Sue Stepleton: Education is a nonpartisan issue—parent and family education [which supports parents and others in being effective first teachers for kids] helps prevent abuse and neglect, provides a jump-start for high-risk families ... and strengthens the existing education system. Aside from being the right thing to do, the data make a solid case for the positive economic return on investment of educating children during the earliest years. Parents are their child’s first teachers, and we need to make sure they are well supported3no matter what challenges they might face.

Jane Callahan: An NBC News report showed education as the third most important election issue in 2008, just behind the economy and the war in Iraq. This election has the potential to significantly increase the prominence of early childhood education and family support issues. If you review the presidential candidates' Web sites and listen to their speeches, you'll notice that some of the candidates have a real commitment to early childhood issues, both in their platforms and as evidenced in their past work on these issues. Beyond the presidential race, it is also an important election year for congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative seats. It is critical that early childhood and home visiting advocates speak out now and during the general election about the importance of investing in our families and children on both the federal and state levels.

Sue Stepleton: With immigration on the rise, educational programs need to increase ethnic, cultural and language diversity. We need to find resources to support early childhood programs – center-based, as well as family support (including parent education). We recognize obesity, nutrition and fitness as increasingly important issues with local, state and federal policymakers. Beyond these, we expect early education to be a part of discussions on school readiness, pre-K programs and assisting families in dealing with trauma.

Jane Callahan: Decisions that are made at the federal and state level are all crucial. At the federal level, we have Head Start, CHIP and the No Child Left Behind legislation that each have huge implications for families across the country. We’re also seeing considerable activity at the state level as states continue to renew ongoing commitments to early childhood programs, such as Parents as Teachers in Missouri and pre-K in Oklahoma. Many states are also moving forward with exciting new initiatives, such as the new pre-K program in Florida and Iowa's expanded funding of an empowerment initiative that funds early childhood programs, including home visitation services throughout the state.

Jane Callahan: We are delighted when policymakers are interested and engaged in the work that Parents as Teachers does with families. While we remain steadfast in our mission, we are open to new ideas and trends that are of interest to policymakers. Our pilot project to serve military families is a perfect example. The concept for the program came from a member of Congress who proposed to offer our services to military families. This suggestion was the genesis of Parents as Teachers’ blossoming Heroes at Home program, which provides tailored services for military families with young children.

Sue Stepleton: Personalize the message. Find the hook with decision-makers by connecting your message to their own experience with young children. After all, who didn't feel responsible and overwhelmed as a parent? Once you establish a connection, then present your research and key findings. Finally, show the long-term economic impact and benefits to their constituents.

Jane Callahan: We have found that our most effective advocates are the community-based parent educators who work with families every day. When our local Parents as Teachers advocates can get a policymaker to visit their program, or observe a group meeting and a home visit, that person experiences an almost magical "ah-ha moment" that helps them understand and appreciate the work we do with families. Beyond the personal meetings, we use our strong research outcomes to help policymakers understand that Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based program that makes a real difference in the lives of families. More than ever, policymakers are concerned about investing in proven early childhood and family support programs that produce a return on investment. We're proud of the fact that Parents as Teachers is a cost-effective, evidence-based program that generates solid results.

Sue Stepleton: Learn to use business language and economic arguments, but personalize the discussion with individual success stories and appropriate anecdotes for your audience. Don't complain about the lack of funding, issues in education, or the politics that surround your particular issue. Instead, propose solutions that are worth a long-term investment. Understand your legislator’s need to prioritize, but don’t accept a response of "Where would we get the money?" That is not an adequate response to meeting families’ needs. Children deserve the investment.

Jane Callahan: The informed, passionate early childhood professionals and the families who receive services should be at the forefront of our advocacy efforts. Policymakers listen with a different set of ears when someone from their home district reaches out to tell them about the impact of family support and early education services in their local communities. Whenever possible, we encourage local programs to include families who are currently receiving home visiting services to be involved in program advocacy efforts. Some of our most effective advocacy efforts have resulted from local Parents as Teachers programs collaborating with unlikely allies to bring their message forward – groups such as law enforcement officials, health care professionals, business leaders, and school administrators. It makes a compelling case for early childhood and home visitation programs when these various groups band together to move the agenda forward.

Resources:

• Parents as Teachers National Center
• CFK’s Taking Action topic page, where you’ll find more advocacy tools, templates to write letters to the editor, funding guides and a link to the Youth Policy Action Center.