Show Notes
Parents as Teachers is built upon a strong foundation of research and evidence-based programming. But what constitutes 'research', and what does "evidence-based" really mean? Scientifically, how do we know the model works? And how can we quantifiably measure impact?
Guest host Dr. Dipesh Navsaria speaks to Allison Kemner, Chief Research Officer of Parents as Teachers, about the research behind home visiting and how the science behind the program translates into positive, everyday results for families. Nathan Jorgensen and Danielle J. Allen, both of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC Chapel Hill, discuss how this research can be used to speak directly to addressing issues such as racial inequality in childhood. And Emma Posner and Jess Goldberg, both of Tufts Interdisciplinary Evaluation Research at Tufts University, explain how the research into home visiting can shape child abuse prevention and protection.
More from Parents as Teachers
Whether it's a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or close friend, FFN care providers care for millions of children across the US. But who's caring for the providers themselves? Rebecca Stewart, Program Director for Supporting Care Providers of Kansas, joins us to talk about Famil, Friend, and Neighbor care, and how we can support FFN care providers as they ensure that the children they care for are healthy, safe, and learning.
Catching some zz's, snoozing, shut eye: whatever you call it, if parents and caregivers aren't getting enough, they'll feel lousy... And not only that; real mental and physical consequences can follow. So how can we as home visitors help new parents get more sleep? Sleep expert Sarah Farabi, PhD, RN, joins us to offer interventions that target sleep for new parents—particularly during pregnancy and postpartum—to improve long-term health outcomes for everyone in the family.
Personal stories can help us better understand our work and the families we serve. Brighid Woods and Francie Lambert of Parents as Teachers, OH join us to talk about how they work with families who are underhoused or living with housing insecurity.
Living with housing insecurity can make it difficult for families to create an atmosphere in which their children are healthy, safe, and learning. So what can home visitors do to help? A unique program in Akron, OH partners home visiting with the housing authority, ensuring that a family's ecosystem of support remains healthy and robust during housing challenges.
Sharing stories and experiences offer some of the strongest ways to connect, reflect, and enrich our community. In celebration of Father's Day, Mario Drain, a Fatherhood Involvement Specialist at the Milwaukee Health Department and a 2026 National Home Visitors of the Year recipient joins us to share his story.