Annual gathering highlights innovation in home visiting, with keynote from children’s media expert and TEDx speaker Will Maurer
Parents as Teachers National Center, a leading evidence-based early childhood home visiting model in the United States, announced its 2026 Parents as Teachers International Conference (PATCON26), taking place October 5–8, 2026, in Portland, Oregon.
Held under the theme “Navigate,” this year’s conference will convene approximately 2,500 home visiting professionals, early childhood leaders, researchers, and family advocates from across the globe to explore the evolving landscape of family support and early learning.
Designed to reflect the complexity and opportunity within home visiting, PATCON26 will guide attendees through the field’s most pressing challenges and promising innovations—grounded in deep experience, impactful evidence, and a shared culture of connection.
“This conference is about equipping professionals with the tools and insights they need to support families in an increasingly complex world,” said Constance Gully, CEO of Parents as Teachers National Center. “When we strengthen the people who work directly with families, we strengthen outcomes for children during their most critical years of development.”
Key Conference Highlights Include:
- Opening Keynote by Will Maurer – Executive Director of the Children’s Media Research and Reform Lab and a featured TEDx speaker, Maurer will address one of today’s most urgent parenting challenges: navigating screen use in early childhood. His session will offer research-informed, practical strategies to help home visitors guide families in building healthy digital environments.
- Professional Development at Scale – Dozens of workshops and sessions designed to translate research into actionable strategies for home visiting professionals.
- Global Community & Connection – Opportunities to network with peers, share best practices, and build partnerships across programs, systems, and geographies.
- Closing Keynote by Orvin Kimbrough – Chairman and CEO of Midwest BankCentre, Kimbrough will share his powerful story of resilience and leadership, offering inspiration rooted in lived experience and a commitment to strengthening communities.
Maurer’s keynote reflects a growing need within the field: helping families navigate technology’s role in early childhood. Drawing from both research and personal experience, his work bridges the gap between developmental science and everyday parenting decisions, particularly during the critical years when brain development is most rapid.
Who Should Attend:
- Home visiting professionals, supervisors, and coordinators
- Early childhood and family engagement professionals
- State and federal program administrators
- Researchers, policymakers, and advocates
- Anyone committed to strengthening families and improving outcomes for children
With Parents as Teachers serving more than 188,000 families annually across the United States and internationally, the conference remains a cornerstone event for advancing the field and ensuring families have access to trusted, evidence-based support.
Registration is now open.
The advantage of attending PATCON26
Participants will gain actionable strategies to enhance family engagement, access the latest research on early childhood development, earn continuing education credits, and join a global network of professionals dedicated to family success.
Registration information
Registration is open now through October; prices vary, and add-on experiences are available. Register at www.parentsasteachersconference.org.
Exhibitors are also welcome to attend and can learn more about opportunities here.
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers builds strong communities, thriving families and children who are healthy, safe, and learning. We match parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years in life, from pregnancy through kindergarten. The internationally recognized evidence-based home visiting model is backed by over 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Parents as Teachers currently serves over 188,000 families annually in all 50 U.S. states, 138 Tribal organizations, and six other countries. Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc. is located in St. Louis, MO.