The setting I come from I feel that parent involvement is shallow and unrewarding. When parents pick and drop children educators miss to initiate interactions and build on relationships and are unable to recognise families as genuine partners. The partnerships help to transform relationships as they challenge knowledge and power links between educators and families as suggested by Stonehouse and Gonzalez Mena, 2008, While family involvement is not a partnership, it can lead to a partnership.Issue/Concern

How we can build Collaborative partnerships with Families

My beliefs and why we value collaborative partnership with familiesI believe family is key influence in childs learning. By building strong relationships with the families, we educators are able to find out about the childs everyday experiences and interests, which further allow us to provide a culturally responsive and relevant program to the children.According to sociocultural theories children learn through interactions within their families and communities. Hughes and Naughton suggested that effective partnerships between families and educators give family members a voice and a role in decision making and encourage the negotiation of shared meanings.

My beliefs and why we value collaborative partnership with families (Contd.)When educators work in partnerships with the families, it enables us to appreciate each others role and promote the sharing of information which further enhances the childs learning. As suggested by Puckett and diffily,2004, collaborative partnerships involve both educators and family members making a commitment and sharing information and are built on mutual benefit.(Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, Farmer, 2012, p.50)

When we educators exchange information with families, we are able to identify childrens connections with community groups and it also provides insight into their interest and funds of knowledge. Based on these exchange of information with the families and using Bronfenbrenner model , we can identify importance of relationships and the strengths that a child brings to the setting.

5 Whys Activity: Why we lack collaborative partnerships with families?Lack of partnership- Why?Lack of shared decision making- Why?Lack of meaningful interactions- Why?Lack of time Why?Lack of flexible ways to communicate- Why?Lack of effective communication : Root Cause

2-1-2 activity:Strengths are :1. Willingness to improve 2. Making initiativesOpportunity for growth : Effective communication. Strategies: 1. Making an action Plan to have an effective communication. 2. Critical Reflection & Evaluation.

Action Plan1.Interview between Family and Educator Accept perspectivesUnderstand/Preferable ways of communicationCommon Goal 2. Follow the information through being caring, consistent and with the clarity.

Action Plan (Contd.)3. Orientation visits to be arranged as careful orientation of a family to the service and the service to family enables trust to grow and dialogue to begin.(Arthur et al. p.58)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHk3m9QS9Zc

Action Plan (Contd.)

4. Ongoing exchange of information enables us to recognise the power relationships that exist between educators and many families and take steps to develop relationships with the families who are different from us.(Blaise & Nuttall, cited in, Arthur et al., 2012, p.51)5. Building sense of community by providing multiple ways for families to choose to be part of the setting.

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/e-learning-videos/talking-about-practice/partnerships-with-families

Evaluation

SuccessExcitementNervousWorries