Partnership involves parents, families and practitioners working together to benefit children. Each recognises, respects and values what the other does and says. Partnership involves responsibility on both sides.
Supporting learning and development
Parenting involves giving children the care, education and attention they need to learn and develop. Parents provide children with their first learning experiences and they help ensure that children reach important developmental milestones such as sitting, walking, becoming toilet-trained, talking, cutting, doing up buttons, cycling, reading, and so on. As children go on to spend time in out-of-home settings parents continue to support their learning and development. This is more effective when parents complement children’s experiences in a particular setting. Likewise, learning is more meaningful when practitioners use information from parents about children’s interests, skills, abilities, and dispositions as a starting point for new experiences. Below are some ways in which parents can support their children’s learning and development at home, and how practitioners can help them to do this.
Involving parents in the setting can also benefit the parents themselves. Often, the best way to improve children’s lives is to support their parents in their parenting role. One source of this support is the informal networks and friendships that are often created when parents meet. These can act as a valuable source of support and information for parents, particularly those who are isolated or new to the area. Parents can act as mentors for each other, or can simply offer friendship.
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