Working with parentscarers are we hard to reach

Working with parents/carers: are we “hard to reach”?

Working with parents: are we “hard to reach”? What we will cover: • Why is it important to work with parents? • What are the barriers? • Practice examples: Langlee, Burnfoot, Selkirk • Parents’ perspectives

Why is it important to work with parents? “Children in Scotland only spend around 15 per cent of their waking hours in school. The remaining 85 per cent of their time is spent at home or in their community and this presents a significant opportunity for learning (OECD, 2014). What parents do with their children at home is more important than their socio-economic status. A stimulating learning environment outwith school can therefore be fundamental to their attainment and achievement” (Review of Learning at Home)

Why is it important to work with parents? ‘When parents engage in educational activities for themselves a series of cultural and educational interactions are promoted within the family. Parents benefit from self-efficacy, empowerment and greater involvement in their child’s school as well as greater parental confidence in helping their child at home. This leads to increased pupils' engagement in school and better educational achievements’. (European Commission, 2015)

And why we don’t do “parenting”

What do you think are the main barriers for parents engaging with the learning of their children in your school? • Poor personal experience of school • Concern about own levels of literacy/ numeracy/ language • Working/childcare • Rurality/ transport • Culture – it’s “aye bin” • Staff confidence

Are we getting it right when: • We always ask parents to come to where we are…. • We ask parents to negotiate entry systems into schools… • We start a parents group 1 hour after nursery drop off time…. • Drop off routines in the playground create a line that parents are not supposed to cross… • We make value-based judgements about the reasons for parents not engaging….

Langlee Primary School and Early Years Centre Developing work with parents: • Consulted with parents about an Early Years Centre • Developed programme: free and inclusive activities • Staff are key to building relationships • Partnership Early Years Improvement Network (EYIN) supported and enhanced

Langlee Primary School and Early Years Centre Target group: Initially all early years children and their families (0 -8 yrs) in the High School catchment area Increasingly targeted early years families

Langlee Primary School and Early Years Centre What was done? : • Open all year round • Monday morning drop in • Support to access entitlements eg Healthy Start • Welfare benefits advice • Holiday breakfast club • Incredible Years and Triple P parenting groups • Learning pathways for parents

Langlee Primary School and Early Years Centre What was the impact? “I’ve got more confidence and I know that I’m not too thick to learn. This has taken away those feelings of feeling worthless – I’ve even managed to write nice stuff about myself. I find myself reading with the children more and I’m not ashamed to read to other people’s children now”

Langlee Primary School and Early Years Centre What was the impact? • Understanding of community need • Engagement of families • Healthy Start registrations increased • Additional £ 350 k in benefits claimed over 2 years • Healthy food and fun activities over holidays • Parents better able to manage children’s behaviour • Parents gained qualifications, volunteered and progressed to further learning

Working with parents in Hawick Starts with building relationships…… including talking to parents not engaging with High School • Food security plus… • Evening homework • Dads rock • Partnership underpins

Working with parents in Selkirk • Home visits to all new ELC families (entitlement) • CLD and ELC Workers (by appointment) • Informal, non-judgemental, structured conversation covers key areas • Power balance in favour of parent • Starting point for future positive engagement

Working with parents Questions?

How Good Is Our School? 4 2. 5 FAMILY LEARNING Challenge questions: • To what extent are we sure of what meaningful engagement with families looks like? • How can we demonstrate that families are feeling included and that they are participating, achieving and progressing?

Working with parents: summary • It isn’t always easy ……… • Valuing what parents know and already do and building relationships of trust is paramount • Listen to what parents say, be creative and responsive • It’s essential……. .

See also: Family Learning Framework (Education Scotland, April 2018) Review of Family Learning: Achieving Excellence and Equity (Scottish Government, Dec 2016) How Good Is Our School 4? Review of Learning at Home (Education Scotland, August 2018)

Thanks for listening Tanya (parent) Amanda Dempsey (CLD Worker) amanda. dempsey@scotborders. gov. uk Kenny Harrow (CLD Worker) kenny. harrow@scotborders. gov. uk Oonagh Mc. Garry (CLD Team leader, adult learning) omcgarry@scotborders. gov. uk