Children thrive when their families have a real voice in shaping the systems around them. Families must not just be consulted but be recognized as decision-makers for children’s whole child health. When parents hold meaningful power, organizations transform in ways that better serve children and communities.
This shift is already happening within HEF. Parents have co-designed strategic plans with organizational leaders and have helped shape new advisory groups that ensure families have a seat at the table. Many parent leaders are now part of coalitions and community tables where decisions about health and education are made. Within HEF itself, parents are woven into every level of work, from steering and grantmaking to evaluation and communications.
“So, what does it actually look like to share the power? We added parents to our executive committee… not just input but participating in decisions being made.” – Staff leader at a grantee organization
We’ve learned that building trust with families requires time, flexibility, and thoughtful planning. When staff create space for parents to lead, families contribute innovative solutions that strengthen programs and services. Still, parents need more supports and opportunities to exercise advocacy and grow into leadership roles. The next step for organizations is to shift from listening sessions to genuine power-sharing, where parents help shape policies, budgets, and community priorities.
We will know this lever has succeeded when parent leadership is no longer tokenistic. Families with diverse voices and identities will be fully represented in leadership roles. Parents and organizations will advocate together for change. And parents will have equal power in co-creating organizational policies, budgets, and practices.