Supporting parents as their children’s first and most important teachers LoveTalkPlay.org

What We Know  There are more than 348,000 children under the age of 3 in Washington state. About 70,000 of those children live in poverty.  Parents say they want information about how to support their child’s healthy growth and learning, but … – Parents are busy and stressed — and bombarded with conflicting messages about what’s important. – Parents who need information and support the most often don’t get it. LoveTalkPlay.org

Campaign Overview  “Love. Talk. Play.” is a simple but powerful message campaign that supports parents as their children’s first and most important teachers.  Campaign Goal: All families — especially families living in vulnerable situations — with children birth to age 3 have the confidence, information and skills needed to give their children a great start in life. LoveTalkPlay.org

Campaign Overview  Led by Thrive by Five Washington, the Dept. of Early Learning and Office of Supt. of Public Instruction and shared with diverse communities of families statewide through early learning regions and state, local partners.  Grounded in science and created with input from parents, national early learning experts and partners to provide families with examples of how to incorporate love, talk and play into everyday activities, such as diaper changing, making a meal or sharing a book. LoveTalkPlay.org

Guiding Principles  Focus on families with children birth to age 3, and on vulnerable, loosely connected communities  Support parents as their children’s first and most important teachers  Continuously learn and improve  Distribute appealing, durable products  Be memorable and positive  Allow communities to implement campaign in the ways that will best work for them  Connect what already exists, and use existing trusted messengers to reach parents, families and caregivers  Prioritize one-on-one and repeat opportunities to connect with families LoveTalkPlay.org

Why Love, Talk and Play? LoveTalkPlay.org LOVE The relationship a child has with his/her parents or primary caregiver sets the stage for all future relationships. Strong bonds make it easier for a child to make friends and do well in school because she feels safe and loved at home. TALK Talking, singing and rhyming helps build a child’s language skills long before he can talk or understand what’s being said. They are also critical in helping him learn to read. PLAY Play is the way a child learns. Through play, children develop language, thinking, motor, creative and social skills.

Campaign History 2010  Research and build campaign 2011  Launch campaign with state’s 10 Early Learning Regions  Support EL Regions in engaging vulnerable families  Create PSA with Seattle Sounders 2012  Include materials in Dept. of Health’s Child Profile mailing to all families with a 6-month-old baby  Begin formal evaluation of campaign  Identify teens as a priority population for the campaign and create Family Engagement Committee LoveTalkPlay.org

Campaign Evaluation: Data Collection LoveTalkPlay.org Partners are asked to complete a Survey Monkey, as the campaign engagement tracker. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes. This tracker can record information from: 1.One time events 2.Materials given on time, e.g. home visiting or Play-n-Learn groups 3.Distribution of messages and materials (unconnected to a specific program or event)

Campaign Evaluation: Results LoveTalkPlay.org From January to May 2012:  About 160 partnerships formed  109 campaign events held  More than 8,000 parents/families reached o Approximately 85% considered in vulnerable situations; 42% not already connected to other early learning programs or services. o Vulnerable = receiving subsidy and other risk guidelines.

Who is Using the Campaign?  Home Visitors  Play and Learn Groups  Teen Parenting Programs  Libraries  DSHS, DEL, DOH  WIC  Child Profile  Media  Child Care Providers  Children’s Museums  Tribal Communities LoveTalkPlay.org

Lessons Learned  Simple and fun works … and is appreciated!  Events are good but one-on-one contact is better  Need both general and personal outreach LoveTalkPlay.org

How You Can Get Started 1.Connect with your Early Learning Region.  Participate in the local conversation about how to coordinate and engage harder-to-reach families in your area 2.Think about ways that you could easily connect your existing work to the words love, talk and play when talking with parents/caregivers you know. 3.Visit LoveTalkPlay.org and share the resource with colleagues and peers. 4.Link to LoveTalkPlay.org on your website. 5.Like us on Facebook. 6.Encourage parents/caregivers to sign up for our weekly tips: LoveTalkPlay.org

Materials LoveTalkPlay.org The best way to get materials is through your Love.Talk.Play. Coordinator with your Regional Early Learning Coalition.

Further Resources: Seattle Sounders to serve as campaign spokespeople! We’re on Facebook and Twitter, too! People can also sign up for a weekly tip. LoveTalkPlay.org