In six communities across the state, learning networks are committed to embedding and deepening the approach throughout their program, collaborating with local child welfare staff in their community, and increasing parent engagement through training and professional development opportunities, monthly peer to peer learning network meetings, completing a strengthening families self assessment and action plan, and participating in the Love Is Not Enough to Keep Your Family Strong campaign and Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafes.
These local learning networks offer participating early childhood centers the opportunity to:
- Be part of a local learning network and strengthen relationships with colleagues
- Receive staff training on implementing the Strengthening Families approach
- Strengthen their ability to address children’s social and emotional development and challenging behaviors
- Enhance their ability to work with families
- Strengthen relationships with Illinois DCFS – local caseworkers and licensing reps
- Implement an evidenced based model for the prevention of child abuse and neglect with proven outcomes
- Receive recognition, affirmation, and develop a way of presenting the exemplary family strengthening practices centers are already engaged in
- Strengthen understanding of and ability to recognize the effect of trauma on children
- Assess and improve program quality in areas important for NAEYC accreditation
- Enhance quality of practice through training
- Access future funding opportunities
The six pilot communities are: