Teachers from day one.
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is an evidence-based parent education and support program designed to empower parents as their child’s first teacher. PAT utilizes a home visitation model, working with families from pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten.
PAT aims to improve parenting practices by increasing a parent’s knowledge of early childhood development. Through home visits and ongoing assessment, parent educators are able to provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues, help in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and increase children’s school readiness and success.
Components critical for success.
The PAT model has four dynamic components that together create a cohesive package of services for families with young children:
- Personal Visits: certified parent educators share age-appropriate child development information with parents and caregivers to engage the family in activities that provide meaningful parent and child interaction.
- Group Meetings: relay of important information about child development, offering parents opportunities to interact and support one another.
- Health & Developmental Screenings: detect any developmental delays or health issues early in a child’s life.
- Resource Network: connects families with resources to help them reach their goals and address their individual needs.
Currently, PAT reaches 2,917 children and their families through 29 sites in 38 counties.
Parent Possible works in close partnership with Parents as Teachers National Center, which oversees the replication of PAT both nationally and internationally. For more information on PAT worldwide, visit parentsasteachers.org.
58%
of Colorado’s PAT children are Hispanic/Latino, 87% White, and 13% other.
33%
of PAT families speak Spanish as their primary language.
85%
of PAT families served had major risk factors, such as low-income and low educational attainment.