One Size Fits Most: How Universal Family Engagement Practices Overlook Foster Families in Early Childhood Education

INTRODUCTION: Family engagement is a key contributor to positive developmental outcomes in early childhood education (ECE), particularly in programs serving high-need populations such as Head Start and Early Head Start. While extensive research highlights its benefits for children, families, and educators, limited attention has been given to how ECE professionals engage foster families. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This study examines educators' and family engagement specialists' perceptions on family engagement practices, with a focus on foster families. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Guided by a social constructivist framework, the study employed a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with family engagement specialists, a focus group with center administrators, an online teacher survey, document analysis, and field notes. Data were analyzed through structural and thematic coding to identify patterns across stakeholder perspectives. RESULTS: Findings indicate that engagement practices are largely universal, with similar routines applied to all families, including informal interactions during drop-off and pick-up, parent - teacher conferences, and center-based events. Although relationship-building, trust, and communication were emphasized as central, strategies specifically tailored to foster families were limited. DISCUSSION: Engagement was primarily center based, with minimal attention to home-based approaches, despite their established link to stronger developmental outcomes. These findings suggest that a "one-size-fits-all" approach may not adequately address the unique circumstances of foster families, including placement instability and involvement in child welfare systems. CONCLUSION: The study underscores the need for targeted professional development and system-level support to promote more responsive and context-sensitive engagement, ultimately enhancing equity and improving outcomes for children in foster care.