For more than two decades, the Getting Ready research program has promoted healthy development for children age 5 and younger by bringing evidence-based parent engagement strategies to early childhood programs throughout Nebraska.
As one of the first projects launched by CYFS in 2004, Getting Ready has focused on cultivating and fortifying relationships in children’s lives, including relationships among parents, children and the early childhood educators connected to the family.
“Getting Ready is an exemplar in translating research-based programming into practice,” said Lisa Knoche, CYFS co-director and co-principal investigator of Getting Ready. “We have leveraged strong findings generated through rigorous research into real-world application across the state.”
Developed at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the Getting Ready approach includes eight strategies and a collaborative family meeting structure educators can use during interactions with families that occur during home visits, parent-teacher conferences, informal conversations and more — all to promote relationships that will benefit children’s early learning.
Getting Ready encourages family engagement in all aspects of children’s development, while building on parent and family strengths and priorities. Together, educators and families set goals to help children reach their fullest potential.
The program has provided opportunities for young children — particularly those from marginalized backgrounds or identified with disabilities — to make progress that will help them succeed as they move through school.
More than 6,000 children and their parents and 500 educators across Nebraska and the Midwest have benefited from the Getting Ready program. Preschool children receiving the Getting Ready program were better than 75% of their peers in handling their emotions, managing their behavior and developing sustaining relationships. They also tested better than 80% of their peers in language and early reading abilities.
Getting Ready has earned national recognition as a featured program in Family Engagement Solutions, an online tool developed by the National PTA and Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University. Family Engagement Solutions is a resource to help district and school leaders, educators and advocates find evidence-based family engagement programs.
“We are thrilled to have Getting Ready included as a featured program in Family Engagement Solutions,” Knoche said. “This national recognition will make our work available to a broader audience and yield more opportunity for impact.”
Through the years, Getting Ready has been funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Administration for Children & Families; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Nebraska Department of Education; Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; and the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.
Knoche said Getting Ready’s steady growth and recognition has been fulfilling.
“Initially, when you’re establishing the evidence, you’re just a research team,” she said. “Getting Ready is now recognized by the early childhood community in Nebraska, and people understand how it can positively impact their programs and families served.”
