ABSTRACT
Family support programs provided emotional sustenance, information, and instrumental assistance to families within a context of empowerment. In an ecological study such as this, environment is a critical element, for the setting possesses particular physical and material attributes which shape behavior; and each setting in turn is shaped by its particular history. The evolution of the caregivers’ program at this preschool paralleled national developments as an indigenous worker transformed parent training into family support. The goal of the investigation was twofold: first, to contribute to the knowledge base by generating information about the process of empowerment; and, second, to promote replication by identifying salient characteristics of an effective family empowerment program. Caregivers translated cultural capital into human capital; and this process, called empowerment, benefited caregivers, their families, and their neighborhood. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
