On Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 in partnership with researchers from the Columbia Center for Early Relational Health (CERH), Nurture Connection hosted a dynamic conversation about an exciting new large-scale co-designed study and its preliminary findings on how parents view early relational health, followed by a panel Q&A with Parent Leaders from Reach Out and Read and the Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative, who were involved in the study’s codesign process.
Presenters shared reflections on the codesign process as well as emerging themes from its preliminary findings — including a new ERH construct anchored in parent voice, called “relational legacy”: the idea that parents grow from parenting (in part by choosing what they carry from their own upbringing into the relationship they’re currently building with their child), and how that growth feeds back into their connection. Learn more about the study codesign process and reflections on the initial analysis here.
Nurture Connection believes that the future of Early Relational Health (ERH) science is partnerships between researchers and the families and communities they serve. By partnering with parents, we can continue to uncover new and vital ways of understanding early childhood relationships. Collaborations like this are a key step in generating the research needed to transform universal pediatric care, to better support children, families, and communities.
Guest Speakers (Bios):
- Tiffany Solomon, Parent Leader, Reach Out and Read
- Deepa Srinivasavaradan, Parent Leader, Reach Out and Read
- Steven Thibert, Parent Leader, Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative
- Andréane Lavallée, PhD, Associate Research Scientist, Center for Early Relational Health, Columbia University
Moderated by:
- David W. Willis, MD, FAAP, Founder & Director, Nurture Connection
- Watch the webinar recording
- Webinar Slide Deck
- Discover more reflections from parent leaders in our Power of Codesign in Research webinar series:
- Part I: “How Parent Partnership Supports Practice Transformation” (June 2025) – Read here and watch the Part I recording
- Part II: “Centering Parent Voices to Learn About Parent-Child Relationships” (October 2025) – Learn more here and watch the Part II recording
- Learn more about the science of early relationships:
- Read more about ERH science as well as Andréane and Dani’s ERH research work at CERH
- Read the preprint study discussed in this webinar: A Parent-Generated Framework of Early Connection: Findings from a CBPR Qualitative Study. Katrina Fuller, , , , , , , , , , , , , , medRxiv
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- Read the new NASEM Consensus report Early Relational Health: Building Foundations, which emphasizes asset-based approaches, family and community leadership, workforce supports, and cross-sector collaboration to promote ERH across health care, education, and social systems – Read here
- Other links and resources shared during the presentation:
- Learn more about the Center for Early Relational Health (CERH): www.vagelos.columbia.edu/CERH
- Learn more about Reach Out and Read: https://reachoutandread.org/
- Watch the new PBS documentary, Wired for Connection
- Read more about the critical role that parent partnership plays in the Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative
- Explore additional reflections from Steven and other fatherhood champions on the role of fathers in early relational health