Parents as Teachers
The Parents as Teachers program was established within Missouri to help increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices, which in turn will increase children's school readiness and school success.
A primary component of the program include periodic screenings, designed to increase parents' understanding of their children's developmental progress, as well as alert them to any possible developmental delays or health issues. Early intervention for identified problems helps improve changes that children will enter school with "healthy minds and bodies".
Other program components include personal visits, group connections, and establishment of a resource network that can link families to community resources. The program emphasizes parent-child interaction, a development-centered approach to parenting, and support of the whole family to ensure the development of a healthy physical and emotional environment for children.