# 8 WAYS HOME VISITORS CAN FACILITATE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT

Here are some keys to creating a respectful relationship with families that will lead to the facilitation of family empowerment.

## Practice empathy  
Try to learn all you can about the family. Listen carefully and nonjudgmentally to see the world and the situation as the other person sees it.

## Ask open-ended questions  
Invite family members to share and be heard. Well-phrased questions asked with genuine interest encourage parents to articulate their own thoughts about their children.

## Listen attentively and with reflection  
Active and reflective listening is critical to the development of relationships that are respectful and trustworthy.

## Avoid jargon  
Be careful not to use terms and acronyms that might be unfamiliar and misunderstood by family members.

## Focus on strengths, achievements, and desires  
Instead of zeroing in on problems or deficits, you can support families' confidence and adaptive potential by emphasizing strengths and solution-focused discussions.

## Prepare families for change  
Changes are inevitable as a child gets older. Provide the support families need to navigate these changes with the least amount of stress.

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Adapted from *The Art and Practice of Home Visiting, Second Edition* by Ruth E. Cook & Shirley N. Sparks