Family-Professional Partnerships in Head Start: Practical Strategies Using a Partnership Intervention

Abstract

This research to practice summarizes the findings of a study of family-professional partnerships in a Head Start.  Head Start’s commitment to family partnership, makes the program selected an exemplar for positive beliefs about families and the importance of partnership. Using the foundations of self-determination as a context for intervention, intentional interactions and increased understanding of both the teachers and the family members helped the research team better understand if the intervention was feasible in a Head Start setting. This summary includes the methods, findings, and practice implications for the study. Implications include the importance of home and school collaboration to mutually benefit children with special and unique learning needs.