Initiative

Family Stakeholders Advisory Council in Rockingham County

The Family Stakeholders Advisory Council (FSAC) based out of Rockingham County Partnership for Children is currently made up of 10 community members who are caregivers and/or early educators of children under the age of 5. It was designed to elevate and amplify family voices within our agency and community as a whole. This council has centered the needs of families with young children in the county by sharing their experiences, voices, and strategies with community partners and policy makers. This initiative focuses on increasing the resiliency of all community members, with specific initiatives targeting parents and caregivers of young children, early childhood professionals and communities at the intersection of race and poverty by ensuring that these individuals have a seat at the table and are part of designing the menu.

Home Pathways Action Map Family Stakeholders Advisory Council in Rockingham County

Fast Facts

Relevant Actions	Action 1.1, Action 1.4, Action 1.5
State or Local?	Local
Counties	Rockingham
Lead Agency	Rockingham County Partnership for Children
Type of Agency	Non-profit
Racial Equity Lens	This collaboration of leaders who represent communities that have been historically marginalized have been placed at the seat of several decision-making tables. A countywide needs assessment was conducted which highlighted four areas of focus for community leaders and stakeholders to prioritize. The FSAC has provided strategies to address each area. Those strategies were then presented to the KidsReady Rockingham Collaborative in an effort to hold community leaders accountable for the changes that their respective organizations can make in order to support the needs of families with young children in the county. Our organization strives to ensure that we model the values that we stand for. All of our employees receive extensive training on equity and healing centered engagement (trauma informed care) so that our teams may provide equitable and culturally responsive services. Equitable practices are woven into the fabric of our day-to-day operations, from our hiring practices to our operational policies and procedures.
Community Voice	Since the inception of the FSAC, we now have families and early childhood educators who have participated in our services, serving on our agency board of directors. The FSAC is also included in the decision-making process for any new initiatives/programs our agency looks to implement. This community of family leaders is also being compensated monetarily for their time and efforts through grant funding.
Impact	Information about the FSAC has been shared internationally at that the Parents as Teachers international conference in October of 2021. This has inspired other home- based visiting programs internationally to center family voice and join in advocacy efforts. Some family leaders who started out on the FSAC have now secured employment at our agency, have been invited to be representatives of other organizations boards in our community and are representatives on the HVPE Systems Solutions Workgroup.
Next Steps	Our agency has been awarded funding for our Family Engagement and Leadership through the NC Partnership for Children (NCPC) and The Division of Child Development and Early Education through the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) in an effort to expand on this work and to continue to compensate our family leaders for their wisdom, knowledge, civic engagement, and leadership. We will also be able to contribute to their continued professional development.
Primary Partners	Rockingham County Department of Health and Human Services Reidsville Alliance Church Reidsville Area Foundation
Primary Funders	KidsReady Rockingham- Reidsville Area Foundation NCPC Family Engagement and Leadership and The Division of Child Development and Early Education Smart Start
Contact	Lissette Rodriguez

Active Counties

Pathways Action Map