PARENT ENGAGEMENT TO PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

Given the rise in mental health challenges and suicide rates among today’s youth, fostering protective factors is more critical than ever. This chapter explores how schools can intentionally create meaningful parent engagement in schools, where youth spend so much of their days, can serve as a protective factor by allowing parents and students feel welcome. Current models of parent involvement can be limiting and create further gaps of understanding between parents and schools and harm students. Being intentional about parent involvement builds trust and empowers historically ignored peoples to have more agency and improves student output. By using character strength interventions, schools can help build up resilience in their children, parents, and support staff in leveraging their strengths to build students up. Highlighting character strengths, especially in communities of color, can counter injustice and resist retraumatization.