Cincinnati Early Childhood Leaders Learn from the Hello Family Model
Last week, the Institute for Child Success welcomed a delegation from Cincinnati, OH, including leaders from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Cincinnati, Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services, and the Avondale Respite Center. The group traveled to Spartanburg to learn more about the Hello Family model and how the community works together to support pregnant women and families with young children. The visit was hosted and convened by the Institute for Child Success and brought together several of Spartanburg County’s partners who play key roles in Hello Family.
During their visit, the Cincinnati team met with leaders from BirthMatters, Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), Quality Counts, and Family Connects to learn about how these programs support families from pregnancy through early childhood. Each organization represents an important part of the early childhood system in Spartanburg. BirthMatters supports mothers during pregnancy and after birth through community-based doula care. Triple P helps parents build strong relationships and develop practical parenting skills. Quality Counts works to improve the quality of early childhood education programs, and Family Connects provides nurse home visits to families with newborns to help connect them with resources and support.
Hello Family welcomes new families with a simple mantra: “It takes a village. Let us be yours.” Their free resources and supports are easy for families to access, with the goal is of breaking down barriers to reach the most families, and supporting them with a wide network of resources to maximize their success and thriving.
In addition to learning about these programs, the Cincinnati delegation was interested in how Spartanburg takes an outcomes-based approach to supporting families. The Hello Family model brings partners together around shared goals for children and families and aligns programs and services to help achieve those outcomes. The group also explored how data are used to guide decision-making and continuous improvement. By tracking outcomes and sharing information across partners, Spartanburg organizations are able to understand what is working, identify gaps, and strengthen services for families.
Visits like this help communities learn from one another as they work to build stronger systems of support for children and families. By convening partners and sharing lessons from the Hello Family model, the Institute for Child Success continues to help advance innovative approaches that support young children and the adults who care for them.
Learn more about the Hello Family Initiative here, and learn more about ICS’s leadership in innovative financing solutions for communities here.