Parents As Teachers is a free home-visiting program in the Independence School District for parents of children younger than three, designed to connect families with child development resources. The purpose of Parents As Teachers is to educate parents on early childhood development for their children ages prenatal through age 5.  This is done through regular personal home visits* between a certified Parent Educator and you with your child. Annual developmental screenings, resources for a large variety of parenting issues and questions, and group activities are also offered through Parents As Teachers.

 

Studies show that Parents As Teachers children are healthier, score higher on kindergarten readiness tests, are better problem solvers, and are more advanced in language and social development.  In addition, Parents As Teachers parents are more informed on early childhood development and education, are more involved in their child’s education, connect more to their children through play and reading time, and are more confident in their role as a parent.

 

There are currently four certified Parent Educators working with families in ISD.  Between the four of them, they have a total of over 80 years of experience working in the Parents As Teachers program. Those years represent over 1000 hours of professional development training to maintain their certified Parent Educator status. You can learn more about the Parents As Teachers organization here.

 

To enroll in the ISD Parents As Teachers program, call 816-521-5485, ext. 59022.

 

*During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been adjusted to provide virtual home visits rather than in-home visits.