Working with others

C11 Parents’ aspirations

Criteria

Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children.

Rationale/intent

The criterion is underpinned by the belief that a level of collaboration between parents and adults providing education and care will result in positive outcomes for children, and that parents are the ‘experts’ on their own children. The criterion aims to ensure that services consider the parents' perspectives in regard to their children.

Guidance

Children are a taonga of their whānau | families. All parents have particular goals and dreams for their children. These aspirations may be about the individual child and/or may be about the child within the context of their collective group.

Educators need to listen carefully and respectfully to the aspirations shared by parents. Sometimes the goals parents identify for their children may not fit comfortably with the service philosophy or what you understand about children’s learning and development. In these situations, it is important to discuss this with the parents, articulating your understanding and finding a way to meet the parents' aspirations that is appropriate to your service.

Practice

Examples of what this might look like in practice:

• Educators are receptive to information about children’s lives at home and incorporate it into their planning and programme.
• There are regular opportunities provided for parents to share their goals for their child with educators.
• Families are confident to visit, talk with staff, ask questions and offer information about their child.

Things to consider

• What informal and formal opportunities for engaging with parents are regularly taken (and recorded) to develop an understanding of their aspirations for their child?
• In what way does our service use consultation to support change?
• How do we create an atmosphere that enables free sharing of ideas and opinions?
• In what ways do our notions of power impact on parents sharing their aspirations?
• Whose knowledge is viewed as the most valuable?
• What happens when parents and whānau challenge our interpretations of anything? Is this process one of empowerment?
• Who decides how whānau | families are consulted? What is the agenda for this consultation?

C12 Opportunities for parents

Criteria

Regular opportunities (formal and informal) are provided for parents to:

• communicate with adults providing education and care about their child, and share specific evidence of the child's learning and
• be involved in decision-making concerning their child’s learning.

Rationale/intent

The criterion is underpinned by the belief that a level of collaboration between parents and adults providing education and care will result in positive outcomes for children. The criterion also aims to ensure that the learning and development of children is optimally supported through a holistic, collaborative approach and, that parents are well-informed.

Guidance

Partnerships involving regular consultation with parents, guardians and whānau are a crucial part of quality early childhood education. Parental presence and engagement have been found to support improved outcomes for children and develop a greater sense of belonging for families and whānau.

Where parents are welcomed, and educators use a range of strategies to develop genuine partnerships built on mutual trust and respect, parents feel more able to participate in decision-making about their child’s learning.

Educators need to consider the time, place and space to develop these relationships through informal and formal opportunities. Formal opportunities will include times where communication is planned and may involve preparation, for example a whānau hui or interview evening. Informal opportunities are likely to occur each day, often at the drop-off and pick-up times.

It is important to remember that not all children will be dropped-off or picked-up by their parents, therefore you will need to develop opportunities to engage with parents of these children at another time.

Practice

Examples of what this might look like in practice:

• Parents feel that they are well-informed and that their views are respected and taken note of.
• Interactions with parents are culturally appropriate and give them a sense of belonging.
• Parents’ ‘voices’ are apparent in documentation concerning children.
• Families are confident to visit, talk with staff, ask questions and offer information about their child.
• Resource material about children’s learning is readily available for families.
• Educators consult with parents about the process to be used when sharing information and making decisions, to ensure it is culturally appropriate, comfortable and effective for all.

Things to consider

• How do we share a child’s day with parents?
• How do we acknowledge the role of parents/whānau as partners in observing and evaluating their children’s learning and development?
• How do we empower parents/whānau to actively participate in decisions that affect the education of their children? How do we ensure they are effective?
• How are parents'/whānau rights recognised?
• In what ways can parents/whānau communicate in our setting?
• How effective are the ways we engage with parents? How do we measure this?
• How do we encourage parents to enquire about their child’s learning and development?
• How do we ensure that parents understand the practices and procedures of our service?

C13 Seeking information

Criteria

Information and guidance is sought when necessary from agencies/services to enable adults providing education and care to work effectively with children and their parents.

Rationale/intent

The criterion is underpinned by the belief that a level of collaboration between parents, adults providing education and care and other agencies as necessary will result in positive outcomes for children. The criterion aims to ensure that services seek information as needed.

Guidance

There are a range of situations where information and guidance from outside agencies and specialist services can enhance the ability of a child to fully access the curriculum and therefore improve their educational outcomes. Support and assistance may be focused on an individual child and whānau | family or on the wider group of children, management and educators.

Building stronger links between ECE services, parents and whānau, parenting programmes, schools, health, social services, and other specialists allow children’s learning and development needs to be met more holistically. It is useful for an early childhood service to establish these links within their community before they are needed, to ensure timely assistance.

Before educators approach a specialist service, it is important to consult with the parents to ensure that the process is appropriate. Confidentiality issues must always be taken into consideration.

Practice

Examples of what this might look like in practice:

• Educators know and quickly recognise the factors that suggest specialist information and guidance is required.
• Decisions to seek specialist guidance are made in collaboration with others, including colleagues and parents, and are based on observational evidence.
• Educators have a directory of specialist services and a ready network who will provide guidance and support to parents.

Things to consider

• How do our policies provide a clear process for identifying when support is needed, and for seeking that support?
• How do we know that we have considered the family's wishes?
• How do we go about making contact with specialist services? Do we know where all our local community facilities are?
• How do our own values and assumptions impact on our decision whether or not to seek support?
• What are our own assumptions of how specialist support operates?
• How do we involve parents when accessing specialist services?
• How does our service integrate advice from specialist services into the curriculum?
• What are our service’s strategies to fully-include children with special needs into our programmes?