Partnerships with Parents - What do you do?

[David Sheppard]

Hi all,

One of the questions I regularly address at Professional Support Sessions is how you work with parents to promote partnerships with them. Here are a few common ideas for starters and one or two of my own. I look forward to reading many more...

1. Starting the relationship on a professional footing by ensuring the contract is explained and completed plus all the relevant personal information, financial arrangements and drop-off / pick-up times are understood and implemented.

2. Taking time at the 'meet and greet' to listen to their concerns and share yours.

3. Complete a Daily Diary for all non-school age children.

4. Maintain a Learning Journal for the child that is regularly shared with the parents.

5. Conduct annual home visits with the parents to discuss their child's progress and any other matter the parents wish to address in the privacy of their own home.

6. Produce a termly setting newsletter.

7. Produce an annual quality assurance questionnaire - and remember to actually take note of any comments or points raised.

8. Maintain my setting website with lots of information and approved setting photos.

9. Create an annual Slideshow DVD, for the parent, of their specific child's involvement in the setting on their anniversary of starting.

10. Create a generic slideshow DVD, for all the parents, to give a flavour to any special event or celebration we are involved with. Like the Summer Fun days and Christmas party we organise.

Now over to you please....

[uf353432]

I do all of the above except the last 2.

I live in a small village, and so sitting down to discuss annually in their own home actually is more frequently or at the park etc.

I am flexible, I strive to be as flexible as I can be.

I don't do the slide shows, but when starting parents receive a first day pdf, a montage of lots of pictures of the child on the first day - so they can see them happy and settled. A copy is put in the learning journal.

For xmas I plan to give each parent a framed photo montage of their child.

I try to celebrate parents birthdays by helping children create and make for them.

Ummmm sure there is more - mind is blank.

[Pipsqueak]

Nearly all of the above I do but I make a visit to the family home (if they family are comfortable with it) as contracts are being signed.

I try to maintain a professional approach/distance with parents (although one parent is turning into a good friend) and I do try not to work (for) friends as I personally feels this breaches the friendship boundairs - although again I currently have one friend/children on my books. Exceptional circumstances and I feel I can totally trust this friend to respect my professional boundaries.

I try to make sure - while I am working that I maintain a professional approach/manner when I am out and about with the children (or if I haven't got children with me - ie on teh way to a pick up)

I respect the principle that the parent is the most enduring educator

[youarewhatyoueat]

I do all except the slide shows and annual visits and I don't have or want a website.

[sarah707]

You have given lots of lovely ideas there David, thank you for sharing!

This is an important area for Scottish minders this year, as it is a Care Commission focus, so I am sure they will be reading your post with interest.

I think a big problem a lot of minders have is the fine line between being friendly and being businesslike with parents... it is certainly an area I am asked about a lot.

My dd would not be in France now staying with a family over half term if I hadn't struck up a friendship with them when I worked with them when the girls were small... at the same time working for a friend once nearly cost me my Ofsted registration when things went very wrong.

Back to your post and less of my wittering... a question...

I am sure our members would like to know if you need to be registered with the ICO to make DVDs of the children.

[Daftbat]

Hi,

A lot of my customers have become friends and so we have quite detailed chats at times about their child at various times but i also do the things on your list. I am about to do my first cd of the photos i take of each child as part of their xmas box. Hubby is in the process of setting up a website for me - slow process though!

I also encourage parents to write in the daily diaries and explain the notes i have made in respect of the six areas of learning.

I think if i did anything else i would need 26 hours in a day

[David Sheppard]

You have given lots of lovely ideas there David, thank you for sharing!

This is an important area for Scottish minders this year, as it is a Care Commission focus, so I am sure they will be reading your post with interest.

I think a big problem a lot of minders have is the fine line between being friendly and being businesslike with parents... it is certainly an area I am asked about a lot.

My dd would not be in France now staying with a family over half term if I hadn't struck up a friendship with them when I worked with them when the girls were small... at the same time working for a friend once nearly cost me my Ofsted registration when things went very wrong.

Back to your post and less of my wittering... a question...

I am sure our members would like to know if you need to be registered with the ICO to make DVDs of the children.

I am indeed registered with the ICO - you can download a Nursery setting template from their website that needs very little amendment as a childminder and you pay a small fee annually that can be entirely deducted from your profits as a legitimate expense. Good question thanks and it is a pleasure to share my musings.

[David Sheppard]

Hi,

A lot of my customers have become friends and so we have quite detailed chats at times about their child at various times but i also do the things on your list. I am about to do my first cd of the photos i take of each child as part of their xmas box. Hubby is in the process of setting up a website for me - slow process though!

I also encourage parents to write in the daily diaries and explain the notes i have made in respect of the six areas of learning.

I think if i did anything else i would need 26 hours in a day

They don't expect much for a few pounds per hour - do they!

[jumpinjen]

I just sat down with a new parent today and went through a starting point with her about her daughter who has been with me for two weeks and is 15 months old. it was really fascinating as i found out lots of information about her daughter's preferences and how she behaves at home, what she plays with etc, I had discussed those things filling in a record form with them when she started but having focussed questions to consider really opened things up and i feel in a much better position to provide great care... i think that's the corner stone of working with parents, is that wee are both working for the best for their child!!

Jenni

[singlewiththree]

1. Starting the relationship on a professional footing by ensuring the contract is explained and completed plus all the relevant personal information, financial arrangements and drop-off / pick-up times are understood and implemented.

I do this in the child's own home where possible so that I can see how the family is in their own environment

2. Taking time at the 'meet and greet' to listen to their concerns and share yours.
This is daily with the doorstep chats


3. Complete a Daily Diary for all non-school age children. yes I do, and I do scrapbooks for the holiday/school children

4. Maintain a Learning Journal for the child that is regularly shared with the parents. yes and I offer to show it to them, sometimes they want to other times they don't

5. Conduct annual home visits with the parents to discuss their child's progress and any other matter the parents wish to address in the privacy of their own home. Other than the initial home visit I don't go back into their home for contract reviews unless they specifically ask. We tend to discuss it at home time.

6. Produce a termly setting newsletter.
My newsletter is also a termly report. The top half is a general newsletter and the bottom half is tailor made to each child with their individual planning generally listed and what development stage they are at

7. Produce an annual quality assurance questionnaire - and remember to actually take note of any comments or points raised. yes I do this

8. Maintain my setting website with lots of information and approved setting photos. yes I'm always tinkering with mine, its what I used to do for a job

9. Create an annual Slideshow DVD, for the parent, of their specific child's involvement in the setting on their anniversary of starting. For holiday children I give the parents a memory stick of photos after each holiday. For preschool I give them a cd when they leave with all the photos on. Photos are printed and put in their Daily diaries and I also do a photo calendar each christmas

10. Create a generic slideshow DVD, for all the parents, to give a flavour to any special event or celebration we are involved with. Like the Summer Fun days and Christmas party we organise. I have the digital photo frame playing during the day and update it regularly but I don't give them a DVD or CD of the photos generally

I am always open to doing specific things that parents suggest that I may not normally have considered.

[The Juggler]

I also use the parents information/articles from nursery world and parents news from who minds.

I've used the ones about EYFS/Sleep/Dummies and I photocopying and share these with all parents just FYI and sometimes if there are specific issues.