The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, or ECEAP, (Washington’s state-funded pre-kindergarten program) is designed to prepare 3- and 4-year-old children from low-income and at-risk families for success in school and in life. Its comprehensive approach includes:- Preschool education;
- Family support;
- Parent involvement; and
- Health and nutrition services.
The program is doing a two-year pilot to help learn what helps families most and what resources are needed. To get a full look at the year-one report, go here: http://bit.ly/2cYIREH.
- Learn about the best ways to
help families advance their goals, well-being and self-reliance;
- Test a statewide Family
Strengths and Needs Assessment. The assessment helps to see family
strengths, needs, and goals and note the progress that families are
making.
What Did We Learn from Year One?
ECEAP contractors tested two family support models, EMPath
Mobility Mentoring® and the Family Development Matrix model. These models were
chosen because they helped families in other states improve their well-being
and family goals.
EMPath’s Mobility Mentoring® Model. This
approach, grounded in EMPath’s Bridge to Self-Sufficiency™, articulates a
family’s transformative journey from poverty to economic self-sufficiency by
optimizing the family’s life in five domains: family stability; well-being;
financial management; education; and career management. ECEAP family
support staff act as Mobility Mentoring® coaches who partner with families
to help them acquire resources and skills, and sustain behavior changes. EMPath
outcomes include dramatic increases in education and training participation
(45%) and household savings (63%).
Family Development Matrix Model. The
Family Development Matrix (FDM) model is a family decision-making and
goal-setting model that uses an assessment tool and online database with
indicators to measure family and program outcomes. A 2014 California
evaluation showed increases of between 10.8 and 15.9 points in percentages of
families at the safe/self-sufficient levels in areas such as: children’s social
and emotional development, and parental resilience.
Who Participated?
Fourteen ECEAP sites serving families in cities and towns across
the State tested each model. 1,552 families of different races, ethnicities,
and home languages participated for the complete year.
What Were the Results?
Families in both models made gains between the beginning and end
of the year. ECEAP staff said they liked how the tools from these models helped
them have deeper conversations with families, so they could make sure that
services and resources fit each family’s needs. They also enjoyed seeing
families meet their goals.
What is Happening in Year Two of the Pilot?
- Based on the information
gathered in year one, DEL decided that Mobility Mentoring® was the best
model for ECEAP. Staff from 20 contractors attended the EMPath Mobility
Mentoring® training in August, 2016. These staff will train the family
advocates. Family support services will begin when ECEAP starts in
September. DEL ECEAP will provide ongoing training and support to
contractors who are using Mobility Mentoring®.
- Family support conversations
will be guided by ECEAP Bridge to Child and Family Self-Reliance.
- DEL will ask all ECEAP families to take a survey at the end of the year. This will help us learn what services helped most and what else we can do to improve services.
- DEL will review the data and results. We will use this to recommend the next steps for family support in ECEAP.
No comments:
Post a Comment