share information with families in different ways. For example, some are very keen to “I know what behaviour is normal, especially if it is their first child. And if I know a family is anxious about their child and they ask how their day think carefully about how I was, I’ll share a concern with them.” expertise is not disregarded in partnerships with families Professionals’ The table below provides examples of how families and professionals can make equal and complementary contributions to decisions about children in order to support their learning, development and wellbeing. THE FAMILY EXAMPLE PROFESSIONALS EXAMPLE HAS… HAVE… and A parent explains to The speech therapist …specialised …specialised expert knowledge of a speech therapist professional works with the their child. that her child seems knowledge about parent to find ways to stop using words language to reduce the reasons when he is tired or development and for the child getting frustrated. problems. frustrated. She also suggests some simple ways to encourage the child to vocalise his needs when he is tired. A Somali parent Educators reassure …specialised …specialised parenting skills. shows educators professional the parent that they how she uses a long knowledge and skills have used the same cloth to tie her baby in the education and practice with other to her body as a way care of many babies and will use it to keep him close to children. with hers. her when he needs comforting. knowledge At school enrolment, The school staff asks …deep …professional of the impact of the family of a child knowledge of and the family for advice family and with complex respect for the about who to contact community contexts additional needs diverse contexts of in regards to on their lives. discusses the impact and working children’s of being involved lives. collaboratively with families’ with a range of the other health and early professionals childhood involved with the intervention child. specialists since the birth. child’s interest in A father identifies to of the The educator tells …an …knowledge having a partnership a family day care importance of the father about a with the educator that he partnership with local ‘Saturday professionals who feels isolated from families and being a and Dads’ playgroup
“I share information with families in different ways. For example, some are very keen to know what behaviour is normal, especially if it is their first child. And if I know a family is anxious about their child and they ask how their day was, I’ll think carefully about how I share a concern with them.” Professionals’ expertise is not disregarded in partnerships with families The table below provides examples of how families and professionals can make equal and complementary contributions to decisions about children in order to support their learning, development and wellbeing. THE FAMILY HAS… EXAMPLE PROFESSIONALS HAVE… EXAMPLE …specialised and expert knowledge of their child. A parent explains to a speech therapist that her child seems to stop using words when he is tired or frustrated. …specialised professional knowledge about language development and problems. The speech therapist works with the parent to find ways to reduce the reasons for the child getting frustrated. She also suggests some simple ways to encourage the child to vocalise his needs when he is tired. …specialised parenting skills. A Somali parent shows educators how she uses a long cloth to tie her baby to her body as a way to keep him close to her when he needs comforting. …specialised professional knowledge and skills in the education and care of many children. Educators reassure the parent that they have used the same practice with other babies and will use it with hers. …deep knowledge of the impact of family and community contexts on their lives. At school enrolment, the family of a child with complex additional needs discusses the impact of being involved with a range of health and early childhood intervention specialists since the child’s birth. …professional knowledge of and respect for the diverse contexts of children’s and families’ lives. The school staff asks the family for advice about who to contact in regards to working collaboratively with the other professionals involved with the child. …an interest in having a partnership with the professionals who A father identifies to a family day care educator that he feels isolated from …knowledge of the importance of partnership with families and being a The educator tells the father about a local ‘Saturday Dads’ playgroup and
pracguidepartnershipswfamilies2017.docx