Parent & Carer Involvement

Parental & Carer Involvement

Research has consistently shown that one of the most important factors in supporting children’s achievement and attainment is parental/carer engagement with learning. Parents and carers can make an enormous difference to a child's chances of success. Parental engagement can happen in an early learning and childcare setting (ELC), at school, at home and throughout life. Getting involved and working in partnership with a child's ELC, school or community group can help children and young people succeed. The greatest impact comes from a child learning from their parent/carer’s actions, reactions, attitude towards and engagement in their learning, and in their own learning as adults.

Our vision for parental involvement and engagement

As parents, carers and families are by far the most important influences in a child's life, their support can play a vital role at all stages of their child’s education. Our vision for all education establishments is that they meaningfully engage parents/carers in their child’s learning and life at ELC or school, whilst also enhancing parents’ own educational skills and employment opportunities.  Supporting effective parental engagement with learning needs to be embedded within our establishments, as a holistic and essential part of their practice.

School staff and early years staff often refer to 'parental involvement' or 'parental engagement'. These terms can often be confused and in fact some educators use them interchangeably.

What is parental involvement and engagement in terms of their child’s education?

Parental involvement is mandated by law in Scotland, through the Parental Involvement Act, (2016) and quite literally means parents getting involved in the life and work of the school or early years setting. This could be through joining the parent council or fundraising committee, accompanying their child’s class on a trip or enriching the curriculum with their skills and talents. There are many, many ways for parents to be involved in all of Renfrewshire’s education establishments and they are actively encouraged to do so in a variety of creative ways.

Parental engagement most often refers to parents’ engagement in their child’s learning at home, at school/ELC, and in the wider community. It is supported by discussion between parents and teachers/practitioners and focuses on how families can build on what they already do to help their children’s learning and provide a supportive home learning environment. Parents are seen as actively engaged in supporting learning, as partners. Our education establishments encourage parental engagement in a range of ways including through stay and play sessions, home learning videos, curricular learning clubs for parents and children and online padlets which explore and explain the curriculum.