Parent Leadership
What is parent leadership?
Parents using their lived experience, knowledge and skills to influence decisions, programs, and policies that affect families.
Allowing parents to take the lead on programs and advocating for what the community needs.
What is advocacy?
Speaking up for yourself or others to ensure needs, rights, and concerns are heard and addressed.
What is PAC and does PAC stand for?
Parent Advisory Council
A group of parents who provide feedback, share ideas, and help guide program decisions and activities.
What skill help staff understand a parent's needs, strengths, and goals?
Active listening
How can staff support a parent who wants to lead a workshop?
Collaborate with a parent, identify their strengths, provide resources or training and support their leadership without taking over.
What does a true partnership between parents and FSC Staff look like?
Shared decision making, mutual respect, open communication, and meaningful opportunities for parents to influence programs and priorities.
Why is it important for parents to have a voice in decisions that affect their families and communities?
Parent voices help ensure services reflect real family needs, promote equity, influence policies and programs, and empower parents to become leaders and agents of change.