Child-rearing patterns are influenced by parents' understandings of child development and of their children's unique characteristics, personal sense of competence, and cultural and community traditions and mores. Enabling families to build on their own strengths and capacities promotes the healthy development of children. The developmental processes that make up parenthood and family life create needs that are unique at each stage in the life span. Families are empowered when they have access to information and other resources and take action to improve the well-being of children, families and communities. Principles of Family Support Practice Staff and families work together in relationships based on equality and respect.
Families are resources to their own members, to other families, to programs, and to communities.
Policies and practices affirm and strengthen families' ethnic, racial and linguistic identities and enhance their ability to function in a multicultural society. Programs are embedded in their communities and contribute to the community-building process. Programs advocate with families for services and systems that are fair, responsive and accountable to the families served. Practitioners work with families to mobilize formal and informal resources to support family development. Programs are flexible and continually responsive to family and community issues.