Ben Gilman said it best in the Jan. 11 opinion piece, “Home visiting and child care are vital to Maine kids’ well-being.” I’ve worked for the early care and education center, Youth & Family Outreach, for seven years and my children have both attended. As a mother, I am grateful for the community and village that YFO provided for our family. As an educator and administrator, I can also attest that strong support services from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services are vital parts of a family’s village. In my time at YFO, children whose lives have been interrupted by trauma, from being placed in protective custody or other circumstances, heal most from warm and consistent caregiving.

In early education, where we teach from a trauma-informed lens, educators form partnerships with families because it’s the best way for all families to thrive. With stable, predictable and loving environments, we can start to lay the foundation for trust to grow again after it’s been broken. I’ve seen family meetings happen in YFO classrooms, early intervention services, DHHS visits, child protective services pickups, and Child Development Services evaluations. We function as a central location for the village to convene around a child and family to lift them up. Teachers become part of the family’s care team and can follow through with action steps, and update caregivers with in-depth information. We do this on a shoestring budget. The sector needs further investments to see this level of connection happens consistently.

Morgan Harper
Portland