The mission of PAT is to promote the optimal early development, learning, and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.

When you support Parents as Teachers, you support local families and help parents as their child's first and most influential teacher.

Being a parent is hard work.

In the first few years, children learn more and at a faster pace than at any other time in life. You help shape your child's future through the kinds of experiences you provide. Your baby was born to learn, and as a parent, you are your child's first and most important teacher.

What is Parents as Teachers?

Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a parent education and family support program that serves families from pregnancy through their child's kindergarten entry, typically around age 5.

Parents are supported by PAT-certified parent educators specially trained to translate scientific information on early brain development into specific when, what, how, and why advice for families.

By understanding what to expect during each stage of development, parents can easily capture the teachable moments in everyday life to enhance their child’s language development, intellectual growth, social development, and motor skills.

Program Goals

Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices
Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
Improve parent, child, and family health and well-being
Prevent child abuse and neglect
Increase children's school readiness and success
Improve family economic well-being
Strengthen community capacity and connectedness

What Do We Offer?

Personal Home Visits: during which a parent educator shares age-appropriate child development and parenting information with families, and help them learn to observe their child, and address parenting concerns.

Developmental Screenings: to assess a child's overall development as well as health, hearing, and vision.

Group Connections: which are opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development. Parents learn from and support one another, observe their children alongside other children, and practice parenting skills.

Resource Network: that links families to other community services.

Parents as Teachers Of Rural South-Central Texas (General Donations)