Bernard van Leer Foundation

The extent of partnership-working between parents and educators is regarded as an important indicator of quality in childcare and education (Ligtemoet and Zwetsloot 2000). Such partnerships are often lacking, however, as communication between parents and educators is too often a one-way street from educators to parents (Prott and Hautumn 2005). Bringing about a more equal relationship requires educators to adopt new ways of working and new attitudes towards how they interact with parents. Moreover, parents and educators come from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, have different styles of child-rearing and different concerns and roles – factors that often affect communication (Keulen and Beurden 2002).

Most education professionals are coming to recognise the importance of the new concept of involving parents more in childcare. Over the past few years a major Bernard van Leer Foundation-supported project has made a large contribution towards exploring and piloting how such partnerships can be built and sustained.