Northern Kentucky University
Home at Head Start: Caregivers' Perceptions and Communication Relationships
Institution
Northern Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Kim Dinsey-Read
Abstract
An area of focus for Healthy People 2020 is to increase the proportion of children who are ready for school, increase positive parenting and communication with health care providers. The quality of family-provider relationships has been identified as the foundation for successful interventions and improved health outcomes for children (Kalmanson & Seligman, 1992). An assessment was completed for a government funded agency, providing school readiness for vulnerable, impoverished, 3-5 year olds. A Federal audit estimated that 20 out of 50 child health profiles were incomplete as a result of incomplete health enrollment forms. As a result, the agency is being fined $200 per child for incomplete or missing forms and is subject to additional budget and resource reductions. This ultimately reduces the agency’s ability to impact on the health outcomes and school readiness of the children they serve. Caregivers are in a position to advocate and communicate with providers to ensure the completion of these forms. A survey of caregivers was conducted to collect their perceptions of their child’s providers the agency staff and their ability to communicate with them, and the medical enrollment process. Results indicated that caregivers were not aware of the significance of this issue and that they lacked the ability to effectively read, comprehend, and review health forms to verify completion. An educational offering was developed to help caregivers identify incomplete health forms and effectively communicate with the provider to impact not only on the agency’s enrollment requirements but to improve family-provider relationships and the health outcomes of their children.
Home at Head Start: Caregivers' Perceptions and Communication Relationships
An area of focus for Healthy People 2020 is to increase the proportion of children who are ready for school, increase positive parenting and communication with health care providers. The quality of family-provider relationships has been identified as the foundation for successful interventions and improved health outcomes for children (Kalmanson & Seligman, 1992). An assessment was completed for a government funded agency, providing school readiness for vulnerable, impoverished, 3-5 year olds. A Federal audit estimated that 20 out of 50 child health profiles were incomplete as a result of incomplete health enrollment forms. As a result, the agency is being fined $200 per child for incomplete or missing forms and is subject to additional budget and resource reductions. This ultimately reduces the agency’s ability to impact on the health outcomes and school readiness of the children they serve. Caregivers are in a position to advocate and communicate with providers to ensure the completion of these forms. A survey of caregivers was conducted to collect their perceptions of their child’s providers the agency staff and their ability to communicate with them, and the medical enrollment process. Results indicated that caregivers were not aware of the significance of this issue and that they lacked the ability to effectively read, comprehend, and review health forms to verify completion. An educational offering was developed to help caregivers identify incomplete health forms and effectively communicate with the provider to impact not only on the agency’s enrollment requirements but to improve family-provider relationships and the health outcomes of their children.