“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is Families providing information.
Element 6.1.1: Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in the service and contribute to service decisions.
Element 6.1.1 focuses on the ways in which families engage with the service and how the service supports and encourages this engagement. The scope of family engagement is broad and includes families providing relevant information about their child, including their needs, interests, routines and any information to support the child’s integration at the service, foster their development and participation in the program and routines.
When families are given the opportunity to provide information about their children that will assist educators to get to know them and help them settle into the program, families feel that their suggestions are clearly valued and that they are regarded as partners in their child’s experience at the service. This partnership between the service and the family strengthens when educators seek further information from families while assessing children’s progress and planning their individual goals. Guide to the NQF pg. 263
Does your service struggle to develop effective strategies to gain input and feedback from families?
Finding new and innovative ways to obtain information, including feedback from families can often be challenging. It’s recommended that services implement a range of strategies for obtaining information when feedback is limited. Consider the preferred communication methods of different families and tailor your strategies of seeking information and feedback based off these preferences.
Encouraging families to provide information:
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- A child details form included in the enrolment package is a great starting point. Ensure this information is regularly updated to reflect children’s current likes, dislikes, interests and needs.
- Share the weekly program and menu with families via your digital information sharing app and invite specific feedback.
- Create a child information book for updates about children’s interests, sleep and dietary routines and weekend activities.
- Consistent, daily discussions with families to gain information about their child’s needs, development and interests. Ensure relevant information obtained is documented.
- Include information in the family handbook and regular newsletters informing families of the specific methods to provide information and feedback to help inform the program and assist the service to cater to their child’s individual needs.
- Share children’s daily activities using a digital platform (the service’s information sharing app, Facebook page etc.). Prompt feedback by including specific questions with the post.
- Online surveys are quick and easy way for families to provide feedback. Consider sharing surveys periodically as a method of ensuring information about children’s development, interests and culture remains current. (See survey links below).
- Wall displays requesting specific information from families about children’s preferences. E.g. a poster where families can mark/tick their child’s favourite food/s or activities.
- Individual parent-teacher meetings
- Individually share each child’s summative assessment via your digital app and request feedback through the private commenting section.
- Use your online app to create regular posts that ask families questions about their child/family. Example: child’s favourite dinner this week, recent or upcoming travel destinations, questions that aim to pinpoint what’s currently trending with certain age groups, weekend adventures, ask families to share traditional recipes etc.
Resources:
Case study- A targeted approach to family engagement
Research snapshot: Actively engaging families
Building strong Partnerships with Families
Within System7 go to Quality Area 6/Module 3 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with engagement with the service. These include ‘All About Me’ Form, Family Input Weekend Form, Family Participation Form, General Satisfaction Survey and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links:
Childcare Centre Desktop – Childcare Centre Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 6/ 6.1.1-Engagement with the service
National Regulations – 73, 157
System7 Module – QA 6/ Module 3
If you have any questions send us a note via the Contact page here!
