As part of Nurture Connection’s parent partnership commitment, the network just completed its 2025 Parent Survey, which gathered feedback from parents who are part of the Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative (FNC). This survey — conducted in English and Spanish — aimed to understand parents’ (children aged 0–3) familiarity with and understanding of ERH, as well as the value they see in ERH for their families and communities.
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Key Takeaways
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Centering Parent Partnership
Inviting the FNC parents to lead the survey process underscores Nurture Connection’s commitment to parent partnership and reciprocity. The survey was designed by five FNC parent leaders who then engaged parents and caregivers living in five states (Alabama, Michigan, and the San Felipe, Navajo, and Jemez Pueblos in New Mexico, New York, and Washington). The participants included parents who identify as Black, Brown, and African American; parents who identify as Native American from the San Felipe, Navajo, and Jemez Pueblos; parents who are Spanish-speaking immigrants; and parents who live in rural communities in the South.
The survey was sent out to 96 parents and caregivers — all of whom are part of the Nurture Connection FNC — and had a 65 percent return rate. As one parent leader shares, “Our response rate was so high, because of the relational aspect. A parent-to-parent-peer relationship is a bit different than a parent-to-professional relationship, so we feel that the trust that we’ve built with these families throughout the years is one of the reasons we got such a great response.”
Responses and Emerging Themes
Parents who participated in the survey were asked about their familiarity with the term “early relational health” and whether they hear it used in their community. They were also asked to share how becoming familiar with ERH has impacted the way they relate to their children and whether their familiarity with ERH has further motivated them to share about ERH with other families in their community.
Familiarity with and Value of ERH
The results were very exciting and show that the parents and caregivers within the FNC are not only becoming more familiar with ERH but are also seeing tremendous value from the promotion of ERH for their families and communities. The experience is motivating many to spread ERH concepts to other parents and caregivers in their communities.
- 67 percent of families are familiar with the term “early relational health.”
- 74 percent of families report that their familiarity with ERH has impacted the way they relate to their child “a great deal” or “a moderate amount.”
- 66 percent of families are motivated to share ERH with other families.
“We all have heard from our families that they are sharing, they are talking, and they are motivating others in their community or in their family,” shares another parent leader.
In terms of the awareness of ERH as a distinct concept in their communities, many parents shared that the term “early relational health” itself does not directly come up a lot in their communities. Instead of being discouraged by this insight, the Nurture Connection FNC parent leaders see it as an opportunity for the continued promotion of ERH concepts to their communities. “We thought this really spoke volumes from the parents,” parent leaders note, “because most of them are not hearing this term a lot in their community and the community spaces they frequent — which indicates that they are largely hearing about ERH from the FNC parent leaders they engage with, but it is resonating for them when explained as part of their daily experience as parents and caregivers.” FNC parent leaders hope to continue exploring other possible ways to integrate and introduce this term through their work, as well as alternate terms that may resonate more with the different communities they serve.
The Role of Parent-to-Peer Sharing and Family Ambassadors
Another encouraging learning coming out of the survey is the value parents and caregivers see in being part of bringing ERH awareness to their communities. FNC parent leaders see this as further validation of Nurture Connection’s parent partnership commitment. For FNC parent leaders this means what they are doing is working.
David Willis, MD, FAAP, a professor of pediatrics at Georgetown University and founder and director of Nurture Connection, feels that parent partnership is the most impactful and accessible way to show the importance of ERH for building flourishing families and communities. As he says, “in the current moment, informal communication systems and trusted person-to-person communications have a lot of power … the informal yet most important networks that families listen to: listening to peers, listening to their neighbors, listening to their other family members, and how we learn, listen, and grow from that view.”
ERH as a Path to Repair and Healing
A final learning that emerged from the survey speaks directly to the healing power of relationships. Parents and caregivers who also have older children shared that they are seeing the difference in their relationships with their younger children as a result of understanding ERH and many are using the relational frame to strengthen their relationships with their older children as well. FNC parent leaders see this as an opportunity to promote ERH as a way to bring out relational healing across generations.
As one parent leader shares:
“Being a part of this initiative, families felt like it really made a difference … especially in my [Black and Brown] community, when you talk about having multiage children. … [The parents we work with] have learned things that they weren’t able to implement with their older children, but now they are with their younger children and are now able to also go back and still use some of the methods or even integrate and bond with their older children … It’s become a whole family approach, where the whole family is involved in Early Relational Health, and the bonding and connection. It’s really made them closer as a family, even their extended family.”
Looking Ahead
Results from the Parent Survey offer a crucial proof point that ERH is important to families and is making a difference in the life of their family. The survey results also demonstrate the effectiveness of a parent-to-parent approach in actualizing the impact ERH can have for flourishing and family well-being. Parent ambassador programs could present an opportunity to spread ERH concepts even further.
Through its parent partnership focus, Nurture Connection is committed to bringing authentic parent voices and experiences to shape the practices and policies of early childhood ecosystems across the country. We invite all members of the Nurture Connection national network community to see how they can incorporate these learnings into their work to make a difference for families and communities that they serve.
