrollment and orientation process. Administrators ensure that communication systems are also in place for ongoing daily communication between classroom staff and families, both verbally at drop-off and pickup times, as well as in writing, such as daily logs in which caregivers note when infants were fed and diapered. During the day, systems must be in place to receive and respond to phone calls and email messages. Other systems of communication involve newsletters and websites used to convey announcements, reminders, and classroom news to families.

Communication systems should include opportunities for extended dialogue between staff and families, such as parent-teacher conferences, and also communication between families, such as parent meetings or family events, where parents can get to know each other, socialize, and share parenting information. Administrators ensure that all these systems are in place and running well, and that the communication is expressed to families in culturally and linguistically relevant ways, such as having the monthly newsletter translated into Spanish.

Policies and Documentation

Program policies should be clearly communicated to families. Written policies, such as one for posting menus and lesson plans on a parent-directed bulletin board, describe what families can expect of the program. They also communicate the expectations families must meet, such as paying tuition on time every month, to participate in the program.

The policies that describe parent expectations should not all be restrictive or demanding, and they should demonstrate respect and a spirit of collaboration in both tone and content. For example, many programs explicitly welcome families with an "open door" policy that allows them to visit their child's classroom at any time. Another way to demonstrate openness to collaboration is to invite parents to serve in an advisory role when policies are created or updated.

Staff Training

Staff members at every level, from teachers to custodians, should be trained to communicate respectfully with families and respond appropriately to their questions and concerns. The administrator leads this training process by making sure the expectations for working are clearly stated in program policies and materials. The administrator also serves as a role model, demonstrating warm, welcoming, and respectful interactions with families.

Training staff is an ongoing process, as new challenges may develop each time a new family enrolls, or a new issue develops in the classroom or at home. Training teachers takes time, commitment, and reflection. Administrators may lead some of this training themselves, devoting time at staff meetings or in one-on-one supervision meetings to practice communication skills or to discuss specific family situations and brainstorm the best ways to respond.

Teachers need training and guidance in order to learn more about the families they serve, the general characteristics of the population and community, as well as the details specific to each family. They also need to be able to anticipate the obstacles that might prevent them from forming positive partnerships with families, such as socioeconomic factors that might affect a family's ability to participate in school events, and identify possible strategies to overcome the obstacles, such as conducting a parent-teacher conference at the child's home instead of at school. The administrator's role is to develop and implement training plans that give teachers both the information and the skills to respond to these situations.

Some training may take place off-site, at conferences or classes. For example, over the course of a year, training in parent communication at one early childhood program might include a combination of monthly staff meeting discussions to address specific issues with current families, as well as two opportunities for staff members to attend a workshop on effective communication. In this case, staff members might learn techniques for asking questions and listening at the workshops, and then have a chance to practice those skills in the context of the family issues currently at play in their program, such as a family going through a difficult divorce. In this example the administrator has provided training in general communication techniques as well as opportunities to apply those concepts to specific situations.

8.3 Communicating With Families as Part of the Enrollment Process

Communication between an early childhood program and a family begins before enrollment. Typically, the first contact is likely to be a visit to the program's web site. The words and images families view on a web page is just one of the many opportunities administrators have to communicate about the quality of their program as well as to inform families of the program's philosophy, mission, vision, policies, and procedures.

Websites

Most parents do not make decisions about where to enroll their children based on a website. Nevertheless, the website plays a very important role in communicating a first impression (Stephens, 2004). Many prospective parents use the Internet to help them identify possible early childhood programs in their geographic area, and then choose which programs they would like to visit or learn more about, based on the information they find online.

An attractive and well-designed website should be easy to read. Visitors to the site should be able to find the information they need quickly, with just a few clicks of a mouse.

Most prospective parents want to find the following types of information online:

Location. Is the program near their home or workplace? Is it easy to get to from a major road or highway? Is it located in a safe area? Including a map on the website can help a prospective parent determine this.

Scope of services. What are the ages of children served? What are the hours the program is open? When is drop off and pickup? Are meals provided? Do the children take naps?

Tuition or fees. How much is tuition? How often are parents charged—weekly? monthly? Are there any discounts for siblings?

Enrollment procedures. How do families sign up? Is there a waiting list? Can families visit the classroom before the first day? What paperwork must be filled out before the first day?

Philosophy or focus. Is the program play-based? What curriculum do they use? How strict are the teachers? How important is socialization and friendship? How important is creative expression? How important is outdoor play?

Prospective parents also may enjoy viewing other information:

Testimonials from satisfied parents, such as a photo of a current parent with a quote saying, "My son looks forward to going to preschool each day. He loves his teacher and can't wait to play with his friends. I'm so glad we enrolled at ABC Preschool."

Sample curriculum plans, such as a lesson plan describing the learning objectives for the week and what activities will be available in each interest area.

Photos of classrooms and playgrounds that demonstrate to families the condition of the facility, the kinds of materials and equipment available to children, and that give a sense of how well the children are engaged in program activities.

Lunch and snack menus, such as a daily plan for what might be served in a classroom at each age level, demonstrating the variety and types of foods.

History of the program, such as a brief summary of how the program began and any key developments that demonstrate growth and success, such as an expansion to a new building.

Credentials or biographies of the staff.

Many websites feature a virtual tour of the facility in the form of a video clip or slide show. This demonstrates what a parent might see if he or she walked through the center or school. The images might be accompanied by text or an audio narration to point out the key features of the program and facility

Early childhood administrators must commit time and resources to creating and updating a website. The work may require volunteer or contracted services from a web designer or other technology specialists. Images of children and families included online must be authorized by parents in writing, and the administrator is responsible for collecting these releases.

The First Visit

The first opportunity to build rapport between staff and families is the first time a parent calls or visits the program. From the very first contact, staff members should take care to respond to families warmly and openly.

The first visit is often the parent attending an open house or individual tour. Who will lead the tour depends on the size of the program and the number of different administrative roles. Usually one of the administrators, such as the director, is in charge of welcoming and enrolling new families. Parents and children tend to feel more secure and gain a better impression of the program when the leader of this entire process is consistent, from the first tour or visit to the first day of school, and they see the same face each time they have contact with the program.

The written materials families receive during these initial visits are also important. Whether they speak up with their questions or not, most parents making a decision about whether to enroll their child will likely want to know the following:

When do I drop off my child? When do I pick up my child? Parents need to know if the hours of the program are compatible with their work schedule or other family commitments.

Which classroom would my child be in? Parents usually want to be able to see the actual space where their child will be, so they can get a sense of how comfortable and inviting it will be.

What is the age range of the other children in the group? Parents may want to verify that their child is the right age to enroll, and they may also be concerned that the other children will be considerably younger or older than their child.

What will my child learn? Parents will have different preferences and priorities around issues of learning and curriculum. Some may be looking for a very structured, rigorous curriculum, while others will want to make sure their children have plenty of time for child-directed, open-ended play. Regardless of where they fall on this continuum, parents will likely ask questions about what and how children will learn in order to determine if the program is a good fit for their child and their family.

What happens if my child breaks a rule? Parents generally want assurance that the teachers will not be overly harsh or strict. At the same time, most parents also want to be sure that order is maintained in the classroom.

How much do I have to pay? When do I have to pay it? Parents want to know if they can afford to enroll their child and if the payment schedule will be manageable and convenient.

What is a typical day like? Parents want to get a sense of the flow of the day so they can determine how well the daily schedule, activities, and routines will meet their child's needs, interests, and preferences.

What are the backgrounds of the teachers? How do I know if they will take good care of my child? Most parents have a difficult time turning the care of their child over to someone who is initially a stranger. They want to make sure they are making a good choice for their child. Parents want to know if the teachers have experience and credentials that demonstrate they are capable and competent.

Much of this information must be conveyed in individual conversations. Other information can be in print and given to parents to take home. General information that is fixed and does not change, such as the program hours or program philosophy, can be included in a brochure. Some other information, such as an annual calendar, will be regularly updated and can be provided as a separate handout. An information packet for prospective families would include all of this documentation, as well as an enrollment application and instructions for submitting it.

For many parents, the decision to enroll their child in an early childhood program is one of the first important decisions they will make as parents. As part of establishing a positive relationship with families, administrators need to take care not to rush or pressure families as they make these decisions.

Preenrollment Visits

When the decision has been made, the enrollment paperwork has been completed, and a start date has been set, the next step is often a preenrollment or intake visit. This visit is an opportunity to ask one or both parents questions about their child's health history, personality and temperament, food preferences and sleep schedule, favorite activities, and any other important information, including any special needs the child may have.

The administrator may conduct the intake interview or it may be conducted by a social worker or family caseworker, depending on the structure of the program. For infant child care programs, at least part of the interview should be conducted by the teacher or caregiver who will be providing direct care to the baby, so that the caregiver and the parent can build rapport and have a chance to ask questions of each other. Usually the baby is present during the interview, and the parent has an opportunity to demonstrate how the baby likes to be held or fed.

With older children who are able to understand the adult conversation, parents may be more open and candid about sensitive family issues, such as a recent death or illness, if the child is not present during the interview.

In some early childhood programs, the intake interview with the parents and the director in the office takes place at the same time that the child has his or her first visit to the classroom under the supervision of the teachers. In this case, two goals are met at the same time: The intake information is collected from the parent, and the child has an opportunity to begin to get to know the teacher and become accustomed to the classroom environment.

A Smooth Transition

Separation anxiety is a normal part of child development, and one of the roles of early childhood administrators is to create and implement enrollment practices that are sensitive to children's feelings during the first few weeks in a new program. Parents, too, can feel a variety of complex emotions, from anxiety to excitement, about saying good-bye to children as they drop them off at a new preschool or daycare.

Generally, children benefit from a gradual transition that includes an opportunity for the child to spend some time with the parent in the classroom. In many early childhood programs, parents are required to stay with their child in the classroom for at least part of the day. Busy parents with demanding work schedules may be reluctant to devote so much time to the transition. Providing a little information about separation and child development can be helpful.

If having parents spend time with children is part of the program's written policies and these policies have been fully communicated to families prior and during enrollment, parents will be much more willing to follow the policies. Administrators set the stage for a successful transition by creating an enrollment process that includes a gradual transition, documenting that process in the family handbook and enrollment materials, and training staff to welcome families and work with both parents and children during the transition.

8.4 Ongoing Communication With Families

Once a child has settled in, communication between staff and families may be less frequent and detailed, but regular contact is still very important. Parent communication is not one-size-fits-all; to meet the needs of a variety of families in a variety of situations, multiple methods of communication must be employed. Through ongoing communication, administrators are responsible for ensuring that the connections between families, like invisible threads, are maintained each day.

Direct (Face-to-Face) Conversation

Each time parents drop off or pick up their children is an opportunity for building rapport through informal, friendly conversation. Warmly greeting each family member by name goes a long way in establishing trusting relationships between staff and families. Administrators communicate expectations to staff regarding how to greet and talk with parents both in writing, through staff handbooks and training materials, and verbally, through supervision, training and modeling. Some programs make it a standard practice that every parent is greeted by name each time he or she enters the classroom.

For parents whom English is not the home language, staff members can demonstrate their commitment to making connections with families by learning how to greet parents in their home language. Again, the administrator sets the tone and expectations for staff interactions with parents.

Notes and Reports

Many early childhood programs have teachers provide daily notes or reports to families that include information about the child's mood, what he or she ate, how he or she slept, and what activities the child enjoyed that day. These kinds of notes are especially important for infants and young toddlers who are still on an individualized eating and sleeping schedule. The notes help the parents plan the evening and understand what their child needs during the transition from program to home.

Other forms of written communication are more general, such as newsletters and bulletin boards (Figure 8.2). Posting online newsletters and maintaining virtual bulletin boards are another option, though most parents also appreciate having hard copies available onsite. The administrator develops the plans and expectations for the program's written communications and either implements the plan or delegates the tasks to other staff members. For example, the administrator may set up a rotation by which each lead teacher takes a turn updating the parent bulletin boards once a month. For online postings, the administrator may need to seek a volunteer, such as a parent or board member, or a paid contractor with specific expertise in setting up and editing web pages. The administrator must ensure that whatever content is posted, the text of the web page or the notices on the bulletin board are well written and accurate. Often the role of the administrator is to solicit input from teachers for newsletters or web pages, and then the administrator writes and edits the final document.

Respecting confidentiality is always a consideration when materials are distributed widely. Children's photos, full names, and other identifying information should not be used in newsletters or web pages unless the access to the materials is restricted to currently enrolled families and the parents have given written permission.

Phone Calls

Phone calls to and from parents take place for many reasons. Parents may call just to check on how their children are doing, especially if they have a concern that the child might not be feeling well. Administrators may screen these calls through a central, general line or, depending on the phone system in the facility and the staff member's availability to answer the phone, the calls may be received directly in the classroom.

As email communication becomes more widely used, phone calls to and from parents are becoming more rare. However, if a child is not feeling well or is upset and the staff members (usually in consultation with the administrator) decide that the parent should be contacted, a phone call is still the most direct way to reach them. Many early childhood programs make it a policy to call a parent any time a child is hurt, even with a very minor injury, or any time a child shows any symptom of illness. In some programs the teacher or caregiver makes the call. In other programs the administrator or director makes the call. In either case, the administrator is responsible for making sure that accurate contact information is on file for parents and family members.

Email and Text Messages

Many parents and family members prefer communication by email or text because they are not able to take phone calls at work. Early childhood administrators are responsible for supervising and screening the email and text correspondences between staff and families to ensure that the content and style of these messages are professional, accurate, and appropriate.

Emailing and texting are quick and convenient ways to communicate but are not the best ways to convey sensitive information. Many administrators reserve email for general announcements, such as news about field trips schedules or menu changes. Texting is used rarely by early childhood professionals and usually only when a parent has requested it, such as for a quick reminder about an upcoming parent meeting.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

In an ordinary day there is just not enough time for teachers and caregivers to talk with parents at length about their children. A parent-teacher conference is an opportunity for staff and parents to meet and talk together, to review the child's progress, to listen and respond to parents' questions and concerns, and to plan together for how to continue to support the child's growth and development.

Administrators are responsible for creating a structure for parent conferences and ensuring that the conference schedule works for everyone involved—parents, children, and staff. Ideally, the conferences are scheduled on a regular basis, not just when issues arise. Early childhood administrators are responsible for regularly scheduling these meetings and for developing a plan to make teachers or caregivers available for conferences. Sometimes this may mean the administrator must schedule substitutes to cover classrooms while staff members conduct the conferences.

In some early childhood programs, the administrator attends the conferences. In others the teachers lead them independently. Whether the administrator attends the conference is usually determined by the teacher's level of skill in communicating with parents about curriculum and assessment, and in the complexity and sensitivity of the issues to be discussed. For example, an administrator may lead a conference when a teacher is new, modeling for the teacher how to structure the conference and build rapport. Or an administrator may sit in on a conference to support a more skilled and experienced teacher because the teacher has concerns about a child, and wants to refer the family for additional screening and assessment.

Many parents are nervous about attending a formal conference. They may associate these kinds of meetings with negative childhood experiences and worry that their child or their parenting is going to be held up to judgment. Administrators should train the staff to develop strategies for setting the parents at ease. Sharing photos or work samples that demonstrate the child's positive experiences in the program is often an effective technique for opening a conference. Parents should be invited to share their impressions and questions.

Ideally, conferences are a two-way conversation. When a specific concern must be communicated, it should be done with sensitivity and clarity. For example, if the program staff have a concern that a child's speech and language is delayed, the teacher might begin the conference by describing the child's strengths, demonstrating that the program staff know and respect the child and family before sharing their concern. When the teacher (or administrator, depending on who attends and leads the conference) states his or her concern about the child's speech and language, the teacher should be direct and specific, using details and examples to demonstrate the reasons for the concern. The parents should leave the conference with a sense that their child is valued and understood by the program staff.

8.5 Parent Participation

Although parents and families are important in every early childhood program, the opportunities for parents to participate will vary depending on the mission, philosophy, and structure of the program. For example, a nursery school that was founded by parent volunteers, sometimes known as a parent co-op, would likely have a very strong tradition of hands-on parent involvement in classroom activities. Programs with mandates that require participation, such as Head Start, would have very structured systems for parent participation. Some early childhood programs, however, such as a child care center in a hospital that serves the children of hospital employees, may not require any structured parent participation, because the mission of the program is to provide child care in order to free the parents to focus on their work.

The early childhood administrator is responsible for creating and maintaining parent participation options and structures that best serve the philosophy, mission, and structure of the program. These options and structures will fall in one or more of the three overlapping categories of parent participation: parent education, parent support, and parent involvement.

Parent Education and Family Support

The parent education component in an early childhood program often involves formal meetings and classes. Administrators plan and implement these services according to various needs and preferences of the families, the resources available, and the structure or mission of the program. Activities might teach specific skills, such as cooking as demonstrated in a special cooking class, or concepts, such as child development, as discussed in a workshop that teaches parents how to help recognize their children's developmental milestones. The goal of parent education is to improve parenting skills, to increase parents' understanding of their individual child, as well as child development in general, and to provide resources to parents. Support services are usually much more individualized and open-ended than parent education programming; they may be conducted in small groups or even individually. Support services may include discussion groups that are facilitated by a social worker, in which parents can talk about issues of concern, such as how to discipline a child or how to make good decisions about television or computer use. Or they might involve meetings with a social worker or a family caseworker. Services may be available on-site, or families might be referred to human service agencies and health services.

Parent Involvement

Parents offer an extra set of hands, and their contributions—especially on field trips and during other demanding activities such as cooking projects—can be very valuable. Parents may also be invited to assist in ordinary classroom routines, helping to set up before or clean up after activities, or assisting children with washing hands or putting on coats. Parents may also be invited to help with tasks outside of the classroom, such as supporting the program's fundraising efforts by participating in gift wrap sales, contributing items to an auction, or selling tickets to a fundraising event. In some programs, parents serve in advisory boards or even on the board of directors.

Administrators support the success of a volunteer program by creating a structure that includes defining the roles of the volunteers, providing an orientation for them, and training the staff members who will be working with the volunteers. The structure need not be complex, but some clarity of roles and expectations is usually very helpful. Defining the roles of volunteers, usually in the form of a brief written job description, is important so that each parent volunteer will know what is expected of him or her.

The description should make clear what the volunteer will be asked to do in the classroom, such as assisting with art projects and reading stories, as well as what the volunteer should not do, such as supervise children alone during toileting. If the state licensing code requires that volunteers meet certain requirements, such as completing a health or background check, those expectations should also be clearly stated in the description.

Administrators will also need to train the staff members who work with parent volunteers in order to make sure they know what parent volunteers are allowed to do and not do. Staff members need to understand that they, the professional teachers and caregivers, are still responsible for the safe supervision of the children even when there are other adults in the room. Staff members may also need some guidance and suggestions for how to appropriately interact with parent volunteers, taking care to express appreciation for their assistance while still taking the lead in directing them to assist at the tasks that will be most useful in the classroom.

Administrators should also develop systems for creating, maintaining, and communicating volunteer schedules so teachers will know when they can count on the extra help and the parent volunteers will know exactly when they should make themselves available.

Home Visits

One of the best ways for teachers and caregivers to get to know a child and his or her family is to conduct a home visit. In some programs, the intake or preenrollment visit takes place in the child's home. In other programs, a home visit is another type of parent-teacher conference, a way to talk and listen with families.

While some families may be initially uneasy about welcoming staff members into their homes, most parents respond very positively to home visits and appreciate staff members who have taken the time and effort to make the visit. Home visits also help ease feelings of separation for children; seeing their teacher in their own home helps children develop trust and make the transition to school.

Early childhood administrators are responsible for preparing teachers and caregivers to make home visits. Preparations include scheduling the visits, planning the structure of the visit, training staff to listen and to respond to families, and supporting staff with whatever questions or concerns they may have about conducting the visits. Administrators are also responsible for the safety of staff members during visits, especially when visiting homes in high crime areas where staff members are not familiar with the community. Many agencies require that staff members always make home visits in pairs, not alone, for safety reasons.

8.6 Responding to Difficult Situations With Families

In any early childhood program, there are inevitably difficult situations and conflicts that arise. Families may experience a crisis, such as a divorce or an illness. A child may struggle with a challenging behavior, such as biting or toileting accidents, at home or at school, and the parents and staff may have conflicting ideas about how the issue should be addressed. Parents may become unhappy or dissatisfied with some aspect of the program and bring their complaints to staff members. Early childhood administrators must provide leadership and guidance in the resolution of these issues.

The resolution of problems and issues begins with listening carefully to each person involved and gathering as much information as possible in order to determine the best response. Documents such as program policies, procedures, and handbooks are important and useful tools in making consistent and fair administrative decisions. Administrators should also be intentional about making decisions that are grounded in best practice regarding ethical and professional conduct.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

The everyday actions and decisions of early childhood professionals have significant impact on the lives of children and families. The importance of this work is a source of satisfaction for many early childhood professionals, but it also creates a burden of responsibility to act with ethical conduct, in accordance with accepted professional standards for what is right and wrong. To support early childhood professionals in this responsibility, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has published a Code of Ethical Conduct that offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth a common basis for resolving the principal ethical dilemmas encountered in early childhood care and education.

In 2011, the Code of Ethical Conduct was updated to include a supplement specific to the work of early childhood administrators. This supplement was created in recognition that administrators face additional ethical challenges. Conflicts often surface in the areas of enrollment policies; dealings with personnel; and relationships with families, licensors, governing boards, sponsoring agencies, and others in the community. The supplement offers additional core values, ideals, and principles related to the frequently recurring ethical issues encountered by administrators.

The supplement for early childhood administrators includes the following ethical responsibilities to families:

The administrator sets the tone for the program in establishing and supporting an understanding of the family's role in their children's development. Administrators strive to promote communication, cooperation, and collaboration between the home and the program in ways that enhance each child's development. Because administrators provide the link between the family and direct services for children, they often encounter ethical issues in this area of responsibility.

Ideals

I-2.1 To design programs and policies inclusive of and responsive to diverse families.

I-2.2 To serve as a resource for families by providing information and referrals to services in the larger community.

I-2.3 To advocate for the needs and rights of families in the program and the larger community.

I-2.4 To support families in their role as advocate for their children and themselves.

I-2.5 To create and maintain a climate of trust and candor that fosters two-way communication and enables parents/guardians to speak and act in the best interest of their children.

Policies and Documentation

When responding to a difficult situation with a family, administrators often need to align their response with the program's written policies. For example, a parent might complain that the program's nap time is too long because her daughter isn't sleepy at night and the child is keeping everyone awake with her restlessness. The parent asks the staff to wake up her daughter early each day, before the full nap period is over, in the hope that this will help her daughter sleep better at night.

The administrator can begin by offering her empathy and understanding to the parent, who might be exhausted and frustrated by her daughter's behavior. To help determine whether the parent's request can be accommodated, the administrator must look to program documents such as program policies, procedures, and handbooks. These are important and useful tools in making consistent and fair administrative decisions and in communicating those decisions to families.

In the example of the parent who wants her daughter to be woken up early from nap, the administrator has access to several documents related to nap time policies and procedures. One is the state licensing code, which requires that all full-day early childhood program provide a full two-hour nap time for children. The code does not require that children sleep during the two-hour period, but it does require that children have the opportunity to rest. Another document related to nap-time policy is the family handbook, which states, in alignment with the licensing code, that the program offers a two-hour nap period for children.

Based on these documents, it is clear that the program will not be able to agree to the parent's request to shorten the child's nap time. The administrator can use the family handbook as a reference to explain this to the parent, demonstrating that this is a policy that applies to all families and is based on the requirements of the state licensing code. However, the administrator also knows the procedures that staff use to help children get up from nap, as documented in the staff handbook. Children are tucked in and woken up from nap one at a time, as teachers rotate through the room, not all at once. The option the administrator can offer the parent is that her daughter could be the last child tucked in and the first child woken up, a compromise that would still be consistent with all the program policies and procedures.

When speaking with families about the contents of the family handbook, administrators should be aware that many families may not remember every detail included in the handbooks they received at the time of enrollment. All families will benefit from regular reminders and reviews of program practices and policies. These can come in the form of newsletters, flyers, parent meetings, emails, bulletin boards, and conversations.

There is no single method of communication that will be effective and successful with every family. Experienced early childhood administrators know that important information must be conveyed multiple times using a variety of methods of documentation. Policies related to issues that tend to come up frequently, such as late fee payments, should be reviewed often, such as once-a-month reminders in newsletters and emails. Policies related to issues that come up less frequently, such as the policy for weather-related school closings, would be reviewed only once or twice a year.

Disenrollment Policies

On the rare occasion that a conflict or issue with a family can't be resolved, an administrator may be in the difficult position of having to disenroll a child. Most program policies include information about disenrollment, a description of the circumstances and process followed if a family is asked to leave a program. Many state licensing codes require programs to provide this written policy to families before enrollment.

A disenrollment policy usually includes a statement of commitment to families that disenrollment would occur only as a last resort, the circumstances in which a disenrollment would be considered (such as a child repeatedly hurting other children or the nonpayment of tuition), and the methods that would be used to communicate the disenrollment decision to families (Figure 8.3).

Figure 8.3: Sample Disenrollment Policy

8.7 Staff Training for Sensitivity and Responsiveness to Families

In some ways, working with families is an art; it takes an intangible ability to empathize and understand parents and families. Using this analogy, administrators are the artists and the staff members are their apprentices. Specifically, teachers and caregivers need to know and follow practices and policies that relate to working with parents and families, and they also need to know and value the reasons behind the practices and policies.

One effective practice that helps teachers and caregivers understand and support families is taking time at staff meetings to discuss an individual child and family. This is sometimes called staffing a child, which means gathering an interdisciplinary team of staff members—including teachers, administrators, and, if possible, social workers or case workers—together to devote all of the program's available resources to supporting one child and his or her family. A staffing session can be facilitated by an administrator, such as the center director, or another professional, such as a social worker or family service worker. Devoting time and attention to gathering and sharing information about one family can be helpful in generating empathy with the family and creating specific strategies for supporting a family and helping a child be more successful or comfortable at school or in child care.

Sensitivity to Diversity

Often the most challenging aspects of working with parents and families is cross-cultural communication. For many early childhood professionals, forming a collaborative relationship with parents and families can be especially difficult when a family is from a different cultural background or another language as their primary mode of communication. One well-regarded strategy for promoting cross-cultural understanding, both in and out of the classroom, is antibias education.

Antibias education incorporates a multicultural perspective yet also includes other forms of bias, such as gender, religion, physical and mental abilities, and economic class. For example, an antibias approach in an early childhood program resists promoted gender bias by ensuring that girls have opportunities to play with blocks, and boys have opportunities to play with dolls. Bias regarding religion is countered by, for example, taking steps to ensure the curriculum covers a broad range of winter holidays, not just Christmas. Antibias education takes an active, problem-solving approach that is integrated into both the curriculum and the ways staff work with parents and families (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

Administrators model and train teachers to use an antibias approach in working with families by focusing efforts on effective communication that ensures that every family feels welcome and understood (Gonzalez-Mena & Pulido-Tobiassen, 1999). Administrators promote effective communication by training teachers to be available and open to talking with parents and by demonstrating that openness with a calm and relaxed tone of voice and body language. Administrators guide classroom staff to avoid making assumptions about what parents may be thinking or intending by the things they say or with the choices they make for their children. Asking questions to clarify meaning and taking time to listen carefully to parents' responses are effective communication strategies.

Other helpful strategies include using open-ended and inclusive language in conversation and in written materials, such as using enrollment forms that list "parent" instead of "mother" or "father" and by providing materials in the child's home language.

Another strategy is learning about the family and the family's culture through home visits or, if home visits are not possible, by visiting the neighborhood where the family lives.

Language barriers can be a significant obstacle in communicating with parents and family members. For many families, early childhood programs function as a bridge between the home culture and the dominant culture. Although programs differ in their approach to bilingual education, communication with families can be significantly improved and enhanced when materials are available in the home language and when interpretation services are available. If staff members do not know the family's home language, they can learn key phrases, such as greetings. Whenever possible, administrators can prioritize the hiring of staff members who speak the home languages of the families served.

Working With Parents of Children With Special Needs

Early childhood administrators can support the families of children with special needs by creating and implementing policies that help identify and include children with special needs; by modeling supportive relationships and effective communication; and by training and guiding teachers and caregivers to work with children with special needs. Similar to an antibias approach, administrators lead the staff in using inclusive and respectful language to describe children and to talk with families. For example, administrators can train staff to use person-first language, which uses the disability as a descriptor, not as the noun (Folkins, 1992). For example, instead of saying a child is "a stutterer," one would say, "a child who stutters."

The definitions of special needs can vary, but in the context of early childhood education, the term generally describes a disability that limits the child's mobility, learning, or communication. The child's special need may be identified during pregnancy, at birth, or during the child's first years of life. For some children, the special need may have been identified before the child enrolls in the early childhood program.

The inclusion of children with special needs in early childhood classrooms is partly due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975—which requires that all children with disabilities receive appropriate education in the "least restrictive environment"—and partly due to the commitment of many early childhood organizations to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all children.

Sometimes a child's special need is not identified until after the child is enrolled. The early childhood administrator and the staff can play a role in providing referrals and supports to families during this process. Whether the special need is identified before or after enrollment, administrators can ensure that teachers and caregivers are responsive to the questions and concerns of each family by training teachers to identify the special education services and practices that are relevant and appropriate for each family. For example, educators need to understand how their relationship with the child and family fits into a child's Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Both plans are part of IDEA legislation.

An IFSP describes early intervention services for a child younger than age 3. An IEP is developed by the local school system for a child age 3 and older. Both plans state the goals and objectives for the child's developmental and educational progress and describe who will deliver the specialized services, such as speech therapy, and how the child's progress will be assessed.

An essential part of these plans is the parent's participation and agreement. Often the role of the early childhood administrator is to help the parents understand the plan, to advocate for appropriate changes or improvements in services, and to assist in the coordination of services from various agencies (Ray, Pewitt-Kinder & George, 2009).

Parents of children with special needs often face a complex variety of emotional, logistical, and financial challenges. Administrators, as well as teachers and caregivers, can best support families by being open to understanding and learning about the child's disability and the impact it has on the life of the family.

8.8 Collaborating With the Community

Each early childhood program is, in itself, a small community. The administrator is the leader, working to ensure that all members, including parents, feel included and valued. In most early childhood programs the administrator can also helps connect families to the community at large—the neighborhood, town, or city in which the families live. Administrators do this by referring some families to specific services, by keeping all families informed about opportunities in the community, and by supporting each family in its transition from the early childhood program to the child's next step, usually enrollment in a kindergarten or elementary school.

Administrators make referrals when a family has a specific issue where the administrator recognizes the need for supports that are beyond the scope of the early childhood program. One example is a referral to a family for screening and evaluation services when there is a possibility a child might have a developmental delay or disability. Another example would be a referral for counseling services if a family member is experiencing mental health issues.

If the program serves low-income families, referrals could be made to food banks and other community services that provide economic supports. These kinds of referrals should be made one-on-one, in private, with respect for the sensitive nature of the issues. Administrators must have access to current information about these resources so they can be responsive to families' needs. Local government agencies, such as a city's human services department, as well as local public school systems, are often good resources for early childhood directors.

Early childhood administrators can also help connect families to resources and opportunities in the community that might be of interest to any family with young children, such as recreational activities at parks, sporting events, enrichment classes offered by public or commercial arts organizations, or family events offered by other educational organizations. A community bulletin board located in a central hallway is one way to post these kinds of opportunities. Email, websites, and social media are other options for distributing this information to families. Administrators can also invite families to share this kind of information with each other as they discover new opportunities in the community.

Administrators can also help connect families to the community by helping them transition a child from the early childhood program to the next step, usually enrollment in kindergarten or an elementary school. Administrators and teachers can provide information and advice to families in print, such as preparing and distributing an FAQ (frequently asked questions) form about making the transition to kindergarten. The program could also host a kindergarten information night when teachers and other representatives from local schools could be invited to speak to families and respond to their questions.

Administrators can also meet one-on-one with parents, listening to parents' questions, concerns, and hopes, and offering information and guidance about how children usually experience the transition and what their needs might be. Some early childhood programs host "reunion" events after children make the transition, to welcome the families back for a visit and to hear about the children's progress and experiences. An event like this that maintains the connections between the program and the family even after the child has left the program emphasizes the depth of the connection and the strength of the community the administrator has created.

Gadzikowski, A.  (2013).   Administration of early childhood education programs (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. .  San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.