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Part of supporting children and families is recognizing, valuing, identifying, and referring to community resources when needed. Families often don’t know what resources are available in their community or how to access them. Barriers such as language, culture, education, etc. may make it difficult for some families to find and/or contact needed services.
Providers need to recognize when families or children need additional help, more than you can offer. Remember that your role is NOT that of a counselor or diagnosing doctor. Instead you must be able to recognize when a situation calls for professional intervention and/or assessment.
Identifying the broad-range of community resources and support available to families is necessary to providing appropriate referrals. Types of community resources typically needed by families of young children are:
Sharing Resources with Families
Specific ways you can help families include:
Resources Benefiting Care Providers and Teachers
Community resources can benefit you in your work as you plan curriculum and seek out resources for your classroom / program.
Check out what is available to you through:
Volunteers as Resources
Another way to share the larger community with the children in our care is by inviting volunteers into your classroom or family home child care program. Remember the Brofenbrenner circles or the nesting dolls? Volunteers are one means for accessing the Exosystem. Think of all of the talent and interests family members, grandparents, teenagers, or community members might share with children. Imagine the projects they might supervise, the fun stories they might read, the extra pair of hands they could offer at snack time, or the additional eyes and ears they could provide during outdoor playtime. Since volunteers are invited to be in contact with young children, protective policies and procedures need to be in place. Your guidebook sites the WACs and explanations of these laws, so make certain you know what to expect from volunteers.
Providers need to recognize when families or children need additional help, more than you can offer. Remember that your role is NOT that of a counselor or diagnosing doctor. Instead you must be able to recognize when a situation calls for professional intervention and/or assessment.
Identifying the broad-range of community resources and support available to families is necessary to providing appropriate referrals. Types of community resources typically needed by families of young children are:
- Housing, food, and social services
- Medical, dental, and mental health services
- Development screening and assessment
- Educational and recreation opportunities
- Services for children with special health needs including respite care
- Language assistance and resources in the primary language
Sharing Resources with Families
Specific ways you can help families include:
- Identifying Resources: Let families know the services available so they can choose the most appropriate resource for their unique situation. Be aware of cultural and language issues.
- Linking Families to Services: Families may be overwhelmed by the array and/or requirements for accessing various resources. You may be able to help by making initial calls, providing a contact name and info, or simplifying directions.
- Connecting families to other families: Families sharing similar needs or dealing with similar issues may support each other; team up to seek other advocates, work together to create supports for unmet family needs.
- Easing transitions from your program to the next: Moving up to Kindergarten or another program is traumatic so work with the family to provide toward smooth hand-offs and continuity of care and education.
Resources Benefiting Care Providers and Teachers
Community resources can benefit you in your work as you plan curriculum and seek out resources for your classroom / program.
Check out what is available to you through:
- The public library
- A children’s museum
- Public health Department
- Your school district
Volunteers as Resources
Another way to share the larger community with the children in our care is by inviting volunteers into your classroom or family home child care program. Remember the Brofenbrenner circles or the nesting dolls? Volunteers are one means for accessing the Exosystem. Think of all of the talent and interests family members, grandparents, teenagers, or community members might share with children. Imagine the projects they might supervise, the fun stories they might read, the extra pair of hands they could offer at snack time, or the additional eyes and ears they could provide during outdoor playtime. Since volunteers are invited to be in contact with young children, protective policies and procedures need to be in place. Your guidebook sites the WACs and explanations of these laws, so make certain you know what to expect from volunteers.
“It takes a village to raise a child, seek out your fellow villagers!”
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