In 1990, Cooperative Extension through grants from USDA established school-age child care programs for children 5 to 14 years old. Thirty program site directors were surveyed to review the best interaction methods and practices for working with school-age children in child care and their families. The following were cited as the best practices.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT THE CHILD AND FAMILY

• Parents from families considered at risk have different resource needs and participation needs.
• Families cannot always attend meetings because they need transportation, need child care for younger children, have inflexible work schedules, or have court disputes.
• Many of the families are distrustful of anyone on the school staff.
• Many families were preoccupied or "not educationally, socially, financially, or interpersonally equipped" to provide for child's needs.
• Parents require a variety of resource and developmental needs to perform their job as parents.
• The term "parenting classes" is unpopular. Educational efforts with creative titles scheduled at the most convenient times for parents often packaging them as family activities such as family video and popcorn nights or theme (i.e., costume parties or children's parades) events were most attended.
• Children come to the program with multiple pre-existing problems and concerns (divorce, violence, blended families, few resources)from home which affects learning.
• Provider's need to offer an array of options for parent involvement such as a parent advisory board, obtaining letters of program endorsement from parents, holding open houses, and establishing a parent volunteer program
• Children are very adept at accepting home and school challenges. Staff responded to children's stressors by devoting time to developing trust between the child and the staff members, presenting children with challenges while giving them opportunities to practice making decisions under the guidance and support of a concerned adult.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Community school-age care programs need human and financial resources in order to influence change in children, families and the community.
• Provider's need to establish a network or support comprised of related agencies and organizational representatives, educators, local decision makers, and business members to develop support.
• Provider's need to inform the larger community about the benefits the program contributes to the citizens of the community. Often citizens are unaware of the barriers faced by families and do not appreciate prevention or service programs.
• To establish a successful school-based program, cooperation with school administration and school staff is essential.
• School officials should be included on the advisory task force in addition to meeting frequently with the school administrators in the initial stages.
• A high quality program is essential to serve as a model of interaction between adults and children and to garner support from all factions.
• Frequent evaluation of the program is necessary. Evaluations can lead to improvements to keep the program vibrant.
• Action in the community affects the school and action in the school program affects the family and subsequently the child.

References

Bogenschneider, K.; Small, S.; Riley, D. (1990). An ecological risk-focused approach for addressing youth-at risk issues. Presentation: National Extension Youth at Risk Summit, Washington, DC.

Copyright/Access Information