Informal and Formal Networks and Access to Opportunities for Mothers With Young Children

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Sesion 4
  In Roundtable Session: Family Engagement: Exploring the Possibilities of Family Engagement in Complex and Contentious Contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to better understand the experiences of mothers as they navigate systems/networks to gain access or entry to the opportunities they want/need for their themselves and their children. Through a comparison of the design (characteristics, structure, flow of information) of a Formal Network/System and the Informal Networks of women, it becomes evident that the experience of the women (end users) of a Formal Network/System differs from how the Formal Network is structured to provide accessibility and reach. Implications of the findings for theory, practice and policy are discussed.

Author

• Megan Russell Johnson, W.K. Kellogg Foundation