ACF OPRE CORE - Publications and Reports - Reaching Out to Families: Head Start Recruitment and Enrollment Practices

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Appendix D: Moderator Guides

Field Staff

A Feasibility Study of Head Start

Recruitment and Enrollment

head start logo

Field Staff Focus Group

Site _____

October 1999

A Feasibility Study of Head Start Recruitment and Enrollment Procedures

FIELD STAFF FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR'S GUIDE

1. Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hello. Thank you all for coming today.
My name is _______________ and I will be the moderator for the session today. I work for a company called (Abt Associates/The CDM Group), a research firm located in (Cambridge, MA/Chevy Chase, MD). I would also like to introduce _______________ who is (also from/from) (Abt Associates/The CDM Group). He/she will be taking some notes and helping me during the session today.

Purpose of the Group
As you know, the purpose of this session is for us to talk about recruitment and enrollment at Head Start.

Role of the Moderator
My role as moderator will be to direct the flow of the discussion and keep us on track. I need to make sure we get through all the topics in the next hour and a half. In order to do so and to make sure everyone has a chance to contribute to the discussion, I have a few guidelines for the session.

Guidelines for the Session

Confidentiality. Anything that is said in this discussion will be strictly confidential. Nobody's name will be associated with any opinions included in the report. So, please feel free to express your opinions.

Frank opinions on the topics under discussion. We asked you to come today because what you have to say is important. We want to know exactly how you feel on the topics under discussion. It's important that I hear from each of you. Some of you may not feel comfortable talking at first. If I notice that as the discussion progresses, I'm not hearing from all of you, or that I'm hearing from some of you a lot, I may call on someone directly.

You may comment on the opinion of others. We do not expect that everyone here will agree or disagree on a given issue or point of view. We ask, however, that you respect each other's opinions. You may tell us that you disagree with what ________ said, and proceed to tell us what you think on that given topic. Just always do so in a respectful manner. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.

Audio taping. This session is being tape recorded so that we will have an accurate record of what was said and so that it will be easier for us to write our report. I want to assure you again, that you will never be mentioned by name.

Speak loudly enough to be heard by everyone. It is important that everyone hears what you have to say and for us it is especially important that the tape recorders pick up what you say. So please speak loudly and clearly.

Talking over each other. When the discussion starts to get exciting, you may want to say what you are thinking without waiting for someone else to finish. That is exactly when we want to ensure that we hear everyone. So, I'm asking that you talk one-at-a time, and avoid side conversations so I don't miss any of what you are saying.

[OPTIONAL]

Hand Gestures. In order to ensure the discussion follows these guidelines, I have found some hand gestures work pretty well. I am not being rude, but trying to communicate to you without speaking. By using them, it allows me to guide the discussion more efficiently without getting my voice on the tape more than necessary. The first is (palm up and raising the hand up and down) indicates you are not speaking loudly enough so please speak up. Second (pointing at a participant) means I am recognizing you and it is your turn to speak. Third (fingers up as if to say stop) means I want you to hold that thought for a moment while another person finishes what they are saying. Finally, (holding palms parallel to the floor and fingers from the left hand about an inch above the fingers of the right hand, moving hands back and forth in opposite lateral direction) this indicates people are talking over each other and someone should back up and hold their point so it does not get lost. The tape cannot separate overlapping speech and we don't want to miss your point.

Are there any questions so far?

Style. It is important to me that you are comfortable here today. If you feel uncomfortably warm or cold, or anything else, please let me know and we will try to address that.

[Optional]

Feel free to move around the room to stretch if you need to. You can get up to get a beverage or leave to go to the rest room at any time.

For everyone's comfort and safety, we are asking you not to smoke during the session.

Warm-up Exercise (5 minutes)

I'd like to start by having us get to know a little bit about each other. Could you please briefly tell me: [Go around the table -begin with notetaker]

Your first name;

Your current position at Head Start;

The number of years you have been affiliated with Head Start and in what capacity(s);

A favorite thing you like to do outside of work.

1.0 THE CHILD EDUCATION AND CARE ENVIRONMENT (5 minutes)

I'd like to start by asking you to give me some impressions of Head Start.

1.2 When you think about what Head Start can do for families, what words or impressions come to mind? [Optional - record on easel]

2.0. RECRUITMENT

(20 Minutes)

I would like to begin the discussion by hearing a little bit about your recruitment of prospective families.

2.1

Think about a typical family you have successfully recruited, what characteristics did they have?

[Pass out maps] We are passing out maps of your targeted geographical service area.

2.2

Looking at the map, are there some sections of your geographical service area from where you recruit or find most of your families. If so, why?

2.3

Are there sections that are particularly hard to recruit families from. If so, why?

2.4

What personal safety considerations do you have during your recruitment activities?

2.4a		Are there particular areas that you have to avoid?
2.4b		What do you do to assure your safety?
2.4c		Are there areas you want to recruit from but are not allowed?

2.5

Do you find that you are recruiting in the same areas as other Head Start programs?

2.5a

If so, how do you manage that?

2.6

How do you identify and locate families?

2.6a		What strategies do you use?
2.6b		Do other agencies provide you with a list of potential families?

2.7	In addition to going to homes, from what other places do you recruit? "[Please check if mentioned]"
	2.7a	institutional settings like drug or alcohol facilities	_____
	2.7b	shelters	_____
	2.7c	free meals programs	_____
	2.7d	WIC/Food Stamp offices	_____
	2.7e	clothing cupboards / food banks	_____
	2.7f	parenting programs	_____
	2.7g	welfare offices	______
	2.7h	schools	_____
	2.7i	child care resource/referral agencies	_____
	2.7j	health care facilities	______

2.8

What arrangements do you have with other community agencies to assist you in identifying or recruiting families?

2.8a

How helpful are other agencies to you in locating families for Head Start?

2.9

How do you contact a family?

2.9a

What is that initial contact usually like?

2.10

Are there any circumstances when you have had to make exceptions to the program policies on outreach and recruitment?

2.10a

If yes, can you give me an example?

2.11

In trying to recruit families, how do you decide on which families to spend the most time and effort?

2.12

How useful has Head Start training been in helping you with outreach?

2.12a		Would you give me an example?
2.12b		What other training would you like?

2.13

What changes could your Head Start program make to improve your recruitment efforts?

3.0. ENROLLMENT

(15 Minutes)

Now I would like to talk about enrolling families into Head Start.

3.1

Think of a typical family you have recruited that did not enroll, what characteristics did the family have?

3.1a

How were they different from families that enrolled?

3.2

Why do you think parents decide to enroll their child in Head Start?

3.3

Why do you think parents decide not to enroll their child in Head Start?

3.4	What other preschool or child care options are available for children whose parents do not enroll them in Head Start? [Please check if mentioned]
	3.4a	Family Day Care	_____
	3.4b	Day Care Centers	_____
	3.4c	Nurseries	_____
	3.4d	Child Development Centers	_____
	3.4e	Public Preschool	_____
	3.4f	Cared for by own family members	_____
	3.4g	Other	______

3.5

In your program, are the selection factors used for enrolling families to Head Start the same for all centers or do they differ by center?

[If program-wide]

3.5a		What factors other than income and age do you consider when enrolling families to Head Start?
3.5b		Are any of these other factors more important than others?

[If center-specific]

3.5c		I would like to go around the table and ask each of you to tell me what factors other than income and age do you consider when enrolling families to Head Start?
3.5d		Are any of these other factors more important than others?

3.6

Are there families that you are afraid might not stay in Head Start?

3.6a		How does that influence what you do with the family?
3.6b		Does that influence your decision to enroll them?

3.7

Are there any circumstances when you have had to make exceptions to program policies regarding enrollment? If so, could you give me an example?

4.0 WAITING LISTS

(15 minutes)

Next I would like to talk about your program's waiting lists.

4.1

What is your definition of a waiting list?

4.1a		At what point is the list created?
4.1b		Who is on the list?
4.1c		Have all the families on the list already been determined to be eligible?
4.1d		What information do you have about waiting list families, prior to enrollment?
4.1e		Are the families on the waiting list ranked or ordered in any way?

4.2

Is there one program-wide waiting list or does each center have its own list?

4.1a

(Is it/are they) computerized?

4.3

How often is the list updated or verified?

4.3a		Do you continue to add families to the list throughout the year? How is this done?
4.3b		Do you call families during the year to verify interest, even when a slot is not open?

Now, I would like to find out about waiting lists over a period of time. You may have to think about last year to answer some of these questions.

4.4

About how many total children were enrolled in your program at the beginning of the school year?

4.5

About how large was your waiting list at the beginning of the school year?

4.6

How many slots open up over the program year?

4.7

How many of these families actually move from the waiting list to the program?

4.8

Were there families from the waiting list that you offered a spot that chose not to enroll? If yes, what were some of the reasons?

5.0 RETENTION

(10 Minutes)

Now I would like to talk about issues of retention and drop out.

5.1

Think about a typical family that dropped out of Head Start, what characteristics did they have?

5.1a		How were they different from families that remained?
5.1b		Why do families drop out of Head Start?

5.2

What do you do when a child begins to have many absences from school?

5.3

How do families let you know when they are going to drop out?

5.3a		Do they call you or do you find out when they fail to show-up repeatedly?
5.3b		How do you officially determine that a family has dropped?

5.4

Describe a successful strategy you have used to convince a family to stay.

5.5

What changes could your Head Start program make to improve retention?

6.0 PERCEPTION OF HEAD START

(5 Minutes)

I would like to finish the discussion by talking about how Head Start is perceived by parents who live in the community.

6.1

If a parent of a preschool child who lives in this community was asked about Head Start, what do you think he or she would say?

6.1a

What is his/her opinion of Head Start?

6.2

Where and how do parents in this community learn about Head Start?

7.0 WRAP-UP

(5 minutes)