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AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program Overview
The AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program operates from September through May for parents with children 0 to 3 years of age. This program has major impact on improving the conditions and outcomes for families with young children. Parents attend weekly classes during this nine-month period. The program contains 27 educational sessions teaching on the cognitive, social, physical, and emotional development of children. Program classes are taught in the preferred language of the participants.
We teach parents how to help their children develop their full potential and often, as parents see potential in their children, they recognize the potential in themselves. Each parent must complete at least 78% of the sessions to graduate from the program. Classrooms with early learning modules and instruction are located on the same site for the children of the parent participants. Transportation and nutritional meals are provided. Families are recruited door-to-door and attend on a voluntary basis at no charge.
AVANCE’s current waiting list is 615, mothers and children included.
The AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program curriculum has four major components, in addition to parenting class instruction:
Educational Toy Making: This hands-on, one hour instructional component helps parents learn about various concepts and skills for good parenting by making toys for their children. Parents work together in a classroom setting, learning how to design and build unique toys.
Parent-Child Time Together: This component engages the parent and child in play activities and uses the interaction as an opportunity for the parent to learn about child development. Help is given to parents in understanding child behavior and in modeling appropriate responses.
Resource Information and Support Services: This component provides speakers and special resource specialists one hour to meet with the parents and give assistance in accessing needed services.
Home Visitation Service: This in-home observation and learning component has a trained aide who works with the parent to learn more about child care, new techniques for working with their children in a positive way and appropriate parent interactions.
AVANCE places significant emphasis on relationship-building between the parent and AVANCE staff, building self-esteem and using community-based resources to support the family needs.
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