DECA Program users understand the value and importance of family involvement. YJT significantly expands upon the DECA Program’s family involvement opportunities through offering much more structured guidance and support to the family engagement process. YJT can be used during home visits or in group workshops.

YJT offers Head Start programs a valuable resource to help meet the latest Performance Standards. The DECA offers a research-based tool to assess and strengthen children’s social and emotional health, and the research-informed YJT lessons help to build on parents’ knowledge and provides opportunities to practice parenting skills to promote children’s learning and development.

Early childhood programs using the DECA Program can now engage parents in a structured resilience-building journey. YJT connects work being done in the classroom and the home to strengthen children’s social and emotional health and resilience.

YJT can be helpful if you are looking to:

• Optimize the healthy social and emotional development and resilience of children
• Reduce behavioral concerns
• Improve family engagement and parenting practices
• Strengthen collaboration between staff and parents