"You Have a Status, You Are a Parent Leader": A Case Study of Parent Leadership

• In Event: Relationships and Partnerships in Early Childhood Settings

Abstract

This study investigated parent leadership development by examining the experiences of Parent Leaders in an urban school readiness initiative. While parent leadership is identified as a key dimension of parent engagement in early care and education, it is an under-theorized and under-researched topic. Using a rigorous case study design, this qualitative study included multiple sources of data to investigate how parents came to identify as leaders. The study found that Parent Leaders developed their own individual and collective identities as leaders, through gaining confidence, being seen as leaders by others, becoming empowered to make a difference, and a sense of belonging to a collective force for positive change.

Authors

• Anne Douglass, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Meredith Maroney, University of Massachusetts - Boston