Heather Reed, M.A., R.D., California WIC Program 1 Family Centered Education What is Family Centered Education? A Touch of Class The ABC’s of FCE FCE Pilot Insights

2 About WIC Women, Infants and Children’s Supplemental Nutrition Program –Federally funded by USDA California WIC serves 1.3 million low income, participants at nutritional risk –pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women and infants and children up to age 5 WIC provides nutrition education, checks for nutritious food, and referrals

3 WIC Moves in a New Direction Learner centered is at the heart of WIC education Family activities involve all learners Parents take the learning home

4 WIC Children Get Ready for School In a study of 500 California WIC families….. Less than 10% read to their children Majority had only 5 books Most thought school was the place to learn; not home

5 What is Family Centered Education in WIC? Parents and children having fun together learning about nutrition Parents helping their children get ready for school while at WIC Parents and children interacting with each other in a positive way

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7 Five a Day Jamming 5 a Day Music Welcome Mystery Veggie Bag Book Sharing –How Are You Peeling? Family Activity –Five A Day Count Take Home Learning

8 Grocery Shopping with Families Let’s Go to the Market Welcome & Intro Book Sharing –A Feast for Ten Family Activity –Shopping Bag –Learning Games Take Home Learning

9 Grow Your Own Garden Dirt Made My Lunch Welcome Warm-Up Activity Book Sharing –Growing Vegetable Soup Family Activity –Planting a seed Take Home Learning

10 The ABC’s of FCE… Interesting to the child? Meaningful to adult? Models positive family interactions? Promotes parent as first teacher?

11 WIC Family Centered Nutrition Activities Nutrition book sharing Container gardening Mystery food bags Nutrition songs Supermarket games Tasting activities

12 Making It Family Centered Who is your audience? What is your message? How can you engage the family?

FCE Pilot Evaluation 18 California WIC Agencies Needs Assessment and Evaluation 200 FCE classes in English and Spanish Evaluation-surveys, focus groups and interviews WIC participants, 50 WIC educators

14 Pilot Insights Learn more about the families Make room for FCE –more space, time, materials, preparation Build a FCE community

15 Making Connections 2003-Six California WIC Agencies are working with others to expand FCE Partners-Head Start, School Districts, Libraries, Child Care Programs, EFNEP

16 California WIC Family Centered Education Lesson plans, evaluation report, and resources at For more information: Heather Reed MA, RD Nutrition Training Specialist California WIC Program Phone (916) Lennane Drive, Sacramento CA or FAX to (916)