New Toolkit: Partnering with Parents to Shape Better Services — CT OEC Releases Resource on Co-Creating a Parent Cabinet!

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) is proud to introduce a new resource for agencies and organizations dedicated to authentic family engagement and parent leadership. The Co-Creating a State Agency Parent Cabinet Toolkit provides actionable steps, key lessons learned, and practical tools to support the co-creation of a parent leadership advisory body. It outlines the collaborative process OEC took in co-creating with a group of parent and community leaders.

Too often, parents and caregivers are left out of decisions about the services, programs, laws, and policies that directly impact their families. The Parent Cabinet is helping to change that. It creates a space for parents to work directly with a state agency, share the concerns and experiences of other families, and grow their own knowledge and leadership skills!

This toolkit is designed for state agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations seeking to elevate parent voice and partnership in decision-making. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to enhance existing efforts, this resource offers guidance for building meaningful and sustainable collaboration with families.

The toolkit features insights from the Parent Cabinet Design Team and OEC staff. When we say “parent,” we include all caregivers, guardians, and individuals in a parenting role.

“We sit in our offices and make decisions that seem logical, but then talk to parents and find out it’s not what they need. Including parents with personal experience changes expectations and planning based on what families need and what works best for them – reducing their stress, and helping children and families in their day-to-day lives. Parent engagement at the governance and agency level in a state has a visible impact in Connecticut.”- Former Commissioner Beth Bye  

Learn more in the Co-Creating a State Agency Parent Cabinet Toolkit and on the Co-Creation History of the Parent Cabinet website.

Questions? Contact OEC.ParentCabinet@ct.gov