Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-importance-of-parent-provider-relationships-in-early-education/5023748/
Early on in my career, I encountered a challenge that many of today’s parents face. I was living away from my extended family while expecting my first child, and I found myself wondering, who can I trust to care for and educate my child while I’m at work? Who can my family turn to for support as we raise a child?
In the years that have passed since I first considered these questions, the parenting world has changed. Now, more parents face the same circumstances. Fewer than one-third of children in the United States have a stay-at-home parent, compared to a generation ago when more than 50 percent of children had a parent at home, according to the Center for American Progress (https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ChildCareFactsheet.pdf). Jobs and new opportunities take families all over the globe, which means many face parenthood without a support system of close relatives and friends.
As a result, it’s more important than ever for early education and care providers to be trusted partners to parents.
The Importance of Parent-Provider Partnerships
Strong relationships between parents and providers impact all aspects of the early education and care experience and play a critical role in empowering children to succeed. Healthy childhood development depends on the quality ...