Building Positive Relationships with Parents in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Forming a solid partnership with parents and carers is fundamental to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Practitioners can better tailor learning activities by involving parents in discussions about their child’s early experiences. Building positive and respectful relationships with parents from the outset is crucial for fostering a nurturing environment for the children. As the primary and most lasting educators, parents play a pivotal role in their child's early learning journey.

The initial exchange of information between parents and practitioners when a child joins a setting is crucial. Parents can share insights about their child’s development, preferences, routines, and more, which can be invaluable for settling the child into the new environment. This information serves as a ‘starting point’ for further collaboration, where both parties continue to exchange updates on the child’s daily routines and achievements, planning the next steps together. Remember, parenting doesn’t come with a manual, and many parents may rely on your expertise, guidance, and suggestions to support their child’s development.

According to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage:

“Providers must enable a regular two-way flow of information with parents and/or carers, and between providers, if a child is attending more than one setting. If requested, providers should incorporate parents’ and/or carers’ comments into children’s records.”

And...

“The key person must seek to engage and support parents and / or carers in guiding their child’s development at home. They should also help families engage with more specialist support if appropriate.”

A strong and respectful partnership between parents and early years settings is vital for a child’s success in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This partnership involves regularly listening to parents and providing them with clear, meaningful information about their child’s progress. The support that parents offer at home significantly influences their child’s learning. However, not all children receive the same level of support at home. By understanding the unique circumstances of each child and family, early years settings can provide additional assistance to those who need it most.

Encouraging parents to chat, play, and read with their children is important. When building relationships with parents, consider the following:

1. Preferred Communication Styles: Understand how parents prefer to communicate. Discuss the statutory information you need to share and how they would like to receive it.

2. Overcoming Communication Barriers: Identify any barriers to communication, such as language differences or learning difficulties like dyslexia, and find ways to overcome them.

3. Using Technology: If you use an app to communicate, ensure parents know how to download and use it, perhaps by demonstrating it during their child’s induction.

It’s essential to emphasise to parents that the information they provide about their child’s activities and progress at home is valuable. Research consistently shows that involving parents and carers in their child’s learning is one of the most important factors in helping children succeed, regardless of their background.

Partnerships with parents and carers in the Early Years Foundation Stage often begin with them visiting your setting. This initial interaction helps you gather important information that will assist in settling the child smoothly.

Prioritise getting to know the parents by inviting them to share information about their family, community culture, and expectations from your setting. Valuing parents as key contributors to their child’s education and allowing them to be involved in their child’s journey within your setting is crucial.

When possible, invite parents to be present during the settling-in process. This allows them to trust your approach and see how you personalise their child’s learning experience. Working together helps to share knowledge, understand the child’s interests, and determine the best strategies to support their development.

Communicating with Parents and Carers of Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Creating ways for parents and carers to engage in their child’s learning is crucial. It’s important to consider and address potential obstacles, such as past negative experiences with early education, separation anxiety, language barriers, cultural differences, and varying values.

Here are several strategies to enhance parental involvement:

• Daily Conversations with Key Persons: Maintain regular, informal discussions to keep parents updated and involved in their child’s progress.

• Gradual Settling-In Process: Provide a period for children to acclimate while allowing parents to observe and participate in the adjustment phase.

• Sharing Videos and Photos: Parents value seeing their child’s activities and milestones through multimedia updates.

• Workshops and Learning Sessions: Host workshops to inform parents about early education and how they can support learning at home.

• Inviting Parents on Trips: Include parents in outings to foster a stronger connection with the educational setting.

• Home Visits: Conduct visits to families’ homes to gain an understanding of the child’s background and home environment.

• Volunteer Opportunities: Encourage parents to contribute through volunteering in the setting or participating in community projects, while ensuring adherence to safeguarding practices.

• Parent Governance: Involve parents in decision-making roles, such as being part of a steering group, to engage them in the broader aspects of the setting’s operation.

Sharing Information with parents in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Parents often seek updates and insights into their child’s learning and development. Sharing this information can be an opportunity to communicate with parents about their child’s progress. For instance, sharing observations of a child’s new interest or skill learned at the setting can encourage parents to support similar activities at home, furthering the child’s development.

However, it’s important that sharing information doesn’t become a burdensome tracking exercise. Avoid creating unnecessary paperwork and focus on meaningful, quality interactions that support the child’s learning journey through the Early Years Foundation Stage.

How Let’s Grow Can Help Foster Relationships with Parents and Carers within the Early Years Foundation Stage

By incorporating playful and engaging activities in the classroom and at home, Let's Grow supports the Early Years Foundation Stage framework’s emphasis on parent-practitioner partnerships.

Let's Grow offers a variety of printable resources that can be sent home for parents to do with their children. You could also send a vegetable or fruit baby home with a child for the weekend. Parents and children can document the adventures of their vegetable or fruit baby in a class diary, creating a shared storytelling experience that ties the home and the early years setting together. This not only builds a fun and engaging way for parents to be involved in their child’s education but also provides valuable insights into the child’s life outside the classroom.

The vegetable and fruit babies can also help parents with specific developmental milestones, such as transitioning away from dummies (pacifiers). By encouraging their children to bring pacifiers to donate to the babies, parents can gently guide their children through these changes in a supportive and playful way.

Additionally, Let's Grow includes recipes that children can create in the classroom and then take home to share with their families. Along with the dish, you can provide parents with the recipe so they can recreate the experience with their children at home. This reinforces learning about food and nutrition and promotes family bonding over a shared activity.

Another way to engage parents is through the music and songs featured in the Let's Grow sessions. Children can learn a song at the setting and then invite their parents to come in and watch a performance. This gives parents a glimpse into their child’s learning and creates a sense of community within the Early Years Foundation Stage setting.

The Let’s Grow resources provide creative and accessible ways to connect with families, making learning an enjoyable and shared experience that extends beyond the classroom and into the home.

👉 If you'd love to learn more about Let's Grow and how our resources can enhance and support you in your classroom through a balanced combination of technology and practical activities, sign up for our completely FREE Getting Started Guide !