Ways to communicate effectively with working parents

Some parents are very restricted with the amount of spare time they have during the day due to the demands of their jobs; this can cause some barriers to communication. Some children in the early years may be dropped off as soon as the setting opens and picked up literally as it closes. This can sometimes make creating strong parent partnerships challenging and sometimes in-depth feedback is not possible.

For this reason, it is important that practitioners find more effective way to communicate with these working parents. Using alternative methods of communication are also useful when reminding parents about important news, upcoming events, and notices. This ensures all parents are receiving messages directly, and important information isn’t being lost in transition for example grandparents pick up and forget to pass messages on to parents.

Sending messages in a variety of ways means parents can choose the option that is best for them and the most effective way to contact them. It also enables practitioners to quickly send messages which are not urgent but do need addressing such as a child may need more nappies bringing into the setting or a new tub of sun cream. It is easy for busy working parents and other parents to forget these when they a briefly verbally communicated so having it sent in an alternative way means there is a more permanent reminder.

New ways to communicate with parents

There are many new ways practitioners can communicate with parents about many different aspects of the early years from general notices to individual routines and development. Some of this include:

• Emails – Many parents will be regularly accessing their emails throughout the day, so this is a quick and easy way to communicate. Various things can be sent in emails or through attachments in emails such as online copies or newsletter or general reminders. These can be standardised such as newsletters and sent to many parents at once, or they can be more personalised notices that can be sent to individuals

• Text – Some settings may have a very basic setting mobile that does not have a camera for safeguarding reasons but does allow text messages to be sent. This is great for very simple short notices that need be shared. Again these can be sent to multiple or individual recipients.

• Apps – There are many apps that are available in which the parents can log in to and receive updates about their child’s routine. This is particularly useful for baby rooms as they can regularly update throughout the day how each child has fed, slept and any nappies. Parents can then log in to their child’s profile and check how their baby has been throughout the day. This helps to ease any anxieties parents are feeling about leaving their child as they updated as each event occurs across the day.

• Online learning journals  – There are many different online early years learning journals available, some of which send emails and updates to parents whenever they have been updated. This means parents can be kept up to date with their child’s learning and development as it happens rather than waiting long periods until parent’s evenings to view these and discuss developments.

• Communication tags – These can be attached to children’s bags just like a luggage tag would be. These can then be written on by parents and practitioners to convey simple messages that might be forgotten in the rush of morning handovers.

• News slips – These can be placed in each child’s bag and are then a written reminder that can be seen by all those who may pack and unpack a child’s bag each day.

There are many ways to communicate with parents in the early years even if there is limited time to verbally communicate. You may choose to give the parents in your setting a choice as to the way they would prefer to be communicated with. This way you are meeting all the needs of individuals children, families and parents.