Child welfare agencies across the country are turning to parent partner programs as a powerful approach in their efforts to change the way they work with families. Through these programs, parents with experience in child welfare provide mentoring and support to other parents who are entering the system. The Parent Partner Program Navigator guides child welfare administrators, staff, and parent leaders through key components of designing and implementing successful parent partner programs. Developed collaboratively with experienced parent partners and program coordinators, the Navigator offers guidance and capacity building resources based on research, practice experience, and implementation science.
The Navigator charts the course of program development and can help those new to parent partner programs avoid common “hazards.” You will find information and resources in the following four domains:
- Assessing needs, readiness, and capacity
- Program design
- Program management
- Engagement and partnership building
Each domain area includes multiple components with background information, guidance, and links to related resources and tools. The components are designed to provide a concise, high-level introduction to the various aspects of parent partner program design and implementation.
States and jurisdictions just beginning the design and implementation process are encouraged to begin with assessing their needs and work their way through the remainder of the Navigator’s components; others with existing programs may focus on specific areas of interest. While presented sequentially, you may need to “loop back” to earlier components as your program progresses.
