U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (Lock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

School Readiness

Child Outcomes

PFCE framework navigation graphic.Program LeadershipProfessional DevelopmentContinuous Learning and Quality ImprovementProgram EnvironmentFamily PartnershipsTeaching and LearningCommunity PartnershipsAccess and ContinuityFamily Well-BeingPositive Parent-Child RelationshipsFamilies as Lifelong EducatorsFamilies as LearnersFamily Engagement In TransitionsFamily Connections to Peers and CommunityFamilies as Advocates and LeadersChild OutcomesPositive and Goal Oriented RelationshipsCultural and Linguistic Responsiveness

Systemic, integrated, and comprehensive Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) begins with positive, goal-oriented relationships. PFCE focuses first on the family and child outcomes that it is designed to achieve.

In line with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF), the overarching outcomes that virtually all programs strive for are that children are:

  • Safe
  • Healthy and well
  • Learning and developing
  • Engaged in positive relationships with family members, caregivers, and other children
  • Ready for school
  • Successful in school and life

Key Resources

Links between health and the five essential domains of the head start child development and early learning framework.
  • Dearing, E., Kreider, H., Weiss, H. B. (2008). Increased Family Involvement in School Predicts Improved Child-Teacher Relationships and Feelings About School for Low-Income Children. Marriage & Family Review, 43(3-4), 226–254.
  • El Nokali, N. E., Bachman, H. J., Votruba-Drzal, E. (2010). Parent Involvement and Children's Academic and Social Development in Elementary School. Child Development, 81(3), 988–1005. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01447.x
  • Froiland, J. M., Peterson, A., Davison, M. L. (2013). The Long-Term Effects of Early Parent Involvement and Parent Expectation in the USA. School Psychology International, 34(1), 33–50. doi: 10.1177/0143034312454361
  • Klebanov, M. S., Travis, A. D. (2015). The Critical Role of Parenting in Human Development. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
  • Sheridan, S. M., Knoche, L. L., Edwards, C. P., Bovaird, J. , Kupzyk, K. A. (2010). Parent Engagement and School Readiness: Effects of the Getting Ready Intervention on Preschool Children's Social-Emotional Competencies. Early Education and Development, 21(1), 125–156.
  • Sheridan, S. M., Knoche, L. L., Kupzyk, K. A., Edwards, C. P., Marvin, C. A. (2011). A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Parent Engagement on Early Language and Literacy: The Getting Ready intervention. Journal of School Psychology, 49(3), 361–383. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2011.03.001
  • Smythe-Leistico, K. J., Young, C. P., Mulvey, L. A., McCall, R. , Petruska, M., Barone-Martin, C., ... Coffee, B. A. (2012). Blending Theory with Practice: Implementing Kindergarten Transition Using the Systems Framework. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50(3–4), 357–369. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1007/s10464-012-9505-y
  • Starkey, P., Klein, A. (2000). Fostering Parental Support for Children's Mathematical Development: An Intervention with Head Start Families. Early Education and Development, 11(5), 659–680.

HeadStart.gov

official website of the Administration for Children and Families

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov