Background
This framework strand has been developed with parent carers – find out more.
Contents
Expectation
Parent carers are welcomed and cared for as part of the school or setting community.
- Accordion
Schools and settings show that they:
- Welcome parent carers into the school or setting community.
- Care about the wellbeing of parent carers.
- Show support and sensitivity to parent carers.
- Help parent carers feel confident.
- Let parent carers know what is expected.
Devon parent carers told us this could look like:
- Proactive communication, transparency and kindness from all school staff
- Giving parent carers a voice, respect and honest communication.
- Face-to-face communication where possible to build trust, relationships, and a sense of being cared for.
- It is important to be listened to and believed.
- It is important to know what happens next, such as actions, and their impact
- Each child is cared for and invested in.
- Staff accommodate the needs of parent carers (for example, mental health, neurodivergence, literacy, family and work commitments, suitable timings for meetings).
- Staff are visible and approachable in person (for example, having staff at the gate).
- Sharing and hearing the positives about your child.
- Having difficult conversations in a safe and sensitive way.
School has helped me have confidence as a parent.Parent carer
Expectation
Parent carers are valued and included as part of the school or setting community.
- Accordion
Schools and settings show that they:
- Identify the needs of parent carers.
- Understand parent carers.
- Respond in the right way for individual parent carers.
- Have a ‘can do’ approach.
- Recognise the strengths of parent carers.
Devon parent carers told us this could look like:
- Clear processes to support every child (including ones whose parent carers are unable to advocate for them).
- Ensuring that parent carer views are heard and valued.
- Helping parent carers to feel confident and less alone.
- Parent carer concerns are explored with curiosity, in a timely manner, and feedback is given.
- Being signposted to further support (for example, DIAS, IPSEA, parent carer support groups).
- Seeking to understand what is going on when there are difficulties with attendance and supporting the child’s wellbeing, working collaboratively to find solutions.
- Systems are clearly explained to parent carers, for example links between school, GP, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and how referrals are made.
- Parent carers have a named and obvious first point of contact for advice and guidance.
- Schools offer emotional support to parent carers when necessary.
- Meeting at a place that feels safe for parent carers if this is appropriate, and meeting planned (for example, virtual, in person, clarity about who is going to be there, parent carers can contribute to an agenda).
- Honesty, because parent carers may be able to support the school in finding solutions to problems.
- All school staff have an understanding of SEND, including masking.
They always seem to take matters seriously and show a lot of care and compassion.Parent carer
Expectation
Communication with parent carers is effective.
- Accordion
Schools and settings show that they:
- Provide the information parent carers need, in a form parent carers understand
- Ask for parent carer views.
- Listen calmly and respectfully.
- Respond promptly.
- Make time for parent carers.
- Use positive and helpful language.
Devon parent carers told us this could look like:
- The child’s needs are identified, actions are put in place, progress is closely monitored, and there’s an expectation for everyone to work together.
- Plans, actions and outcomes are clearly shared.
- Timely response when a parent carer raises a concern or issue, a timeline for a response to be shared, and a process to review and record outcomes.
- Where there are challenges with a child coming into school, continue ongoing, proactive and regular communication with parent carers and involve parent carers in planning.
- Training for staff and parent carers about systems for SEND and transitions, with enhanced transitions for children with SEND.
- Clear information is shared with parent carers about transition plans.
- Communication is consistent and proactive, with clear systems of communication understood by all members of the school community, liaising with one member of staff rather than contact from lots of different staff.
- A range of communication methods that parent carers can access, for example systems of communication like Tapestry, that go on after EYFS.
- Local parent carer groups to share advice and offer support (schools can connect parent carers with support groups where possible).
- School staff recognise when parent carers need time and a calm space to enable clear communication.
- Informal opportunities for chats (for example, half-termly drop-ins, coffee mornings).
- Primary and secondary schools work in partnership in relation to transition.
- At secondary school, ensure consistency between pastoral or behavioural approaches and SEND approaches – where a child is being supported by different departments make sure there is joined up approach (for example to attendance).
- Parent carers are able to contact the class teacher, SENCo, or other leaders.
- Parent carers receive communication from school staff which is clear and accurate.
It feels great when staff communicate well – it’s reassuring and helps me feel more confident.Parent carer
Expectation
Schools and settings work in partnership with parent carers.
- Accordion
Schools and settings show that they:
- Want parent carers to be involved.
- Value parent carers as an equal partner.
- Encourage and take on board parent carers’ ideas and suggestions for making improvements.
- Work together with parent carers on making improvements.
Devon parent carers told us this could look like:
- Approaching partnership in a way that is compassionate, friendly and reassuring.
- Bringing parent carers and school staff together as a shared experience.
- Working with parent carers to understand the behaviour of their child.
- Putting the child at centre of everything, meeting their needs and working together.
- Having trust and honesty, where school is a safe place for children, young people, parent carers, and school staff.
- Schools share with parent carers how they are utilising resources available to ensure that all children can meet their potential (for example schools communicate what their OAIP offer is to parent carers).
- Parent carers know what is being tried and what is working at school and vice versa, so parent carers can support and implement strategies at home when there are concerns about a child.
- Parent carers having access staff working directly with their child, not just senior teachers.
- Clear systems of sharing parent carer communication within school systems, where staff know information, so parent carers do not have to repeat information about their child.
- Giving parent carers opportunities to contribute to the development of school policies (for example, behaviour policy and logging of behaviour points)
- Communicating what has happened as a result of parent carer views being shared.
- Parent carers have opportunities to have a voice in the school (e.g. parent carer forum, surveys, email address for feedback etc.).
- Parent carers of children with SEND are able to review SEND plans in partnership with school staff.
- Parent carers of children with SEND are involved in planning support for their child in relation to school trips and offsite visits.
Teachers took our suggestions on board.Parent carer