Parents as Teachers is a home-based program that provides parents with child development knowledge and parenting support. Trained and certified parent educators offer support to families from pregnancy to the time the children enter kindergarten. PAT serves children with and without disabilities. Your home visitor will work closely with you to meet the individualized needs of every child and family.
The goals of PAT are to increase parent knowledge of early childhood development, improve parenting practices, detect developmental delays and health issues early, prevent child abuse and neglect, and increase children's school readiness and success. PAT program services include home visits to families; health, hearing, vision, and developmental screenings of children; parent group meetings; Family Interaction Time; and a resource network that links families with needed community resources.
During the personal home visits, parent educators share age-appropriate child development information with parents, address concerns parents may have and engage the families in activities that provide meaningful parent-child interaction. Home visits are conducted once a month or more if necessary.
Family Interaction Time is an opportunity for families to enjoy parent-child activities with other families, share information about parenting issues and child development. Parents learn from, support each other, and observe their children with other children.
Not yet available in Southern Erie County
Features/Benefits
- Home-based, meaning we come to you!
- Specialized and individualized care for children with disabilities
- PAT program services include home visits to families; health, hearing, vision, and developmental screenings.
Testimonial
A PAT family had been in the PAT program for two years but had not attended Family Interaction Time (FIT) in Titusville until their last year in the program. The family realized their son needed interaction with other children after they observed their daughter entering school age. The first time that he attended a FIT he did not play with any other children. He clung to his mom and his home visitor, and he refused to eat snacks. Mom kept bringing him back to FIT. In the second one that they attended, he still refused snacks, but he started interacting with the staff and some of the children. By the third FIT, he was more comfortable around everyone. Mom was also more comfortable around everyone. Mom is deaf so staff have made sure to position themselves to face Mom when doing transition songs and directives for the next activity, so she was able to read lips. As a program, we are so excited that they have benefited from FIT in such a positive way.
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