Family Engagement
Family engagement is crucial during the transition process. Research shows that when families are meaningfully and continuously engaged in their children’s learning and development, they can positively impact their child’s health, development, academic, and well-being outcomes into adulthood.
Use these resources and training opportunities to begin engaging meaningfully with the families of students and youth with disabilities.

Family Engagement Training
Family Engagement: Effective Connection with Hard-to-Connect Families
Sponsored by NTACT:C, join Debra Jennings, Josie Badger, and Myriam Alizo as they address engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse families. Learn strategies for effectively tackling the challenges and the great opportunities effective communication can lead to.
Social Capital for Young Job Seekers
Get strategies for engaging youth and families to prepare for employment, as well as best practices to help students and families begin career exploration and planning.
What's New
Engaging with Families Training Module
April 6, 2023Parent and Family Involvement Annotated Bibliography
May 21, 2021Key Resources
Collaborative Family Engagement Strategies (PDF)
Get an overview of transition, a framework for family engagement, issues to think about related to family engagement and transition to adulthood, and Pennsylvania’s perspective of resources and supports for families.Coordination and Outreach to Parents and Representatives
A discussion on coordination and outreach to parents and representatives from Notice of Interpretation in the Federal Register.Family Engagement Info Brief (PDF)
The Family Guideposts highlight proactive roles families can play in the five Guidepost areas and offer examples of how families can become informed, supportive, and engaged in their youth’s transition. This information will also be helpful to professionals seeking strategies to effectively partner with families, and to advocates looking to empower families in the transition process.Family Engagement: An Informed Family Engagement Plan (PDF)
Handout from a workshop at the NTACT Capacity Building Institute on strategies for meaningful engagement with families of transition-aged students.Community Rehabilitation Providers Pre-ETS Guidebook
Securing parental consent and continued parent engagement is important when working with transition age students. This guidebook offers strategies for community rehabilitation providers to collaborate and engage with families when providing Pre-ETS services to youth.