The vital years	253

  In the United States, the Missouri Parents As Teachers program is an important trailblazer.25 It started in 1981 as a pilot program - under the Parents as First Teachers title - and its early results were thoroughly researched. When all children in the pilot reached age three, a randomly-selected group was tested against a carefully-matched comparison group. In all significant areas - language, problem-solving, health, intellectual skills, relating to others and confidence - the PAT group scored much better.
   PAT is now a state-funded service provided by all 543 public school districts in Missouri. Today about 60,000 Missouri families, with children from birth to three, take part in the program. They're being helped by about 1500 trained part-time "parent-educators". Every month, each parent is visited by a parent-educator, who offers information about the next phase of each child's development and suggests practical ways parents can encourage sound growth. Parent-educators also offer tips on home safety, effective discipline, constructive play and other topics.
  At each visit, the parent-educator takes along toys and books suitable for the next likely phase of development, discusses what parents can expect, and leaves behind a one-sheet series of tips on how to stimulate the child's interest through that next stage.
  "Families receive three types of service," says parent-educator Joy Rouse.26 "The primary part is the monthly home visit. We also provide group meetings - a chance for parents to come together with other families who have children in the same age-group. Sometimes it will be for parent-child activities, others to hear a consultant talk about child development or parenting, and sometimes it's just a fun time. The third component is screening, and this is a key component. We screen for language development, general development, hearing and vision. We also have a network where we can refer families with special needs."
  Many Missouri schools link their PAT work with other programs. The Ferguson Florissant School District, in St. Louis county, is typical.27 It runs six separate preschool programs: PAT; a LINK program, with parents and infants together on courses; "Saturday School" - a half-day for four-year-olds, with group visits at home; a program for three-year-olds; a child-care center, with youngsters from two to five, where parents pay; and an education program for preschoolers with special needs. The day-care center operates at the local high school, and is used as part of a training program for teenage high-school pupils.

First	Prev	Top	Next	Last

Contents Page   Preface    Introduction