How to create strong parent partnerships

Why are parent partnerships in the early years important?

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) places a huge emphasis both in its statutory framework and its development matters document on building parent partnerships. Having strong parent partnerships has many benefits for the child’s development including their emotional development. The main person in charge of ensuring these relationships are built is the key person. The key person should be actively promoting positive partnerships and keeping communication open with parents. It is important that parents and the key person have a shared level of expectation and are working together to achieve particular outcomes. Regardless of the age you work with it is just as important that parent partnerships are built and advice is shared between all. Each setting has their own way of keeping communication open and ways of keeping parents involved in their child’s development. We have compiled a list containing the top 10 ways yours setting can involve parents.

Top 10 ways to keep parents actively involved

1. Parents evenings – These could be held termly, twice yearly or yearly. You may choose to make them formal or informal it depends on which way suits staff and parents. This is always a nice way for parents and the key person to discuss any concerns, achievements, up coming transitions and to look at learning journals and development tracking.
2. Fundraising or charity events such as coffee mornings – These events can be for a great cause of your choice and can also bring parents and practitioners closer, why not double them up as advice mornings? You may choose to ensure the SENCO is available for one of these events to offer support or you could maybe get the chef involved to share healthy eating and food preparation tips with the parents.
3. Sleepover bear – These are teddies, not always bears who the children can take home for a sleepover with a diary. The children and parents can then take photos and share any special moments with practitioners.
4. Learning Journals – Parents should be encouraged to regularly look through journals and take them home and add to them when possible.
5. Interactive display boards – These can be around any topic that is current to your setting, give parents the opportunity to add post it notes, answer questions and write on display boards
6. Online presence – This is an ever expanding way to communicate and share information, you may choose to have a facebook or twitter page or just a website.
7. Hold stay and play sessions – These may be done around certain times of the years such as for festivals or celebrations or you may want to incorporate these as part of weekly or monthly routines
8. Daily diaries/sheets/apps – These are particularly useful with the younger children to ensure parents are receiving all the information they need about how their child has been during the day.
9. Get parents involved in themed weeks – If you celebrate themed weeks such as food festivals, book week, Christmas party week, get the parents involved in anyway you can. Request volunteers to come in and interact with the children or lead sessions or simply ask them to get involved in baking a cake.
10. Ensure the key person is available – This is something simple which should be happening as part of every day practice but is not always possible. Where possible ensure the key person is available to speak to the parents at least once a day to build a relationship and show an interest.

These are just a few examples.