Working With Families

Communicating with Families
The Importance of Family Involvement

Working with families has always been an integral aspect of the early childhood teacher’s job.
Research continues to tell us that family involvement is a crucial component in children’s healthy
development and the prevention of developmental or educational delays.
In 1960’s many well researched programs had the component of home visits.
In 1970 in many early childhood models parents have a parental involvement component in
which parents have to work as a volunteer or as a paid aid in their child’s preschool settings.
Defining Family Engagement
Family engagement is a broad-based term that encompasses the many ways
that educators interact with the families of children they work with.
It is based on a reciprocal relationship with families build on a foundation of
respect and sharing.
To build relationship the educators demonstrate care, respect, honour, sharing
and thoughtful listening to gain knowledge and appreciation of family, social and
cultural practices and traditions.
The socio cultural perspective which is embedded in the curriculum framework
of early childhood education has guided the evolution of concepts and practices
related to working with families
From Parent Involvement to Parent
Engagement
Parent involvement has four main goals;
1. To educate parents.
2. To provide parents with the opportunity to influence or control the program in
which their children are involved.
3. To provide for the greatest possible continuity of care between home and
centre.
4. To empower parents.
The Family-Centered Approach
Family-centered practice is based on beliefs and values that
a) Acknowledge the importance of family system on child development.
b) Respect families as decision makers for their children and themselves.
c) Support families in their role of raising and educating their children.

Family-centered Culturally Sensitive
Care
Family is key in the lives of children.
Each family has its own strengths, resources, and ways of coping.
Each family must be respected without judgment or preconceptions.
Cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity must be honoured.
Programs must support families, and practices need to embrace diversity.

How to Approach Parent Engagement
Educators need to thoughtfully reflect on their role with parents as well as their values and beliefs
regarding parents. They need to consider the vision and goals of the program they are part of in
relation to parent engagement.
Marjory Ebbeck and Manjula Waniganayaka (2003) suggested four key purposes for collaborating with
parents and families:
1. To bridge the gap between home and the service, and ensure consistency and continuity for
children.
2. To plan more effectively for children based on their individual needs, interests, and abilities.
3. To model cooperative social skills to children, in teaching them the real meaning of being a
member of society.
4. To ensure accountability and service satisfaction to children and parents who have chosen to use
your professional services (pp. 84-85).
The Practice of Relationship
A practice of relationships describes the complex and dynamic relationships with diverse
community members and begins as you learn with and alongside children and families. When
you engage in a practice of relationships you create places of vitality in early learning
communities with children – as mighty learners and citizens – and their families (Makovichuk,
Hewes, Lirette & Thomas, 2014, p. 50).
In a similar way to the image of the child, the image of the family is also constructed within
social, cultural, historical, economic and political contexts…when you value family connections
and contributions, you are more likely to engage families in open respectful, and reciprocal
dialogue to share and generate ideas, solve problems, and learn more deeply about children
(Makovichuk et al., 2014, p. 50).
Activity
Please in groups of four discuss different ideas for communication with parents.
Make a list of these ideas. Be ready to share these with the whole class.
Methods of Parent-Educator Collaboration
Direct Communication
Daily conversations Emails, text messages
Phone calls Learning story-sharing sites
Written Communication
Documentation Bulletin boards daily notes
Newsletters Parent corners
Daily notes Travelling goodie bags
Newsletter
Volunteering or Visiting at the Centre
Evening Activities
Speakers Fundraisers
Family or social events discussion groups
Beyond the Centre
Referrals to community resources Parent advocacy
The Why of Parent Engagement
Benefits for the Child
Children whose parents support the program are better motivated and their self-esteem
enhanced.
Children may feel more secure knowing that their parents trust and involved with the centre.
Parents and early childhood educators may develop realistic goals to maximize the child’s
growth.
Parent engagement increases the children’s self-confidence and makes them pleases and proud
that their parents are interested in what is happening in their lives.
Collaboration provides information and knowledge of cultural or religious influences that may
allow for a better understanding of the children and their families.
Benefits for the Families
Collaboration strengthens families by helping them to have shared interests and goals and can give parents
something to talk about or be engaged in with their children.
Collaboration increases parents’ self-esteem by making them feel more confident of their parenting skills.
Access to resources and information helps parents develop knowledge.
Parents form new friendships and develop supportive networks with other families.
Parents have the opportunity to observe new or different parenting techniques.
Parents can see other children the same age as well as their own children in the developmental context of their
peer group, which may help them set more realistic goals.
Parenting can be overwhelming. Having a reciprocal relationship can provide parents with much-needed support.
Parents may come to appreciate and value the efforts of early childhood educators.
Engagement through documentation provides parents with a means to better understand their child’s
development and educators with opportunities to seek input from parents.
Benefits for Educators
Collaboration provides another opportunity to find out more about the children they are working
with, so they can develop more child-centered experiences.
Understanding children’s families helps educators understand the children.
Families may provide new ideas to explore the program with all children or provide different
perspectives on experiences.
Early childhood educators have more time when a parent takes responsibility for or work alongside
with them in certain jobs (e.g., snack preparation, fundraising, field trip supervision).
Making teaching and learning visible helps educators see themselves as professionals. Sharing their
knowledge with parents helps parents see educators as skilled, knowledgeable professionals.
Having their work valued and respected is important to early childhood educators’ sense of
professionalism.
When strong relationships are established, staff morale is improved.
Case Study
Review the case study and make a plan and share it in class.

Working With Families

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Communicating with Families

The Importance of Family Involvement

a) Acknowledge the importance of family system on child development.

b) Respect families as decision makers for their children and themselves.

c) Support families in their role of raising and educating their children.

Each family must be respected without judgment or preconceptions.

Cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity must be honoured.

Programs must support families, and practices need to embrace diversity.

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