Fostering Parent and Professional Collaboration: Partnership Strategies © PACER Center, 2008

Fostering Parent and Professional Collaboration: Partnership Strategies

© PACER Center, 2008

Defining the Collaborative Relationship

Indicators of collaborative parent-professional partnerships:– Respect

– Trust

– Open communication

– Shared goals

© PACER Center, 2008 2

Defining the Collaborative Relationship

Indicators of collaborative parent-professional partnerships:– People know what is expected of them– People appreciate others’ perspectives– Parents are treated as experts on their children– Parents and professionals take different actions to

make the relationship work


What Professionals Can Do• Keep promises and ensure

confidentiality– Let parents know what

information is private and what will be shared with others

– Ask permission to talk about the child with others


What Professionals Can Do

• Be hopeful and honest about a child’s abilities and potential– Do not withhold

information that may be painful

– Admit if you do not have answers



• Help parents to identify their strengths– Some may not know that what they do is important– Many families are not accustomed to thinking

about strengths• Point out interventions families already use

• Describe the strengths of family members



• Help parents to identify their choices– Provide an array of

options and encourage parents to make their own decisions

• Demonstrate and model problem-solving skills



• Accept parents as equal partners– Takes more time initially, especially with parents

from some cultures where professional expertise guides decision-making

• Be flexible and considerate of parents’ points of view – even when you may not agree



• Consider the parent’s perspective in all aspects of planning– Reinforce strengths– Remember their challenges and other

responsibilities that may guide decisions

• Support parents as their child’s best advocate in making decisions



• Take care of logistics for meeting or event– Be flexible in time, location– Let parents know that their participation is important– Ask if any supports are needed to help parents

attend (transportation, babysitting, bus fare, etc.)



• Encourage parent participation on committees that address education and other relevant areas– Consider involving parents in staff development– Agencies may hire parents as part of their staff to

effectively engage other parents in agency services


What Parents Can Do

• Recognize professional commitment and expertise

• Thank professionals who have been helpful

• Consider that professionals may be limited by the system in which they work


What Parents Can Do

• Reinforce at home what a child is learning in school– Children are aware of

parents’ views

– Keep a child’s outlook on school positive


What Parents Can Do

• Be considerate of professional point of view– No one knows a child in

the same way as parents

– Professionals cannot know what parents have had to learn from experience


What Parents Can Do

• Be honest– It is important that parents speak up when they do

not understand a discussion – The right to disagree has meaning only if parents

understand


What Parents Can Do

• Follow through with promises made– Honor commitment

made

– Trust develops when parents and professionals can rely on one another’s word


What Parents Can Do

• Find solutions for disagreements– They are generally honest differences of opinion– They are not personal attacks– Keep children out of school disagreements


What Parents Can Do

• Remember that life is full of compromises– Keep the focus on

desired outcomes

– Nothing is written in stone – services may be changed as needed


Communication

• Communication makes a difference in the effectiveness of collaboration

• Nonverbal communication is as important as the words we use

• Information in writing keeps understanding clear


Communication

• Disagreeing does not mean being disagreeable!– Ask questions to help clarify

differing opinions

– Children should never be included in disagreements

• Balance bad news with positive comments


Communication

• Professionals should avoid jargon– Even basic terms like IEP or 504 plan are not

understood by many parents– Jargon makes communication more difficult

• Provide written information in parents’ native language


Why Collaboration?

• Parent-professional collaboration benefits everyone– Parents become more involved in education– Children perform better– Schools are more welcoming and positive when

parents and professionals work together


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From “Fostering Parent and Professional Collaboration: Partnership Strategies”

by PACER Center, © 2008.

Used with permission from PACER Center, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, (952) 838-9000. www.pacer.org

.All rights reserved.

http://www.pacer.org/

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Conflict ResolutionThe Problem Solving Process

I. Define the problem “What’s the problem?”

II. Define the objectives “What do we want to achieve?”

III. Analyze the problem “What is causing the problem?”

IV. Create options for solutions “What are the possible solutions?”

V. Select the best solution “What is the best alternative?”

VI. Troubleshoot “What might go wrong?”

VII. Implement the solution “What needs to be done & who needs to know?”

VIII. Evaluate “How effective is the solution?”25

Negotiation Methodology

SEPARATE THE PERSON FROM THE PROBLEM

Remember when a relationship becomes entangled with the problem, that on both the giving and receiving end we are likely to treat the person and the problem as one.

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Negotiation Methodology

REMEDY

Don’t invade the person’s space. That only antagonized & escalates the conflict.

Remain rationally detached. Don’t take their attacks personally. Don’t react to emotional outbursts.

Identify the real issue behind the conflict.

REMEMBER: You both want what’s best for the CHILD.

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What to do…Keep accurate records; document everythingBecome familiar with the LawsIdentify important peopleLearn how the system worksDetermine how much assistance you are willing

and capable of providingBe an Effective CommunicatorConfidentialityKnow when enough is enough

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For Additional Information

Contact the Parent Education Networkhttp://www.parentednet.org/

2107 Industrial Highway

York, PA 17402

[email protected]

(800) 522-5827 V/TTY

or (800) 411-5028 (Espanol)

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http://www.parentednet.org/

Documents

Fostering Parent and Professional Collaboration: Partnership Strategies © PACER Center, 2008