Topic 3 Page 19

Sentry Page Protection

Student Login Unit 4

Unit 4 Student Login

Welcome, (First Name)!

Enter Member Area

My Profile Log Out

(Unit 4) Topic 3: Family and Community Partnerships

3 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Types of Resources

Topic 3 Page 19

Part of supporting children and families is recognizing, valuing, identifying, and referring to community resources when needed. Families often don’t know what resources are available in their community or how to access them.

Barriers such as language, culture, education, etc. may make it difficult for some families to find and/or contact needed services. Early childhood educators need to recognize when families or children need additional help, more than you can offer.

Remember that your role is NOT that of a counselor or diagnosing doctor. Instead you must be able to recognize when a situation calls for professional intervention and/or assessment.

Identifying the broad-range of community resources and support available to families is necessary to providing appropriate referrals. Types of community resources typically needed by families of young children are:

Housing, food, and social services
Medical, dental, and mental health services
Development screening and assessment
Educational and recreation opportunities
Services for children with special health needs including respite care
Language assistance and resources in the primary language

Specific ways you can help families include: 

Identifying Resources: Let families know the services available so they can choose the most appropriate resource for their unique situation. Be aware of cultural and language issues
Linking Families to Services: Families may be overwhelmed by the array and/or requirements for accessing various resources. You may be able to help by making initial calls, providing a contact name and info, or simplifying directions.
Connecting families to other families: Families sharing similar needs or dealing with similar issues may support each other; team up to seek other advocates, work together to create supports for unmet family needs.
Easing transitions from your program to the next: Moving up to Kindergarten or another program can be traumatic so work with the family to provide smooth continuity of care and education.

Community Resources
Some families in your program will require more specific information related to their particular needs. In this case, you may be able to provide information about professionals, agencies, or other services. Consider gathering information about different resources that may be helpful to families at the beginning of the year to make sure your information is current and up to date. As you get to know the families of children in your program better, you may also be able to find resources that are more specific to their needs. Your list of resource topics may include the following: