Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

Services to Expectant Families

AHSA/STG Training DayFebruary 24, 2010

Alecia Jackson, M.EdGrantee Performance Support Specialist

Region IX Head Start Training and Technical Consulting Assistance Support

Tina Sykes, M.EdInfant/Toddler Specialist

Head Start State-Based T/TA Office for Arizona

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Objectives

Participants will discuss Head Start Performance Standards related to serving expectant families

Participants will explore eligibility and enrollment of expectant families

Participants will understand how strong management systems and community partnerships serve as the foundation for services to expectant families

Participants will review strategies for partnering with teen parents, parents with disabilities, parents experiencing miscarriage or still birth

Participants will review examples of pre-natal curricula

Participants will examine ways EHS programs can begin to plan for comprehensive services to expectant families

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Agenda

Welcome Objectives Why does EHS serve expectant families? Eligibility and Enrollment of Expectant Families What do the Performance Standards state? Family Partnership Agreement Community Assessment and Community Partnerships Special Deliveries Review of curricula and resources Ongoing Monitoring and Tracking Back Home Plans Questions and Wrap-up

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Why does EHS serve Expectant Families?

A healthy pregnancy has a direct influence on the health and development of a newborn child

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Why does EHS serve Expectant Families?

The pre-natal period ofgrowth and developmenthas a lasting impact onthe child’s potential forhealthy growth anddevelopment after birth

~Attachment for Information Memorandum ACFY-IM-HS-0204 Services to Pregnant Women Participating in Early HeadStart

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Why does EHS serve Expectant Families?

Early, continuous support and services provideopportunities for:

– Healthy pregnancies and positive child birth outcomes

– Supportive postpartum care for parents and child– Fully involving fathers in the lives of their very

young children– Nurturing and responsive care during infancy

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Eligibility and Enrollment of Expectant Families

Not all pregnant women in thecommunity are suitable candidates

for the EHS program

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Enrollment

• Pregnant women count as one enrollment slot• According to 45CFR 1306, pregnant women

are not enrolled in Head Start Program Options

• Once the child is born, the child is enrolled in one of the EHS program options

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Income Eligibility

• A pregnant woman is counted as 2 family members

• One for the pregnant mom and one for the unborn child who will be enrolled in one of the program options after birth.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Income Eligibility

• Unmarried Pregnant Teen Mom• Her own income determines eligibility regardless of her

parents’ income

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Time to enroll…

Meet Anahi, Layla, Jasmine and Rebecca…

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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What do the Performance Standards state?

1304.40 (c) (1)-(3):EHS programs must provide expectant familiespre-natal education on:

FETAL DEVELOPMENT, including risks from smoking and alcohol

LABOR AND DELIVERYPOSTPARTUM RECOVERY, including information on maternal

depressionBENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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What do the Performance Standards state?

EHS programs must assist expectant families inaccessing:

Comprehensive prenatal health carePostpartum health careThis care includes:

• Early and continuing risk assessments• Health promotion and treatment• Mental health intervention and follow-up

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Individualized Approach

• The HS Performance Standards specify the supports and services that EHS programs must offer pregnant women

• Each program must determine how these supports and services will be accomplished

• These supports and services are outlined within Family Partnerships

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Family Partnerships

Family Partnerships begin with DevelopingRelationships

“Since you found out you were pregnant, what kinds of things have you been thinking about?”

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Family Partnerships

The development of an approach to services for pregnant women is best defined

in the broadest terms as the goals and process for learning.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Developing Family Partnership Agreement Outcomes

Performance Standard [45 CFR 1304.40 (a)(2)] describes a process for developing a Family Partnership Agreement that can provide a framework for developing services for pregnant women.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Developing Family Partnership Agreement Outcomes

This approach would include: • identifying the goals for participating families• creating the strategies through which they will

achieve these goals• determining EHS staff and parent responsibilities• developing a timeline to carry out the plan

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Community Assessment

The planning process for serving expectant families begins with the

Community Assessment

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Community Assessment

Community Assessments identify:

• Needs of the expectant families in the community

• Services expectant families require

• Resources available to meet identified needs

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Community Partnerships

Let’s meet our panel of Community Partners• Arizona Postpartum Wellness Coalition• Maricopa County WIC• Banner Pre-natal Education Coordinator

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Special Deliveries

• Teen parents and Multigenerational families• Expectant parents with disabilities or cognitive

delays• Parents experiencing miscarriage or still birth

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Teen Parents in Arizona

• In 2007, 14,713 females age 15 to 19 became pregnant in Arizona.

• 12,792 of these pregnancies resulted in live births (86.9%), 1,837 pregnancies were aborted (12.5%) and 84 pregnancies resulted in fetal deaths (.6%).

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Teen Parents

• Babies born to teens are more likely to be pre-term and of low birth weight.

• Babies born to teens are at a greater risk of serious long term illness, of developmental delays and of dying in the first year of life.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with Teen Parents in EHS

What are some effective strategies

you can use to engage pregnant and

parenting teens?

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with Teen Parents in EHS

Strategies• Persistence• Creativity• Let the teen teach you• Listen, listen and listen some more• Use your co-workers• Try and try again

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with Multigenerational Families

• According to the UnitedStates Census Bureau,Multigenerational family households are definedas households that consistof "three or moregenerations of parentsand their families.”

• These types of living situations span all races and ethnicities.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with Multigenerational Families

What are some effective strategies

you can use to partner with

multigenerational families?

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with Multigenerational Families

Strategies• Understanding of the role each family member plays

within the family• Develop professional relationships with all members of

the family

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with expectant parents with disabilities

• physical, visual and auditory disabilities• intellectual disabilities• diverse medical conditions

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with expectant parents with disabilities

What are some effective strategies

for working with expectant parents with disabilities?

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with expectant parents with disabilities

Strategies: • Knowledge of the disability• Knowledge of challenges the expectant parent might

face• Communication with family members • Communication with health care providers• Knowledge of adaptive equipment that may assist the

expectant parent• Understanding that a disabled woman who is pregnant

is quite similar to a non disabled pregnant woman

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with parents experiencing miscarriage and stillbirth

Miscarriage • term used for a

pregnancy that ends on it's own, within the first 20 weeks of gestation

• most common type of pregnancy loss, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

Stillbirth• term used for the

delivery of a baby who has died, and is greater than 20 weeks gestation

• cannot be predicted, nor can we predict whom it will affect

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with parents experiencing miscarriage and still birth

What are some effective strategies for partnering with

parents experiencing miscarriage and still

birth?

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Partnering with parents experiencing miscarriage and still birth

Strategies• Give parents time• Acknowledge their grief and loss• Communicate with family members• Communicate with health care providers• Provide resources in a timely manner• Acknowledge your own feelings

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Review of Curricula

Head Start Performance Standards do NOT require the use of a specific curriculum for

pregnant women

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Ongoing Monitoring and Tracking

Head Start Program Performance Standard 1304.20 (b)(2) requires programs to follow up with each family to determine whether the kind, quality, and timeliness of services received through referrals meet family expectations and circumstances

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Ongoing Monitoring and Tracking

Record KeepingReportingSelf Assessment and

Monitoring

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Back Home Plans

Some questions to consider:• How are you currently serving expectant

families?• Have you established strong community

partnerships?• Are the required Performance Standards

being met?• How is the management system supporting

work with expectant families?

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Final Thought…

Whether pregnancy is meticulously planned or happens by surprise, one thing is certain

-- life will never be the same.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for ArizonaA member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Questions?