Partnership with Parents

[Pandypops]

Morning! I spend a lot of time creating daily diaries for the baby I mind and e-mail them home every day. I have sent newsletters and I am working on my first questionnaire at the moment, so I am trying very hard to liaise with my parent.

I have explained about working together and how important it is and that any comments are welcome, but I never get any and it's like trying to get blood out of a stone sometimes...

So - what I have been doing is writing down anything Mum has said to me in passing, jotting down how I plan to act on this (if necessary) and I will ask her to sign it regularly I think. Will this prove to Ofsted that I am working in partnership? I am running out of ideas as to how to show that I am trying.....

[rosebud]

You can only do so much, working in partnership might mean adapting the way you do things to suit each family. I include things parents tell me in the child's learning journey, For example: parents tells you a 2 year old used the potty for the first time, you can write this as an observation by the parent and include it in the learning journey and put the next steps. This shows you take on board what parents tell you and use that information to benefit the child.

[Pipsqueak]

you are doing LOADS. remember the adage - you can lead a horse to water....

i record comments parents make and get them to initial and date it.

I have parents who never make written comments, feedback sheets NEVER come back and look surprised when I mention about newsletters!!! lol

all you can do is show YOU are trying to involve and work with parents... after that stop stressing:D

[Pandypops]

Thanks for the replies - I guess I am trying too hard maybe. I just so wish that parents would make it easier and just give me a couple of interesting lines every now and again......

I shall keep badgering and make notes in the meantime!

[catswhiskers]

It's up to you but I think you're doing too much - emailing to parents every day? How do you find the time?

I keep a daily diary, obs, photos, etc. in one folder and give it to parents every couple of months.

50% of the time it does come back with comments.

I started with a term-time only in June. Kept a folder on her child for 6 weeks and then gave it to mum to look at in the six weeks holiday (she's a teacher). It comes back after this (I had to remind her to bring it back so I could carry on adding etc.) as it just makes more work for me if sheets add up. It was an interesting, positive read and I would have loved to have had one on my own kids when they were young, but the comment sheet is blank!

This was last week but then today I get back to a message on my phone from ofsted about my inspection (it's 10 months overdue) and now I have the embarrasing task of asking Mum if she could maybe write a few sentences, just to show I'm working in conjuction etc.

A nursery I also wrote to twice over the past year or two for info with my bits and pieces has just got an outstanding award. Did they liaise with me? No.

They didn't get back to me but I will prob be picked up on not liaising with other agencies etc. etc.

At least we try!

[miffy]

Morning! I spend a lot of time creating daily diaries for the baby I mind and e-mail them home every day. I have sent newsletters and I am working on my first questionnaire at the moment, so I am trying very hard to liaise with my parent.

I have explained about working together and how important it is and that any comments are welcome, but I never get any and it's like trying to get blood out of a stone sometimes...

So - what I have been doing is writing down anything Mum has said to me in passing, jotting down how I plan to act on this (if necessary) and I will ask her to sign it regularly I think. Will this prove to Ofsted that I am working in partnership? I am running out of ideas as to how to show that I am trying.....

I think you're doing lots here - you can't make parents write comments on diaries but you can show that you are acting on what they tell you.

Miffy xx