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2026-27 Who’s At Your Table? A 9-month capacity-building series to authentically welcome family and parent leaders.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this registration form. We estimate that it will take approximately 15-20 minutes. We don’t expect you to have all of the details available at this time; we will hold a follow-up exploratory conversation with your team before the cohort launches to learn more about how we can meet your needs.

Email the National Center at FPL@ecic4kids.org to receive an emailed Microsoft Word format document of these questions if you would like to co-create your responses as a team before entering them into the online registration form for submission.

If you need assistance with completing this form please contact the National Center for Family & Parent Leadership at fpl@ecic4kids.org.
1.Name of Team (e.g. State, Community, Program):(Required.)
2.Primary Contact for Team:(Required.)
3.Commitment:
The series will begin on October 15, 2026 and learning sessions will be held on the third Thursday of the month through June (with the exception of January when it will be held on January 14, 2027) at 1-2:30pm EST/12-1:30pm CST/10-11:30am PST.

Are you able to commit to attending the 9 sessions (either by attending the regularly held session or scheduling a make-up session)?
(Required.)
4.What part(s) of the early childhood system are you planning to target through your participation in the "Who's at Your Table" series? (e.g., Early Intervention system, state's Pre-K, child care, etc.)
(200-word limit)(Required.)
5.What is the geographic boundary of your effort? (e.g., statewide, regional, local, etc.)(Required.)
6.Who do you anticipate will be on your team?
Provide names, roles, and titles/organizations (if applicable).
We recommend a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 individuals join for the monthly sessions, and your team should include at least one parent leader and at least one local/state government leader.
If you do not yet have the names of specific team members, please indicate what roles you are hoping to have on your team.(Required.)
7.Why does your team want to participate in this capacity building opportunity?
(200 word limit)(Required.)
8.Are you already engaging family and parent leaders in advising, collaborating, or leading change (see definitions below) in the part of the system you are targeting?

Advising Collaborating Leading
Families provide input through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.

Families participate on advisory boards to help guide program, agency, and/or system decision-making.

Parents can see how their and other families’ input is being used.




 Families sit “at the table” and collaborate with system leaders to make decisions, set priorities, co-design programs and strategies, and carry out actions.

Families co-facilitate trainings and partner on community outreach efforts.

Families serve on boards of organizations and coalitions locally, regionally, or at the state level.		 Families serve as change agents to transform systems and communities by directly leading efforts to identify local needs.

Families set their own agendas and priorities, design strategies, and carry out actions.
(Required.)
9.Who's At Your Table will cover the following topics:

1. Building organizational buy-in for parent leadership
2. Identifying and removing barriers to parent participation
3. Recruiting diverse parent leaders
4. Preparing parents for leadership roles and building confidence
5. Facilitating meetings with real shared power
6. Creating respectful parent compensation systems
7. Rebuilding trust with families harmed by systems
8. Engaging fathers and male caregivers
9. Designing and evaluating programs with parents as partners

What other topics, if any, is your team interested in exploring through this cohort series?(Required.)
10.Any other information you'd like to share?