About Us
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a nationally-acclaimed early childhood parent education and family support program, serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. Adopted from the PAT National Center model, the program translates the latest neuroscience information on how children grow and develop, as well as advice on how parents can foster learning and encourage growth in language, intellectual, physical, and social-emotional skills. Since 1981, the PAT model has been replicated at over 3,400 sites in all 50 states and 6 countries.
- PAT is the trusted home visiting model among the most respected professionals and organizations in the early childhood and education continuum.
- Our program welcomes not just first-time parents, but families with multiple children.
- Families can enter the PAT program at any time along the continuum of pregnancy to kindergarten. Ideally, we strive to serve families for at least 3 years.
- PAT serves a broad and diverse population, so the model addresses developmental needs of any child, including those in vulnerable situations.
- Certified Parent Educators are professionals who represent a variety of disciplines: early childhood, education, nursing, social work and others.
PAT is a free, voluntary program available to all families in the communities we serve. As a result, PAT families come in all varieties, from all socio-economic levels, and from urban, suburban, and rural communities in Lake County, Indiana.
Specialized components of the PAT program focus on services for teen parents, Spanish-speaking families, and parents with a special needs child.
The goals of Parents as Teachers are:
- Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices.
- Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues.
- Prevent child abuse and neglect.
- Increase children’s school readiness and school success
This free program is available to all families, regardless of economic circumstance. Families in the program receive the following services:
Personal Visits – personal home visits are the major service delivery component. During these visits, our Parent Educators share age-appropriate child development information with parents, help them learn to observe their own child, address their parenting concerns, and engage the family in activities that provide meaningful parent/child interaction.
Parent Connections – opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development. Parents learn from and support each other, observe their children with other children and practice parenting skills.
Screenings – periodic screening for early identification of developmental delays or health, vision and hearing problems provides a regular review of each child’s developmental progress, identifies strengths and abilities as well as areas of concern that require referral for follow-up services, and increases parents’ understanding of their child’s development.
Resource network and referrals – Parent Educators help families identify and connect with needed resources, and overcome barriers to accessing services. The program establishes ongoing collaborative relationships with other organizations that serve families.
Early Head Start – Parents As Teachers of Lake County, Inc. is the provider of Early Head Start services in Lake County.
