Parent Engagement in ECEC
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Parent Engagement in ECEC Why is it important; What is it; Can we improve it? Dr. Catherine Wade Principal Research Specialist & Psychologist Parenting Research Centre & University of Sydney Paper presented at the Queensland Early Education and Care Conference June 2016, Brisbane.
Transcript of Parent Engagement in ECEC
Parent Engagement in ECECWhy is it important; What is it; Can we improve it?
Dr. Catherine Wade
Principal Research Specialist & Psychologist
Parenting Research Centre & University of Sydney
Paper presented at the Queensland Early Education and Care Conference June 2016, Brisbane.
What is a parenting research centre?
Acknowledgements
Parenting Research Centre: Dr Gina-Maree Sartore, Dr Michelle Macvean, Dr Catherine Wade, Derek McCormack, Dr Arno Parolini, Faye Forbes, Tracey Phan, Durga Shrestha, Anastasia Pourliakas, Ben Devine, Cathy Bent, Jessica Falkiner, Dr Robyn Mildon, Dr Erica Neill, Tracey Phan, Durga Shrestha, Faye Forbes, Fiona Shackleton, Catherine Murphy, Melinda Polimeni, Cathy Bent, Tony Gates, Warren Cann…
Centre for Community Child Health: Maria Fong
Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY): Neil Stafford & Dr Stacey Fox
Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model
of influences on the child
Adapted from Siegler, R., Deloache, J., & Eisenberg, N. (2006). How Children Develop (2nd ed.) . New York, NY: Catherine Woods. Available at: https://lifeinstructionmanual.wikispaces.com/References+Page
The science shows the ingredients of
a healthy childhood are consistent.
The most important magic ingredient
is the quality and stability of the
relationships that children have with
the adults in their lives.
Jack Shonkoff, The Age, 3 March 2006
Growing up in Scotland: Cohort of 5,217 children
“While other family factors such as parents’ education
and socio-economic status are also important, the extent
of home learning activities exerts a greater and
independent influence on children’s cognitive
development at three years of age”
Melhuish, 2010 , p.19
Your confidence
Do you, personally feel very or extremely confident at...
Talking with families about children’s success & achievements
Sharing info about a child’s learning and progress
Responding to a family’s request for info or advice regarding their child
Communicating with families about their priorities and concerns when setting goals for their child
Sharing info about child development or behaviour
Encouraging families to be involved in the activities at the service/centre
Greeting families by name
Responding to a families concerns or complains
Communicating with a family from a different culture
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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Talk with families about children’s success and achievements
Share information about a child's learning andprogress
Respond to a family's request for information oradvice regarding their child
Communication with families about their prioritiesand concerns when setting goals for their child
Share information about child development orbehaviour
Encourage families to be involved in the activitiesat the service/centre
Greet families by name
Respond to a family’s concerns or complaints
Communication with a family from a differentculture
% of educators reporting 'very' or 'extremely' confident
Assessing the evidence
Rating categories
Strong At least two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) AND two meta-analyses or systematic reviews have found the action or behaviour improves learning or development outcomes for children or young people.
Good At least two RCTs OR two meta-analyses or systematic reviews have found the action or behaviour improves learning or developmental outcomes for children or young people.
Emerging One RCT or several longitudinal prospective studies or quasi-experimental studies or a meta-analysis or systematic review has found the action or behaviour improves learning or developmental outcomes for children or young people.
Pending Actions and behaviours that do not meet the above criteria. For example, a single group pre–post design study with no comparison group found improvements in child outcomes; or some studies demonstrate some gains for child outcomes, but other studies show no benefit.
Strong Evidence
= evidence of positive outcomes; - = no evidence; S = strong evidence of positive outcomes; G = good evidence of positive outcomes; E = emerging evidence of positive outcomes; P = pending evidence of positive outcomes
Parent action or behaviour
Literacy Numeracy Young
children
Older
children
Positive parental interactions and
home environment
S G
Reading with the child using rich
explanations, discussion and dialogic
strategies
- S P
4 years
Wo
rds
‘00
0,0
00
50
40
30
20
10
Language experience
Hart & Risley (1995)
Good Evidence
= evidence of positive outcomes; - = no evidence; S = strong evidence of positive outcomes; G = good evidence of positive outcomes; E = emerging evidence of positive outcomes; P = pending evidence of positive outcomes
Parent action or behaviour
Literacy Numeracy Young
children
Older
children
Having aspirations or expectations
for the child’s education
P G
Reading to the child G E
Being involved with the child’s
school
G G
Tutoring child in literacy activities - G P
Emerging Evidence
* May be childcare in the home or in a formal service setting
Parent action or behaviourLiteracy Numeracy Young
children
Older
children
Communicating with the child about
school
- E
Tutoring the child in maths exercises
and basic numerical skills
- E E
Ensuring childcare is of a high quality - - P P
Using gestures to complement speech - - E -
Authoritative/democratic parenting
styles
- - - E
High-quality childcare* - - P P
Adequate sleep routines and duration - - E P
Negative parenting did not result in
good outcomes for children
- - P P
Parents of preschool children...
65% of parents play music to or sing songs with their child every day
57% play with their child in the bath every day
More than 94% play games like finger puppets and peek-a-boo, or used other indoor toys, at least once a week
(sources: EHLS and smalltalk data)
Frequency of family members reading a book to children aged 0–12 years, VCHWS, 2013
Barriers to Parent Engagement
Databases:
• SES
Low parent education
Maternal unemployment
Parent mental health
Cultural background
Focus Groups:
• Time
Inflexible work places
Work commitments
Other siblings
Extra child activities
Lack of knowledge about
how
The National Quality Framework
(1) educational program and practice
(2) children’s health and safety
(3) physical environment
(4) staffing arrangements
(5) relationships with children
(6) collaborative partnerships with families and communities
(7) leadership and service management
Consultations – What works?
18 peak ECEC agencies
6 peak community organisations (SNAICC, COPMI, Noahs Ark)
4 ECEC educator focus groups
3 parent focus groups
265 parents via online survey
318 ECEC educators via online survey
89
81
76
71
70
69
69
67
52
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Talk with families about children’s success and achievements
Share information about a child's learning andprogress
Respond to a family's request for information oradvice regarding their child
Communication with families about their prioritiesand concerns when setting goals for their child
Share information about child development orbehaviour
Encourage families to be involved in the activitiesat the service/centre
Greet families by name
Respond to a family’s concerns or complaints
Communication with a family from a differentculture
% of educators reporting 'very' or 'extremely' confident
coaching
The process of behaviour change
Knowledge & awareness
Beliefs AttitudesBehavioural intentions
Behaviour
EfficacyLegitimacy
Morality
Costs & benefitsSocial & cultural norms
HabitHeuristics
Context / setting
REFLECTIVE
AUTOMATIC
* Model adapted from TNS Social Research in ARACY (2012).
Hoover-Dempsey Model
AdaptabilityLow High
Child’s parenting
needs
StrongWeakAdverse child & contextual factors
eakAdverse parent & contextual factors
Parentin a
context
Parenting Adaptability
Zone ofproximal
development
The resource
The demand
Your confidence
Do you, personally feel very or extremely confident at...
Talking with families about children’s success & achievements
Sharing info about a child’s learning and progress
Responding to a family’s request for info or advice regarding their child
Communicating with families about their priorities and concerns when setting goals for their child
Sharing info about child development or behaviour
Encouraging families to be involved in the activities at the service/centre
Greeting families by name
Responding to a families concerns or complains
Communicating with a family from a different culture
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Thank You.
Dr. Catherine Wade
www.parentingrc.org.au
Twitter: @WadeCath
