School-age children work on many important developmental tasks during their out-of-school hours. One of the important responsibilities of school-age care staff is to help families stay in touch with how their children are growing and developing during program hours.
In addition to families, professionals who work with children in other settings are often interested in learning how children spend their time when they are not at home or school. Portfolios are excellent tools for bringing children’s experiences in school-age programs to life for families during planned family conferences. They are also valuable tools for sharing helpful information about children with other professionals.