November 2023 Parenta magazine

Jonathan Newport
Between the ages of 0 and 5, children
undergo what is probably the most
magical and transformative period of their
lives. To develop cognitively, socially, and
emotionally, exploration and discovery are
essential. Children thrive on a daily diet of
hands-on, play-based experiences against
a backdrop of positive relationships with
adults, regular interaction with peers, and
a rich, stimulating environment.
A consistent approach is key, not just
to behaviour, but also to ensuring
children feel secure and nurtured. When
experiences and expectations at home
How can we
effectively engage
with families
around children’s
behaviour?
mirror those in our settings, we increase
the likelihood of successful outcomes for
our youngsters. So, it’s in all our interests
to pursue a coherent approach to family
engagement, particularly about behaviour.
The vital role of parents
and carers
As educators, many families tell us that
they struggle with their child’s behaviour,
and we often give advice, tell them what
we do in our settings, and share lists of
strategies for them to try at home. But this
approach, while being well-intentioned,
can feel very ‘done to’ rather than ‘done
with’ to families.
Instead, true family engagement
involves listening to parents and carers
to understand the behaviours they are
seeing, and their family situation. We
can look holistically at the child together
with them, both in our settings and
at home, rather than seeing these as
separate things. The challenge for us
as practitioners is, how can we most
effectively support families with behaviour
so their child can thrive both at home and
in our settings?
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We also need to be open to learning from
parents and carers, rather than assuming
we have all the answers when considering
strategies to support behaviour. We can
share approaches and ideas and adopt
a puzzle-solving approach to behaviour,
where we are curious, try things out, and
find what works for this child, in an everevolving
process.
Bridging the gap
We all have the children’s best interests
at heart; however, there can sometimes
be a disconnect between home and our
settings regarding behaviour. To bridge
this gap, we need to acknowledge and
understand any potential barriers and
work with families to understand them.
For many parents and carers, handing
over the care of their child to another
person can be both daunting and
challenging. They may feel anxious
about how their child will respond in a
new setting and some of that anxiety
may rub off on the child. For children with
diagnosed or suspected additional needs
and disabilities, there are often additional
concerns about whether a setting will
be able to support their needs. We also
need to be mindful of the fact that some
parents and carers will have had prior
experiences themselves, which can affect
their responses to our expectations and
initiatives around behaviour.
Parents and carers can also hold widely
different views about behaviour. What is
acceptable to one family might be wholly
unacceptable to another. We therefore
need to reflect on the reasons that
underpin individuals’ differing perspectives
and see different options and positive
approaches as choices available to us
rather than try to implement a one-sizefits-all
‘solution’.
Practical ideas
for building family
engagement around
behaviour
To create strong, long-lasting relationships
with our families, we need to develop
effective, positive, and inclusive strategies
around behaviour. These 5 suggestions
are a useful starting point for framing
internal discussions between leaders and
practitioners, and can help drive future
action planning:
1: Keep an open mind
It’s important not to make any
assumptions about the support that
parents and carers want or need. By taking
the time to see behaviour through their
lens and find ongoing ways to collate their
views and opinions, we can ensure we
are engaging in ways that are timely and
appropriate.
2: Extend our reach
Sometimes, even the most effective
engagement strategies are only partially
successful because they do not reach all
families. For example, arranging coffee
mornings or drop-ins may suit some
people, but others might miss out due to
work or other commitments.
Taking a creative and curious approach
can be helpful. Who are the ‘hard to reach’
families and what could we do to remove
existing barriers? This might involve getting
out into the community more regularly,
looking at ways technology could support,
and offering alternative times for drop-in
sessions.
3: Consider our local context
All contexts and communities are different,
and as such, will require a bespoke
approach to family engagement. For
example, if language is a barrier to
communication, how could we engage
with families in their first language? Do
some families have limited access to
technology, resulting in them being unable
to access our initiatives? By taking our
families’ social, economic, and cultural
backgrounds into account, we can
devise the best strategies for supporting
behaviour.
4: Share our approach to
behaviour
Approaches to behaviour have evolved
over the years, and we must keep parents
and carers informed about our strategies
and ethos. When families are clear about
why we do things, not just what we do,
they are more likely to engage with and
support us.
This was one of the underpinning ideas
when we created the “Team Teach Family
Engagement Training” course because
we recognised that our approaches to
behaviour support also need to be shared
with and understood by families for them
to be most effective.
5: Work as a team
Parents and carers know their children
better than anyone else, so by tapping into
each other’s expertise and experience,
we can collaborate to find strategies
that work for all of us. This is especially
important when we consider families
that are involved in multi-agency support
and receiving guidance from several
professionals; there is a risk that they
might become overwhelmed by conflicting
perspectives. In such cases, a coherent,
strategic approach is essential.
A golden opportunity
Fuelled by curiosity, compassion, and
connection, we have a golden opportunity
to examine and improve our approaches
to family engagement around behaviour.
By taking a joined-up, unified approach,
we can empower families to understand
and support their child’s behaviour,
helping them to become resilient, happy,
and healthy individuals.
Consistency is a key component of
understanding and responding to
behaviour, so by fostering strong home
links based on mutual trust and respect,
early years settings and families can work
in harmony to ensure the best outcomes
for every child.
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about Jonathan:
30 November 2023 | parenta.com
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