Building relationships with families policy.
How we partner with families to support each child's learning, development, and wellbeing.
Building Relationships with Families Policy
Aim
To encourage family involvement and develop a working partnership with parents/carers by supporting an active exchange of information. We believe that the role of parents/ carers within the centre goes beyond just parent/carer involvement, it is a partnership of mutual respect, trust, and empathy to promote each child’s wellbeing.
Purpose:
For educators to recognise that families are the primary nurturers, educators, and role models for their children. They therefore play an important part in the care and education of their young children in the centre.
For educators to provide parents/carers with various avenues of involvement in the centre with regards to communicating information, in contributing to the program and in participating to the centre's environment.
Implementation
Diary dates/calendar events are displayed on the App.
Notices are regularly included in the centres App inviting parents/carers to spend time or assist in the centre.
Educators dedicate time to regularly communicate informally with parents/carers, sharing aspects of their child’s day, changes which may influence their children’s experiences or possible ways they may like to contribute to the program.
Parents/carers are invited to contribute to social events thus building a sense of community and enriching the partnership experience.
Daily experiences are shared with parents/carers through our live, secure App. Written communications i.e., day records, visual displays of the children’s work, photos displayed of specific events and experiences, emails, and educator/family posts in the centres App.
Policies and Procedure folders are made available so families can familiarise themselves with the philosophy, goals, and standards of care of the centre.
Families are invited to organise developmental reviews with their child’s teacher to discuss goals interests and strengths of their child.
To provide parents/carers with the opportunity to become familiar with the centre through the orientation process before enrolling their child.
For parents/carers to utilise the enrolment form to communicate specific information regarding their family’s cultural background, individual child rearing practices, fears their child may have and previous experiences in care.
Families are encouraged to share elements of their family culture and any special interests/jobs they may have with the centre.
A notice board is available in the foyer with upcoming events and notices, these are also posted through the centres App.
Emails will be sent to families in regard to centre activities/upcoming events. Parents/carers to utilise the Centre’s App where information about upcoming events etc. are posted.
Strategies
Approved Provider will
Ensure that parents/carers may enter the education and care services at any time unless such entry would pose a risk to the safety of children/educators or breach court orders regarding access to children.
Ensure that educators provide information to families regarding the content and operation of the educational program, in relation to their child and that a copy of the educational program is available for inspection at the education and care service or via the centre’s App.
Ensure that families have access to their child’s live, secure, login-based e-portfolio which contains documents regarding the assessment of the child's developmental needs, interests, experiences and participation in the educational program and assessments of the child's progress against the outcomes of the educational program.
Ensure that a weekly menu which accurately describes the food and beverages provided each day is displayed in a place accessible to parents. This is also displayed on the App on a rotating cycle.
Ensure that parents are notified of any incident, injury, trauma, or illness that occurs for their child while at the education and care service.
Ensure that administrative spaces are adequate for the purpose of consulting with parents and for conducting private conversations.
Ensure that families are notified of changes to policies or fees and given adequate notice as per the Education and Care Services National Regulations, and ensure the National Regulation is available for parents to access.
Ensure that the enrolment and orientation process provide families with information about the philosophy, policies and practices of the education and care services prior to children's first attendance at the service.
The Nominated Supervisor will
Ensure that a weekly menu which accurately describes the food and beverages provided each day is displayed in a place accessible to parents and is available via our centre’s App.
Develop systems for families to provide feedback regarding the enrolment and orientation process and when reviewing policies and procedures to improve processes and practice.
Ensure that parents may enter the education and care services at any time unless such entry would pose a risk to the safety of children/educators or breach court orders regarding access to children.
Inform families about the processes for providing feedback and making complaints.
Develop an enrolment and orientation procedure that ensures families are provided with information about the philosophy, policies and practices of the education and care services prior to children's first attendance at the service.
Up-to-date resource information for families on the parent library and provide useful documents and websites on the App.
Educators will
Inform families about the processes for providing feedback and making complaints.
Be available for families at pick up and drop off times to pass on important messages and information about their child's participation in the education and care program.
Encourage families to be involved in the education and care service and the program through feedback, visiting the service, bringing in items from the home environment and giving feedback on children's emerging interests and needs.
Promote continuous open and honest two-way communication with families to assist them to feel connected with their children's experiences in our centre and to develop families' trust and confidence in the education and care service.
Value parents/carers as the first and most important educator in their child's life, seeking to share the parent's understandings, knowledge and preferences for their child and seeking to balance individual needs with practice in the education and care service.
Recognise that because families and parents/carers in particular, are often busy with many competing priorities, they will need to consider a range of strategies to build and maintain relationships with each family.
Make documentation available to families and prepare documentation in a way that is readily understandable to the parents/carers of the child and to other educators.
Parent/Carer Responsibilities
As parents/carers, you are able to help us provide a high-quality service for your child. The following are ways in which you can do this:
Familiarise yourself with centre policies and discuss any concerns with staff.
Maintain the correct information on your enrolment form. Items such as address, phone numbers, emergency contacts, medical information should be updated each time a change occurs.
Label all bags, clothes, shoes, and any other property clearly.
Provide your child with a healthy snack (St. Ives and Roseville Kindergartens only). All centres encourage healthy eating habits - lollies and sweets are unacceptable.
Please remember that all centres are nut aware.
Keep sick and recuperating children home.
Provide accurate information on enrolment and medical information forms during the enrolment process and notify educators when any information changes.
Be invited to contribute to the quality improvement process within the education and care service.
Be encouraged to attend children's excursions to help meet required ratios and to support their children's knowledge of and engagement in their community.
Be invited to family events to be held periodically to help families network and develop friendships in the local community. Educators will be encouraged to attend these events.
* For families who use English as a second language, we will endeavour to provide translated documents.
Community Early Learning Australia
Centre Support
Sources
- d:Education and Care Services National Regulations
- National Quality Standards
*This policy is the property of Eikoh Seminar Australia Pty Limited and must not be reproduced without the consent of management.