The mission of PAT is to promote the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.

When you support Parents as Teachers, you support local families and help parents as their child's first and most influential teacher.

The mission of PAT is to promote the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers. image

Dance & Donate through the Decades for PAT

Being a parent is hard work.

In the first few years, children learn more and at a faster pace than at any other time in life. You help shape your child's future through the kinds of experiences you provide. Your baby was born to learn, and as a parent, you are your child's first and most important teacher.


What is Parents as Teachers?

Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a parent-education and family support program serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten, usually age 5.

Parents are supported by PAT-certified parent educators specially trained to translate scientific information on early brain development into specific when, what, how and why advice for families. By understanding what to expect during each stage of development, parents can easily capture the teachable moments in everyday life to enhance their child’s language development, intellectual growth, social development and motor skills.

Program Goals

  • Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices
  • Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
  • Improve parent, child, and family health and well-being.
  • Prevent child abuse and neglect
  • Increase children's school readiness and success
  • Improve family economic well-being
  • Strengthen community capacity and connectedness

What Do we Offer?

Personal Home Visits: during which a parent educator shares age-appropriate child development and parenting information with families, and help learn to observe their child, and address parenting concerns.

Developmental Screenings: to assess a child's overall development as well as health, hearing and vision.

Group Connections: which are opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development. Parents learn and support each other, observe their children with other children and practice parenting skills.

Resource Network: that links families to other community services.


The Parents as Teachers program
is a part of the Stanzel Family Foundation, a 501c3 private family foundation (tax ID: 74-2579827).