Newport News Parents as Teachers Program Celebrates 10th Year

By: City of Newport News

Time flies when you’re having fun! The Newport News Parents as Teachers Affiliate program, which is administered in the city by the Newport News Department of Human Services, has been providing an array of programs to residents for 10 years. Parents as Teachers is a national organization that builds strong communities, thriving families, and children who are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The program takes a holistic approach to strengthening families by matching parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years. Relationships can begin when families find out they are pregnant and often last through kindergarten. The Newport News Affiliate program has provided services to 1,178 families since its inception in 2012. In 2019, the program exceeded all of its essential requirements and met at least 75% of the quality standards, earning them the Parents as Teachers Blue Ribbon Affiliate Designation. While statistics are vitally important to the program, testimonials from participants demonstrate the true impact of the program. Keyshalee Camacho, a Parents As Teacher program participant, recently shared, “This program has really helped me understand the importance of my son’s developmental milestones. I have learned how to set goals and accomplish them. This program has really made a big change in how I see my children’s milestones and how to identify concerns.” Parents as Teachers is free of charge and is open to parents, foster/kinship parents, grandparents, and anyone else caring for children. For more information on how to enroll, call the Newport News Department of Human Services at 757-926-6009 or 757-386-6294.