The Office of Head Start (OHS) is pleased to announce the OHS Summer to Summer Series 2012-2013: Advancing Family Engagement through Professional Development in Family Services. From June 2012 through June 2013, OHS will provide key resources and information to support the ongoing development of staff and supervisors who work with families.

The Summer to Summer Series seeks to support over 25,000 family services staff and supervisors and over 7,000 home visitors who work with families in Head Start and Early Head Start programs across this country. They, along with classroom staff, are important to building relationships with families, engaging families in children’s learning, and helping families set and achieve personal goals.

To mark the beginning of the series for June 2012, OHS released an Information Memorandum (IM) entitled Head Start and Early Head Start Relationship-Based Competencies for Staff and Supervisors who Work With Families (ACF-IM-HS-12-05) and an accompanying technical assistance resource, Head Start and Early Head Start Relationship-Based Competencies for Staff and Supervisors Who Work With Families, to outline the knowledge, skills, and actions of staff working with families in Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The IM also included ideas on how programs may use the competencies for program planning, professional development, and developing community partnerships.

Would you or your staff like to continue receiving information and resources from the Summer to Summer Series?

Send your contact information to OHS_PFCE@HSICC.org. Forward this message to staff in your program who might be interested in the Summer to Summer Series so that they may have an opportunity to respond.

You may also use this email address to send us your questions on the relationship-based competencies or the Summer to Summer Series.