Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Family Relations through Parenting and Child Development Programs
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities
Fentress, DeRamus
Family Development General
Aging-General
Active Living and Health Promotions General
“School-readiness” is a broad term that refers to multiple precursor cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills that indicate young children are prepared to learn and thrive in the school environment. A wide body of research shows a strong foundation in school readiness is indicative of school success. Emerging research also indicates that there is a synergistic effect when early learning activities activate physical and cognitive skills simultaneously, as opposed to doing so in isolation. However, in the state of Kentucky only 50% of children are deemed “school-ready” when they enter Kindergarten. These numbers indicate a need for more activities that support school-readiness by building multiple skill sets simultaneously.
96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care. Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care settings in the country. 15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home. Kinship care providers need support. Within the population of Hardin County, people who are Baby Boomers (Born between 1944 and 1964) will be reaching retirement age between 2020-2025 at a rate of 70%. More importantly, a number of residents within communities have grandparents raising their grandchildren. Programs with an emphasis on increasing knowledge of the basic principles of healthy homes, energy efficiency, clutter free homes, and keeping our children safe will be essential for these times.
- Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Hardin County
- Improve academic success for children in Hardin County
Parenting Program - CD
- Participants will make an effort to increase the amount of time that they are spending with their children and provide them with stimulating activities that promote a positive learning environment and nurturing relationships.
- Participants will make well informed decisions about their children’s health, safety, and education.
- Increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
- Increase number of learning activities experienced at home
- Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
- Increase caregiver advocacy for children in their care including legal, medical, social, and educational services
- Increase access of community services to caregivers
Parenting Program - CD
- Participants will utilize communication techniques learned thru the parenting program to improve the relationship with their children.
- Parents will implement nurturing techniques in their home to encourage a better relationship and bond with their children.
- Parents will continue to seek out resources for help and support to assist them in making informed decisions about preparing their children for success in their academic pursuits.
- Kentuckians understand the importance of developmentally appropriate play to their child’s academic success
- Increase child’s ability to express appropriate emotion
- Improve child’s gross motor skills
- Improve child’s early literacy skills including phonological awareness, print awareness, and vocabulary
- Increase awareness of indicators of high-risk adolescent behaviors
- Identify key points of adolescent development
- Establish realistic expectations for teen behavior, and explore changing relationships within families
Parenting Program - CD
Initial Outcomes
- Change knowledge and basic understanding of parenting techniques on discipline techniques to encourage positive development in children and teens.
- Improve knowledge of techniques and strategies for increasing self-awareness in proper family roles.
- Improve knowledge of how parents should establish family rules and boundaries within their family.
- Participants will develop skills to develop a plan that includes details on how they will implement positive nurturing parenting techniques and positive reinforcement discipline techniques with their children.
- Improve knowledge of positive discipline techniques, appropriate developmental expectations, and children's & teens brain development.
Outcome: Kentuckians learn fun age appropriate activities to aid in their child’s healthy development.
Indicator: Number of parents who expressed learning new activities to engage their children at home.
Method: Laugh and Learn Play Dates Survey
Timeline: January - December
Outcome: Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
Indicator: How many children increased their ability to express emotion after attending the program?
Method: Stories, Songs, and Stretches Survey
Timeline: July - June
Outcome: Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Hardin County.
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many parents reported improved gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and early literacy skills?)
Method: Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Kindergarten Readiness Results
Timeline: July- June
Outcome: Increase skills and resources of caregivers to provide effective care for young relatives
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many caregivers improve skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy)
Method: Parenting a Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation
Timeline: Post program evaluation
Parenting Program - CD
Outcome: Participants are re-unified with their children and families.
Indicator: Participants complete 6-8 week Parenting program and receive a certificate.
Participants gain custody of their children thru Kentucky judicial court system and Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (Child Protective Services).
Method: Nurturing Parenting (Nurturing Skills for Families) Evaluation, Parenting the Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation, Active Parenting Evaluation, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Evaluation - Curriculum will Depend on Audience, Pre & Post test evaluation (assessment)
Date: January - November
Outcome: Participants will make an effort to increase the amount of time that they are spending with their children and provide them with stimulating activities that promote a positive learning environment and nurturing relationships.
Indicator: Parents increase the amount of time they are spending with children at their discretion.
Method: Nurturing Parenting (Nurturing Skills for Families) Evaluation, Parenting the Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation, Active Parenting Evaluation, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Evaluation - Curriculum will Depend on Audience, Pre & Post test evaluation (assessment)
Date: August 2023-November 2023, January - May 2024
Audience: Preschool aged children and their parent(s)
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Laugh and Learn Playdates
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches
Inputs: FCS Agent, Local Preschool, Library
Date: On-Going
Audience: Kinship Caregivers
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Parenting a Second Time Around, Life Story/Memory Banking, Traditions, AARP Prepare to Care
Inputs: FCS Agent, Library, local caregiving groups
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Teen Parents
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Parenting, Financial Management, Workforce Readiness
Inputs: FCS Agent, local high schools
Date: Fall 2021
Parenting Program- CD
Audience: Families and Individuals, Families Impacted by Addiction, Limited Resource Audiences
Project or Activity: Parenting Program - C.A.R.E. Families
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Parenting (Nurturing Skills for Families), Parenting the Second Time Around (PASTA), Active Parenting, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Readiness
Inputs: FCS Agent, Local Mental Health Organizations, Child Welfare Agencies, Domestic Violence Shelters, Military Family Development Programs, Schools
Date: January 2024-November 2025 (On-going)
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Family Development General
“Hardin County & LaRue County Community Baby Shower Brings New Connections for Families”On this year, Hardin County residents faced many challenges as inflation has changed things for families. Some of the changes that have occurred within Hardin County include increased prices on food, gas, utilities, insurance, and rental costs. With those changes, it can impact household budgets and how much families can contribute to the necessary things that are needed especially for familie
