SOURCE: Open session presentation (2015). This parent’s story illustrates how many parents who are uncertain about their ability to care for their children face multiple issues in having to use different services, all with distinctive points of entry. Depressed, lonely, and afraid, she faced struggles “every single day, dealing with these challenges on top of just trying to make a living” while trying to build a strong relationship with her child. The stressors in her life were compounded when her son began exhibiting symptoms of asthma, which made her “dread” returning home to be with her son. Without convenient transportation, she spent much of her time commuting on the bus with her son. Her participation in a number of services required appointments in different areas of town. She found information through a program from which she learned the cost of child care for her son, was introduced to the supports and services available to her as a low-income parent, and was assisted in navigating the various services and programs. This parent’s story is one of persistence and resilience, which makes her both similar to and different from many other parents experiencing the same problems. She explained, “I was able to see my problems as connected to larger structural problems,” as information about the complex system of services available for parents was not easily accessible. She believes these are essential components of a complex system of governmental and nongovernmental services, such as child care, that support parents. In overcoming the challenges she faced over the next several years, she came to understand that parents need shared knowledge, access to resources and services, and strong community bonds. At the time of his birth and afterward, she had little knowledge of the community resources available to support her in her parenting role. She presented a poignant picture of the isolation and fear she experienced during the first few years of her son’s life. ![]() The parent-child relationship that the parent described in Box 1-1 sought and continues to work toward is central to children’s growth and BOX 1-1Ī mother of a second grader shared her story with the committee during one of its open sessions. Whether located in early childhood programs, school-based classrooms, well-child clinics, or family networks, support for parents of young children is critical to enhancing healthy early childhood experiences, promoting positive outcomes for children, and helping parents build strong relationships with their children (see Box 1-1). They may be too expensive to access, or they may be substantively inadequate. Resources may be close at hand (e.g., family members), or they may be remote (e.g., government programs). However, these resources may vary in number, availability, and quality at best, and at worst may be offered sporadically or not at all. In addition to biological and adoptive parents, main caregivers may include kinship (e.g., grandparents), foster, and other types of caregivers. To ensure positive experiences for their children, parents draw on the resources of which they are aware or that are at their immediate disposal.ġ In this report, “parents” refers to the primary caregivers of young children in the home. ![]() In short, when parents and other caregivers are able to support young children, children’s lives are enriched, and society is advantaged by their contributions. ![]() Society benefits socially and economically from providing current and future generations of parents with the support they need to raise healthy and thriving children ( Karoly et al., 2005 Lee et al., 2015). It lies as well with governments and organizations at the local/community, state, and national levels that provide programs and services to support parents and families. Becoming a parent is usually a welcomed event, but in some cases, parents’ lives are fraught with problems and uncertainty regarding their ability to ensure their child’s physical, emotional, or economic well-being.Īt the same time, this study was fundamentally informed by recognition that the task of ensuring children’s healthy development does not rest solely with parents or families. While parents generally are filled with anticipation about their children’s unfolding personalities, many also lack knowledge about how best to provide for them. 1 From birth, children are learning and rely on mothers and fathers, as well as other caregivers acting in the parenting role, to protect and care for them and to chart a trajectory that promotes their overall well-being. Parents are among the most important people in the lives of young children.
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