Communicating with parents and carers

Establishing strong relationships with parents and carers is vital for building positive foundations with families and giving children a lifelong love of learning. It’s so important that effective parental engagement strategies are shown to have up to a five-month impact of progress on outcomes!

Developing effective partnerships takes time because genuine relationships don’t grow overnight! But these relationships are nothing without effective communication, establishing core qualities and authentic value for family input.

The needs and progression of the children in our care varies day by day as they grow and thrive. It is important that our communication with families mirrors this journey to ensure we are being clear and compassionate as professionals.

In this article, we will explore how communication might vary depending on a child’s stage in setting and how we can best support open dialogue with those at home.

Different ways of communicating with parents and carers

There are many different ways to communicate with parents and carers. In an age where settings are using more technological avenues, drop-offs and pick-ups aren’t the only times to have meaningful conversations.  

Different ways to communicate work for different family set ups, so make sure you vary your approach to reach as many families as possible. Some examples are:

• Regular and detailed handovers at the beginning or end of the day.
• Online communication through learning journal platforms, which can be done throughout the day and are useful for recording routines.  
• Newsletters emailed home on a semi-regular basis or when there are wider announcements to be made, such as health and safety issues, or staff updates.
• Posters and information boards in common waiting areas.
• Activities sent home for use out of setting.

 Why is communicating with parents and carers important?

Genuine interactions with parents and carers go a long way in establishing meaningful relationships and open dialogue, which is as important for supporting families as it is the attention provided to individual children in the setting. 

It’s good to remember that not everyone has had a positive educational experience so it can sometimes be challenging for parents and carers to integrate into early education and care for their own children. Creating a welcoming, inclusive and friendly environment is imperative to breaking down these barriers and providing a service that supports everyone. 

It's also important to acknowledge parents and carers anxieties around their child’s education and care, which are likely to change as their children grow through the setting and experience new things. Responding to these worries with understanding and compassion will not only help to support the grown-ups but also cultivate a welcoming environment for everyone.

Developing effective ways to communicate with parents and carers.

Let’s have a look at some of the ways we can develop effective communication with parents and carers on their child’s journey through early education and care… 

In a baby room

This is often the first time that parents and carers will be leaving their baby with someone outside of the family for an extended time so regular communication throughout the day can be greatly appreciated to support this transition. There are a few things to keep in mind in our communications:

• Regular care-orientated updates, including food intake and naps are important. These are big indicators of how comfortable a baby feels in the space and can be used to reassure parents and carers too.  
• Babies are prone to illness because they are being exposed to lots of new germs, no matter how clean we keep the space! ‘Heads up’ communication, such as if a baby appears with a slight temperature, can be helpful to give parents and carers the option of taking on the care themselves and prevents feelings of worry if they decline quickly and need to be sent home.
• Balance the care-based updates with activities and learning updates to share with those at home all of the exciting things babies get up to at nursery! From painting to exploring the garden, it’s good to highlight how we interact with the youngest children in our care.

 In the toddler room

Toddlers go through a myriad of new experiences, and it is important to keep parents and carers informed of their progress when in setting. From dropping sleep times, to learning new words, using gentles hands and toileting needs, toddlers learn a huge amount! Keep in mind that: 

• In England, two-year checks play a significant part in assessing a child’s development. These reports are shared with parents and carers for their input, too, so it is essential that this communication is clear and informative, whilst recognising a child’s individual nature in a positive way.  
• Toddlers are learning at a rapid rate and extending this learning across settings and home can be helpful for increasing familiarity and supporting engagement. Sending home small activities can be a good way to communicate the importance of home interactions whilst sharing up-to-date practice and what’s going on in setting too. 

 In preschool

Preschool children are gaining more independence and learning to play with others. It’s also a time to gear up to compulsory education! This means a lot of their time spent in pre-school is focused on school readiness and how to manage the transition in the summer.

•  Every child develops at their own pace, but it can be easily done for parents and carers to compare their own child’s progression with that of others in the room. Reassure adults about their child’s development - socially, academically or otherwise – by celebrating all of their achievements and emphasising the unique nature of children in their early years.
• Starting school will be a big transition for parents and carers, as well as for children. Talking early on about what to expect by inviting parents and carers in for transition events and information days with school representation can help alleviate worries and smooth the transition into the unfamiliar territory of the school playground.

 Key takeaways

Implementing an ‘open door’ and ‘easy access’ policy gives parents and carers the opportunity to approach you with confidence about any concerns or questions. By creating an inclusive and transparent relationship with parents and carers, we can work together and communicate efficiently.