About the Family Leadership Mapping Project
As a state, Vermont is committed to increasing opportunities for family leaders, elevating family voice in early childhood decision-making, and building a shared vision for how to sustainably support family partnership in Vermont’s early childhood system. One of the ways this work is moving forward is through the mapping of family leadership opportunities that allow families to influence system-level decisions about early childhood services and policies with a statewide approach.
Browse the Family Leadership Dashboard for an in-depth look at the characteristics of statewide opportunities.
Key Family Leadership Mapping Findings
- 18 opportunities matched the project scope.
- 11 opportunities had at least one role open to an unlimited number of parents and families.
- Opportunities covered 9 areas of impact including family health, education, basic needs, mental health, and early childhood development.
- 10 of the 18 opportunities rely on grant funding to embed parent and family leadership.
- 15 of 18 opportunities included compensation in the form of contracts, stipends, honorariums, hourly wages, gift cards, and/or coverage of child care and/or transportation costs. Rates ranged from $18 to $50 dollars per hour.
Significance for Policymaking and Decision-Making
- There is a need for a membership template for legislatively mandated bodies as well as guidance outlining best practices for ensuring inclusion of family leaders.
- There is a need for consistent, accessible, compensated opportunities for families to increase their leadership skills.
- To sustain these leadership opportunities, predictable and non-competitive funding sources need to be secured.
What does “parent” mean?
When we use this language, we are referring to all adults who have a primary role caring for a child. We recognize that family structures differ and that this can include grandparents, foster parents, aunts, uncles, adoptive parents, and birth parents.
All parents are leaders. They are experts in caring for their families and understanding the individualized care, services, and support each of their children or family members needs. We know that when primary caregivers are consulted and valued as experts on their own experiences and needs, outcomes for children improve, as do relationships between families and the systems and individuals that serve them.
