Research has shown that involving the parents and family in afterschool programs has great benefit. But there are challenges. For the younger children, the parents are the real clients of the program; by middle school and the teen years, the youth are the clients and the families take on a more encouraging/supportive role.

• NEW Afterschool:Supporting Family Involvement in Schools New issue brief from MetLife Foundation Afterschool Alert, March 2008.
• Focus on Families! How to Build and Support Family-Centered Practices in After School - Harvard Family Research Project (2006)

Harvard Family Research Project  - :"...helped philanthropies, policymakers, and practitioners develop strategies to promote the educational and social success and well-being of children, families, and their communities. As it guides organizations in planning and assists in problem solving, HFRP collects, analyzes, and synthesizes research and information to foster continuous improvement and learning."

Parent Involvement Matters - "When schools collaborate with parents, help them become effective advocates for education, and work with them to tackle the tough social, emotional, physical and intellectual issues of our time, children are the winners."

• Links to Family Involvement Sites - WiseSkills
• Family, School, Community - Harvard Family Research Project