Inaugural Newsletter December 2021

Partners in Community Outreach (PiCO) is the coalition of West Virginia research-based In-Home Family Education programs.

What is In-Home Family Education?

In-Home Family Education (IHFE) is a voluntary program providing parenting education and support to families who are expecting an infant and/or have young children in their homes. These programs build protective factors which enable families to deal more successfully with whatever challenges arise. In-Home Family Education is a powerful strategy to promote positive childhood experiences; thereby preventing more costly services.

What do In-Home Family Educators do?

Trained and supported In-Home Family Educators help parents understand their role as their child’s first and most important teacher. Using evidence-based curricula, they provide information and support in such areas as prenatal care, child health, early learning and literacy, and child development and behavior. They help connect families to resources in their community and help families stay together safely. This is done by emphasizing each family’s strengths and helping them reach their goals.

You can find your local In-Home Family Education program by visiting www.wvpartners.org/

Thanks to Supervisor Rachel Tribbett, we have the following story from earlier this year from Theresa, a Parent Educator with the Parents As Teachers program at the Rainelle Medical Center:

“When I first started working with a 23-year old single mom with a 10 month old daughter, the mom had been alternating between living with her mother and then with her father. Neither setting was ideal and the child was not developing as she should have been.

Mom worked two part time jobs and later one full time job which she didn’t like. She sometimes canceled our Parents As Teachers visits and remained guarded when we did have them. Although Mom was not as responsive to our Parents As Teachers visits as I would hope, I encouraged her to find a job that she liked and housing for herself and her little girl, now a toddler. As a result of our Parents As Teachers home visits, goal setting and my encouragement, Mom found an apartment and full time job at a child care center where she can take her daughter! She loves her job at the childcare center.

Now, one year later, mom opens up to me and seems to really enjoy our visits, which are currently virtual. Thanks to our Parents As Teachers program, this family is doing much better than when I first met them.“