Families, Providers Can Send OCDEL Family Engagement Stories by October 23
Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is asking for families and early childhood educators to share a short story or video about meaningful family engagement by Friday, October 23 for the chance to have it featured by OCDEL during National Family Engagement Month.
According to OCDEL, family engagement refers to an ongoing partnership between families and professionals in which families’ strengths, knowledge, experience, and voices are valued to support their children and families and to strengthen programs, communities, and the broader early childhood system.
To celebrate National Family Engagement Month in November, families and early childhood educators are invited to share stories about meaningful family engagement. These can be submitted by a family, professional or provider, or jointly by a family and a provider.
What Stories Should Focus On
Stories should highlight:
Partnerships in the home as families and professionals work together to support children and family goals
Partnerships in early childhood programs and services, where families and professionals partner in planning, learning, and decision-making
Partnerships in communities and systems, where family voices and leadership help to shape programs, services, policies, and practices
Family voice and leadership, family-professional partnerships, systems change and impact, or innovation and success
Initiatives such as workshops, trainings, parent cafes, advisory groups, peer support opportunities, and other activities that help families to build leadership skills, connect with other families, and contribute to positive change in their communities and systems
Selected stories may be featured throughout November to celebrate families and professionals working together, elevate varied family experiences, and inspire meaningful family engagement and leadership in Pennsylvania.
Submissions can be:
A written story or article of up to 300 words
A three- to five-minute video sharing an experience and the impact of the partnership
Professionals and providers should obtain consent before sharing stories on behalf of families. If any photos or videos submitted include images or identifiable information of a child or family, make sure you have permission to share those materials.
Questions should be directed to Sadia Batool, OCDEL’s family engagement and leadership coordinator, at c-sabatool@pa.gov.