Our Impact: Professionals - Touchpoints

Providers report a  67% increase in  knowledge as well as an increase in positive attitudes about relationships with families in a 2011 evaluation of 14 Touchpoints training sessions.

Better Partnerships with Families: The Significance

Touchpoints is a set of concepts professionals can apply to improve partnerships with families, connect with parents’ strengths and vulnerabilities, and create a shared understanding of each child.

Our Results:

• 68 Alameda County early childhood professionals from East Oakland were trained In 2011-12.

•  Over 70% of the 43 participants attending two Touchpoints training series at First 5 Alameda County reported that, their "ability to help parents use their own skills and resources to solve problems” changed “some” or “a lot” following training.

What professionals are learning:

During a 2012 Focus Group, Alameda County Providers who attended Touchpoints training reported:

• Improved listening skills and skills in developing relationships

• Ability to provide more compassionate and high quality services

• Being less frustrated by challenging situations

• Being better able to validate and empower parents

"[Touchpoints] helps normalize the chaos and stress of many of the lives of the families we work with.  It changes the lens through which we view them and helps us remember that we are all human and that life is challenging"

-Touchpoints Trainee

For more info contact: first5alamedacounty@first5ecc.org