Supporting Family Relationships

Forming and developing positive relationships with the families, and extended families, of children you care for requires special skills, an open mind and, very often, persistence.

The Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) outlines a national quality standard, and assessment and rating on collaborative partnerships with families and communities in Quality Area 6.

This area has two standards:

• 6.1 ‘Supportive relationships with families’
• 6.2 ‘Collaborative partnerships’

Quality Area 6 acknowledges the following core principles about partnering with families. Click on the principles to read more about each:

Respecting the uniqueness of families

Just as every child is unique, so is each family. A child's family has insight into the child’s challenges, likes, dislikes and interests. You, as the educator, will also have important insights into a child's learning and development.

Emerging data on child development shows that, for a child to thrive, all the key adults in their life need to work together to support them. This concept has not always been believed, and for many reasons, families may be reluctant or uncertain about how to work with educators and childhood professionals. Your ability to take the lead in forming and maintaining a strong relationship can make a huge difference and can add to the rewards of your work.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) outlines a comprehensive approach for children's development. It includes six guiding principles for early childhood professionals for creating relationships with families. Access the Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations by clicking on the link.

You need to have regard to the following considerations when dealing with families. Click on the considerations to read more about each:

The EYLF includes another foundational principle: partnerships. This principle recognises that a child's family is their most influential teacher, and as such, educators should strive to create collaborations of respect with parents and guardians in order to create meaningful learning experiences for children.

This principle outlines six aspects of genuine family– educator partnerships:

1. Value each other’s knowledge of each child.
2. Value each other’s roles and contributions.
3. Trust each other.
4. Communicate freely and respectfully.
5. Share insights and perspectives.
6. Engage in shared decision-making.

One of the biggest challenges in maintaining a positive partnership with a child's family is when the child is showing challenges with social and emotional responses (biting, bullying, screaming, tantrums, etc.). American psychologist Dr Ross Greene offers key research and guidance on handling challenging behaviours in children, which is often phrased as a ‘will vs. skill’ perspective. Many approaches to challenging behaviours start with a belief that children will do well if they want to.

Dr Greene offers the perspective that children do well if they can. In other words, challenging behaviours are a clue that the child does not have the ability to deal with a situation. This can be an isolated incident or an ongoing one.

WATCH

To learn more about Dr. Greene’s approach to challenging behaviours in children, watch the following 4-minute video:

Check your understanding

Timely and relevant communication with a child’s family improves relationships, saves time and helps a family engage in their child’s development.

Information to share

Timely, respectful and relevant information sharing with families helps to provide a consistent developmental context for a child. It helps you understand aspects of the child’s life you might not otherwise know about, and it helps promote a trusting environment for both the family and the child.

Across the topics in this module, we have identified many typical daily types of information that are important to share:

Communication and transitions

Transitions or periods of adjustment have an impact on the emotional, psychological, physical and even the spiritual wellbeing of a child. They involve change, and some transitions are significant and long lasting, such as starting at a new service, beginning formal school studies, or experiencing divorce or geographic moves. Others happen daily, such as going from home to a service, and from a service to home. At their core, transitions are about relationships.

Effective transitions require extensive information sharing that is specific to the context of the transition type, the child's development and needs, and the family's role and needs. They often require additional supportive information sharing.

Four (4) key practices for effective transitions are as follows:

1. Trusting and reciprocal relationships. Develop relationships with children and their families that are respectful, trusting and reciprocal. Actively support sharing and valuing relevant information to support changes.
2. Shared Goals. Develop a common language and shared understanding of the child's needs and challenges. Create shared goals that support ongoing reflection and response.
3. Recognition. Show respect for the cultural histories and practices of everyone involved in the transition. Recognise the strength and capacities of everyone involved and maintain a commitment to equity.
4. Adaptiveness Use approaches that are adaptive for diverse family situations, local communities and the nature of the transition.

For more information about leading transitions that support a child's development and learning, see Topic 4.

Documentation

Information sharing may take place informally at drop-off and pick-up. However, documentation is critical. Some services still use manual checklists and forms, but many are moving to online solutions that allow for real-time information sharing.

It is important to be informed about your workplace’s practices and to be aware of popular online solutions, which have the following benefits:

• Online solutions keep everything—planning, updates, assessments and announcements—in one place.
• They allow forms and policies to be shared in private with families.
• They help parents and professionals ensure they have real-time information.
• They help parents become more involved in their child's development on a day-to-day basis.
• They help to create trust and collaboration with families.
• They help create personalised learning plans for children.
• They facilitate an instant means of communication and sharing of news and updates.

Communication tools

While phone calls and email are still actively used to communicate throughout the day, there are many software solutions that services use for both communication and documentation.

WATCH

Watch the following 2-minute video to hear Christine Legg, chief executive officer of KU Children's Services, discuss Storypark:

Educa is software that can be used by early childhood services to share information about their children’s care routines and education.

Explore the features of Educa on their website.

There are many programs out there for services to use, with more being released or updated every day.

Some common programs are:

• Storypark
• Kindyhub
• Kangarootime
• Educa
• Kinderm8
• Xplor

It is important to nurture a child's capacity to learn through respect and acknowledgment of their unique identity.

A child's family and cultural history shape their development and sense of belonging.

Equity, diversity and cultural awareness

The ACECQA's National Quality Framework (NQF) contains two guiding principles that speak to the importance of nurturing a child's sense of belonging and identity through consideration for their cultural context.

Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Underpin the Framework

The NQF recognises all children's capacity and right to succeed regardless of diverse circumstances, cultural background and abilities. Inclusion is acknowledged as an approach where diversity is celebrated. It requires educators to hold high expectations for the learning and development of all children.’ (ACECQA, Guide to the NQF)

WATCH

The following 3-minute video from Family Matters is part of their national campaign to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children grow up safe and cared for surrounded by their own family, community and culture:

Respecting foundational relationships

The framework Belonging, Being & Becoming is a key component of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. It is based on the premise that relationships are the foundation for a child to construct their sense of who they are, how they belong and the influence they can have in the world.

Family, kinship and culture have a primary influence on a child's learning and development. Local community, cultural events, and spaces or places they visit reinforce a child's sense of belonging and wellbeing. Beyond this, broader economic, political, social and environmental influences reflect a vision for a child's growth.

In your work as an early childhood educator, it is important to understand and respect these foundational relationships and nurture a sense of belonging for the child and their family with deep consideration for their cultural practices and ways of relating.

The Aussie Childcare Network states that ‘educators who respect diversity and are culturally competent… recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. … [These educators] promote greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.’

Belonging, Being & Becoming Principle 4 concentrates on respect for diversity, and it stresses the importance of creating curriculums that value children's culture and heritage, and the importance of noticing and redressing any issues of lack of respect for diversity.

You can help develop diversity and cultural awareness in children by doing the following:

• Encourage children to challenge stereotypes and biases and develop an understanding of cultural diversity in their community.
• Show children how to support the inclusion of others who require specific health, cultural or developmental support.
• Use images, books and other resources that reflect adults and children from a range of backgrounds, cultures and abilities as active contributors of the community.
• Build relationships with places and people in the community who can help children learn more about various cultures within Australia.
• Look for ways to reflect the lives and cultural diversity of all the children and families using your service and within your community.
• Lead by example and respond positively to the differences in families' home lives and lifestyle choices.

This resource ‘, Connecting with families,’ was created to help early childhood educators connect with families. It is based on the EYLF and is a project funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

Practices to promote diversity and cultural awareness

Use the following guidelines to explore practices you can use to develop culturally responsive strategies in your work. Which ones do you already use? Which ones could you start using now?

Examples of inappropriate discipline

The following are some examples of inappropriate discipline which may constitute a serious breach of the National Law and/or National Regulations and could potentially be considered criminal matters:

• hitting, pushing, slapping, pinching or biting a child
• force-feeding a child
• yelling at or belittling a child
• humiliating a child
• physically dragging a child
• locking children away (or isolating them)
• depriving a child of food or drink
• unreasonable restraining of a child (this may include restraint in a high chair)
• excluding children from events
• consistently moving children to the office or other space away from the play areas
• moving children to another room as punishment
• verbally or physically threatening a child.

Other examples of inappropriate practice are:

• negative labelling of child or family
• criticising a child’s actions or behaviours
• discouraging a child from taking part in activities
• blaming or shaming a child
• making fun of or laughing at or about a child
• using sarcastic or cruel humour with or to a child
• excessive use of negative language to a child, such as, “no” “stop that!” “don’t…” “you never".

Check your understanding

Use the following questions to check your knowledge. You can check the correct answer by clicking on the 'Answer' button:

1. Explain three considerations you need to make when collaborating with families.

   Answer

   • Family composition
   • Culture
   • Parenting style
   • Experience with early childhood services
   • Language and communication styles

2. What are the six aspects of genuine family–educator partnerships? For each aspect, include one thing can you do as an educator to encourage the aspect.

   Answer

   1. Value each other’s knowledge of each child
   2. Value each other’s roles and contributions
   3. Trust each other
   4. Communicate freely and respectfully
   5. Share insights and perspectives
   6. Engage in shared decision making

3. Describe what a healthy and collaborative relationship with families looks like.

   Answer

   • Respect for a parent as the first teacher
   • Positive 2 way communication
   • Shared decision making
   • Shared expectations
   • Approachable

4. Describe the meaning of each of the following terms in relation to an early childhood service:

   • Equity
   • Inclusion
   • Diversity
   Answer

   • Equity – children and families being provided with the level of support they require. Each family will require a different level of support, some more, some less.
   • Inclusion - Ensure each family feels a sense of belonging within our service. It is the ability to participate and be included in every aspect of the service and program. This is in respect of each families culture and additional support needs. Celebrated and embraced by the service for who they are.
   • Diversity - This is differences in racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, and academic/professional backgrounds. People with different opinions, backgrounds (degrees and social experience), religious beliefs, political beliefs, sexual orientations, heritage, and life experience. This relates to children, families and staff.

5. Consider the six guidelines that help develop diversity and cultural awareness in children.

   Answer

   1. Encourage children to challenge stereotypes and biases and develop an understanding of cultural diversity in their community.
   2. Show children how to support the inclusion of others who require specific health, cultural or developmental support.
   3. Use images, books and other resources that reflect adults and children from a range of backgrounds, cultures and abilities as active contributors to the community.
   4. Build relationships with places and people in the community who can help children learn more about various cultures within Australia.
   5. Look for ways to reflect the lives and cultural diversity of all the children and families using your service and within your community.
   6. Lead by example and respond positively to the differences in families’ home lives and lifestyle choices.