At the 2025 First 5 Summit in San Diego, Sarah Zyburt, Program Manager over the National Center for Parent and Family Leadership, powered by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), took the stage alongside parent leader Effie Alofoje-Carr to deliver a powerful message: families must be at the heart of early childhood systems change.
In their session, Empowering Families: Integrating Parent Leadership for Lasting Change, Sarah and Effie highlighted equity-focused strategies that ensure parents have a voice in shaping programs that directly impact their children. They shared practical approaches for early childhood professionals to set intentional goals, build genuine partnerships with parent leaders, and create sustainable improvements in family engagement.
Their message was clear: parent leadership can’t just be an afterthought—it’s essential for creating stronger, more responsive early childhood systems. By prioritizing these partnerships, and using ethical best practices, early childhood professionals can make a lasting impact, ensuring that families are not just participants, but key drivers of change.
As First 5 California continues their critical work, this session served as an inspiring call to action—when families lead, programs, children, families and communities thrive. As the conversation around parent leadership continues to grow, the session left attendees inspired and equipped with actionable steps to bring these principles to life. The future of early childhood systems will serve everyone if families are an integral part of decision making.
Learn more about ECIC’s National Center for Family and Parent Leadership and connect with our team of experts.