1. Parent Support Advisory Group Preliminary Recommendations to Early Learning Council June 2006

2. Participants Alaric Bien, Chinese Information & Service Center Carmen Bowser, Catholic Family & Child Service (CFCS) Bridgett Chandler, Consultant Rene Doran, United Way Thurston County Bernie Dorsey, Conscious Fathering Ginny English, Within Reach Denise Farrand, CHILD Profile Nick Federici, United Way of King County Blanca Fernandez, Big Bend Community College Kate Frew, Children's Trust Foundation Alia Griffing, United Way of King County Laura Hitchcock, United Way of King County Karen Howell-Clark, United Way of King County Jean Kelly, University of Washington Center on Infant Mental Health Garrison Kurtz, Foundation for Early Learning Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society Paola Maranan, Children's Alliance Yaffa Maritz, Listening Mothers **Roseann Martinez, Consultant Carol Maurer, King County Children & Family Commission Linda McDaniels, Parent Trust for Washington Children David Okimoto, United Way of King County Estela Ortega, El Centro de la Raza Sally Pritchard, United Way Spokane County Margie Reeves, Statewide Community Network Coalition Kristi Reardon, United Way Snohomish County Mary Helen Roberts, 21st District State Representative Jennifer Sass-Walton, Skagit County Health Department Jill Sells, Docs for Tots Joan Sharp, Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Kip Tokuda, Seattle Family & Youth Services* Harla Tumbleson, SOAR, helping kids reach for the sky Kristin Wiggins, Early Care & Education Coalition Sherry Wong, Talaris Research Institute *Chair ** Facilitator

3. Why Parent Support is Important to Early Learning Parents are children’s “first teachers” Children not ready for school are in formal, informal child care or home with parents All children have parent(s), whether or not in formal or informal child care THEREFORE – We view focus on parents – regardless of where their children spend the day – as critical

4. Findings & Conclusions FOUNDATIONS Every parenting family needs critical foundations to help them succeed Health care access Economic and housing stability Time for bonding

5. Findings & Conclusions (continued) All parents need support. AND Vulnerable populations will need extra assistance.

6. Findings & Conclusions (continued) Parents Need Access to a Continuum of Support State does have a critical role to play –Ensuring opportunities are there for parents –Accessibility and relevance –Voluntary (usually) –Mandatory (justice or child protective system)

7. Findings & Conclusions (continued) Pillars of Parent Support Individualized, personal support, Informal research and self-education, Group, personal support, Formalized education, and Information, referral and advice.

8. Recommendations Institutionalize Parent Support as Necessary for Early Learning Develop a permanent Parent Support Advisory Committee Fund and expand effective current programs

9. Recommendations (continued) Better Understand Parent Support Needs & Tie to Child Outcomes Statewide Needs Assessment Assessment of Current Services, Delivery Models

10. Recommendations (continued) (Better Understand Parent Support Needs & Tie to Child Outcomes) I.d. and remove barriers Create R & D and child outcome feedback mechanisms Strengthen infrastructure to ensure access to services

11. Recommendations (continued) Drive Innovation and Leverage Support Encourage private sector support Promote innovative, evidence-based programs

12. Recommended Next Steps Formalize Parent Support Advisory Group as a Technical Advisory Committee to work with ELC to: Develop specific policy recommendations and priorities related to parent support and Guide the necessary financing research work on those recommendations.