Parents As Teachers


Keri Nelson

Parents As Teachers Educator
(660) 563-3028 ext. 4324
[email protected]

An Early Learning Program for Parents and Young Children
This is a free program for all Missouri families with children birth to pre-kindergarten offered through your local school district.

Goal: To help every child get off to the best possible start in life!

The PAT (Parents As Teachers) Program supports all families, including single parents, first time parents, and expectant parents during the crucial first years utilizing the Parents As Teachers curriculum.

Who is Eligible?

  • Expectant Parents
  • Families with young children under school age

Why Get Involved?

  • Learning begins at birth.
  • Children learn more during the preschool years than any other time in life.
  • Children acquire 75% of their adult language by age three.
  • Recent brain research confirms that the early years have an enormous impact on a child’s later development and success in school.
  • What parents do with their children in those early years does make a difference.

Services Offered
PAT provides practical effective help for all families by sharing information of what to look for and expect as your child grows and develops by offering...

Family Personal Visits
A trained child development specialist will provide:

  • Information and guidance—before your baby is born—to help you prepare for the important job of being a parent.
  • Timely educational information of what to expect as your child grows and develops.

Group Connections
Meet with other parents to assist in gaining new insights, share experiences and discuss topics of interest. Activity events where children come together with their parents to enjoy a variety of fun activities that stimulate their development; art projects, gross motor activities etc. are often available.

Developmental Screenings
Screenings check your child’s overall development, language, hearing and vision. The goal is to provide early detection of potential problems to prevent later difficulties. Screenings are available for children six months to five years of age.

Resource Network
A network of resources that parent educators use to connect families to community services that help them reach their goals and address their needs.

Growing Together, Learning Together

  • From the moment of birth your child begins learning at an enormously fast pace.
  • As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher.
  • Help lay down a good foundation for learning—contact PAT.