The COVID-19 pandemic has directly impacted Parents as Teachers (PAT) families in McKean County.

Usually, PAT professionals are welcomed into families’ homes to support parents as their child’s most influential teacher in life. These personal visits involve three parts: parent-child activities in which a parent can play with and guide his or her child in exploring new concepts depending on the age of the child; child development and parenting strategies discussion; and family well-being issues.

With the closure of schools and other community-based programs, both families and program providers wondered how to continue this work. In response, Parents as Teachers National Center issued guidance for internet and telephone visits to take place with families.

“We’ve received positive feedback from our families about doing virtual visits,” said Kristine Kivari, program director of the McKean County Family Center, a program of The Guidance Center. “Families seem to be enjoying the visits and it lends to some routine during this challenging time.”

Both the National PAT Office and the Pennsylvania PAT state office at the Center for Schools and Communities have provided innovative approaches and support to the program for conducting visits and finding solutions to barriers, such as limited internet access or telephone data plans and dwindling concrete supports for families facing a loss of wages.

McKean County PAT Home Visitors continue to support parents’ understanding of child development and how these times may affect young children’s emotional well-being. Connections to community resources are also provided as needed. Families are demonstrating their resilience in amazing ways. PAT encourages all families to remember that while we are physically distant, there are ways to stay connected.

The Parents as Teachers program is still accepting new referrals. To make a referral, contact the Bradford Family Center at (814) 362-1834.