Supporting and engaging with diverse families during the early years: emerging approaches that matter for children and families

In this special issue, family engagement is defined as the intentional involvement of parents and families in their children's early childhood education (ECE) programs, activities, and services. This is a bidirectional and inclusive process that builds relationships between families and the ECE programs in which their child is enrolled and that supports family wellbeing and children's healthy development. Despite the significance of reciprocal and positive relationships between families and ECE care providers for child wellbeing, there is little information about this process. Collectively, the papers in this special issue make several contributions towards understanding family engagement by: (1) emphasizing the importance of assessing the influence of family engagement on families and children from a strength rather than a deficit perspective; (2) demonstrating that individualized and culturally grounded family engagement, especially for racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse families and families who live in poverty, is a key component of quality child care; and (3) highlighting the importance of examining the markers of parenting and family engagement. By addressing these gaps, this special issue offers guidance for future research, practice, and policy in the field of family engagement and parenting. (C) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.