‘Think Family’
Making a Positive Difference
Gail Bennett
Flintshire Parenting Strategy Coordinator
[email protected]
01244 551140
Making a Positive Difference
Think Family
Aim of the presentation:
Discuss the development of the
Flintshire Parenting Strategy and Delivery Plan
an addendum to the
Flintshire Children and Young People’s Plan
with a focus on parenting programmes development
within Education
Flintshire Parenting Plan - 2011 - 2014:
Making a positive difference – Think Family
Our Vision 2011 – 2014
“All ‘parents’ in Flintshire will have access to
information, advice, guidance and services to help them
in their role as parents; recognising the importance of
‘parenting’ - raising and nurturing children, at all ages,
and stages”
‘Parenting is… an activity undertaken
by those who bring up children
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mothers and fathers
foster carers
adoptive parents
step-parents
grandparents
siblings may undertake a parenting role
Services e.g. teachers; voluntary sector…
All of these play a crucial role in giving the children in their care a
flying start in life, providing the best basis for children’s and young
people’s growth and development. Local authorities also act as
corporate parents for children and young people in their care.
Welsh Assembly Government – Parenting Action Plan, December 2005 (Ref: 1.8)
Legislative framework Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
“ Parenting is a challenging job. Helping parents to develop
good parenting skills is an effective way of ensuring that
problems in a child or young person’s behaviour or
development are not allowed to grow unchecked into
major difficulties for the individual, their family and the
community.”
Home Office (2000) Parenting Order Guidance
Flintshire Parenting Strategy and
Delivery Plan 2011-2014
Key Areas:
1. Raising the profile of parenting and parent involvement
2. Information and Advice services
3. Parenting skills and family learning
4. Parents, education and the school setting
5. Effective workforce (workforce development)
Task Lists and Action Review Sheets
Outcomes and Outputs / Results Based Accountability approach
Project Management approach
Key Area 4: Parents, Education and
the School Setting
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Do parents know they matter?
Consultation / Work with School Consortia
Working together for families
Communication / Language / Ethos / Values
School Plans
Family focused not service focused
Best practice, research and evidence base
Information and support
Quality delivery, training and development
Measuring impact: hard & soft outcomes
Education Policy - Estyn
Key Question 3.3.
» Inspectors should evaluate how strategically the school works with
its partners to improve pupils’ standards and wellbeing.
» The main focus in this quality indicator should be on the impact
of strategic partnerships on pupils’ standards and wellbeing
and not just on the number and range of partners or the nature and
quality of the partnership arrangements.
» Partners include Parents / carers
Estyn evaluation of the impact of Family Learning (May 2012)
» The most effective programmes use a facilitator from the school, who
has credibility with the parents, who knows the family circumstances
and can build a good relationship.
» Teachers and providers use a good range of teaching strategies to
motivate learners and help adults to understand how children learn.
Improving Schools (implementation plan – publication date:10 Oct 2012)
3. Building effective partnerships around schools
One of five priorities:
Empowering and engaging with parents / carers – we will improve the flow
of information on school performance and support schools to engage
with and develop strong partnerships with parents/carers
Where parents/carers, teachers and the wider community work together to
improve learning, the gains in achievement are significant. Schools that
offer bespoke forms of support to parents/carers (i.e. literacy
classes, parenting skills support) are more likely to engage them in
their children’s learning. Schools that successfully engage
parents/carers in learning, consistently reinforce the fact that
‘parents/carers matter’. They develop a two way relationship with
parents/carers based on mutual trust and a commitment to improving
learning outcomes
Improving Schools
RAISE - Raising Attainment and Individual Standards of Education
(Ref: Evaluation of the first three years of RAISE: Final Report. 2012)
In exploring why the attainment of children from different backgrounds differs so much,
research has identified a range of factors that influence attainment.
Systems-thinking: thinking about the relationship between the parts
The family
Flintshire Integrated Services Model - Example
continuing to develop and integrate provision to meet the needs of parents, families and services.
Individual
characteristics
and capabilities
Schools
The child or
young person
Attainment
Evaluations of interventions with parents
and carers suggest that those that increase
parents and carers “engagement” in
education (as distinct from their involvement
in their child’s education) can contribute to
both increases in attainment and school
effectiveness (Harris & Goodall, 2009)
FLINTSHIRE – Integrated Locality Based Service Network
Examples of Provisions for;
Services For All Families
Family Information Service Flintshire
(FISF) www.fisflintshire.co.uk
www.parentscentre.gov.uk
Families with Extra Needs:
Children Integrated Disability Service
Community Paediatrics
Community Parents
Early Intervention Service
Genesis / Quest Project
Home Start
Inclusion Services
Social Care
Specialist CAMHS
Special Schools
Speech & Language Therapist
Welfare Benefits
Youth Justice Service.
Prevention – Protection - Remedy
Health Visitors: Parents First
Sure Start / Flying Start (area specific)
STEP’s
FSA Parents Guide to
Money
IY Babies
0 years
0 – 1year
Communities First (area specific)
Chatterbox Playtimes
CHILD READY
IY Toddler
Transition – Home School
Links
1 – 5 years
- 9 months
IY Basic: Early Childhood
age 3 - 6
Parental links to the
Foundation Phase
IY School Readiness
Family Learning / School Clubs
11 - 18
years
5 – 11 years
Challenging Years /
Take 3
IY Basic: School Age 6 - 12
School Counselling
Pre-parenting skills
Secondary SEAL - social &
emotional aspects of
learning for all secondary
children & their parents
IY Classroom Management *
PASS age 7+
Family Links Parenting Puzzle
Forest Schools
Respecting Others
(Anti-bullying)
PSE & primary SEAL – social &
emotional aspects of learning for all
primary children & their parents
LIFE READY
For further information please contact
Note: Each school consortia should review, specific to their community.
FISF or see the Flintshire Parenting
Services Toolkit.
Allen, G. and Smith, I. D. (2009) Ref: Early Intervention: Good Parents; Great Kids, Better Citizens London: The Smith Institute
KEY;
Parenting Programmes
Whole School Approach
IY = Incredible Years
* Links with I.Y Dina Programme
SCHOOL READY
Team Around the Family
Art & Culture
Child Care
Countryside Services
Employment
Health Visitors
Home – School Links
Housing
Leisure
Library Services
Midwifery
Parenting Book Scheme
Parent Teacher Associations.
Play
Playgroups
Police
Primary Care
School Nurse
Schools
Transport
Youth Services
(Example)
Building upon what we know:
1.
Develop a strategy for engaging parents/carers and the wider
community in learning and work closely to support learning
2.
Know what outcomes/change/results are required
3.
Select evidence-based practice, programme / resources for the
target population, with a consistent approach
4.
Develop a strategy for recruiting the target population
5.
Address relevant service access issues
6.
Enable and invest in staff training and ongoing support
7.
Create a reference/stakeholder groups/steering committee
8.
Ensure implementation fidelity (process & delivery)
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Evaluate programme delivery, costs, and outcomes (to be
embedded within services)
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Supporting Literacy and Numeracy
Increase and improves the quality time that
families spend together
Improve attitudes by parents/carers to reading and
books (for themselves and their child)
Builds positive communication skills, including
numbers (mathematical development)
Supports personal and social development
Increases parental confidence around sharing
books, stories and rhymes
Helping your child
with speaking and
listening.
Increase parental confidence in being a partner in
their child’s learning
Provides opportunity for lifelong learning
Provided by: ValeofGlamorgan Putting Families 1st
Conversation with parents has been found to be one of the most
important factors influencing children’s achievement.
Supporting Literacy and Numeracy
‘Last term I took part in the Chatterbox programme.
They enjoyed all the activities and also enjoyed the
experience of being able to share their learning with
their children. For many of the parents, it was an
opportunity for them to socialise and share their
experiences of child development.’
(Trelogan Primary School)
‘I
have enjoyed the course and it would be a valuable
experience for any parents’
Helping your child
with speaking and
listening.
‘I feel I have benefited from these sessions and had
some surprises, a learning experience.’
Conversation with parents has been found to be one of the most
important factors influencing children’s achievement.
Incredible Years School Readiness
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Addresses risk factors associated with children’s lack
of readiness and poor home-school connections
 4 sessions, 2 hours per week
 Universal, delivered to parents through schools
Aims:
1. Improve children’s school readiness
2. Prevent conduct problems
3. Prevent children’s academic underachievement
4. Enhance home-school links
(Ref: Centre for Early Intervention, Bangor University: Wales research 2010-12)
Play and Reading Observation Tool
(PAROT)
» Direct Observation – 30 minutes
» Part 1 – Child-directed play
15 minutes of observing the unstructured play between the primary
caregiver and child.
» Part 2 – Interactive Reading
15 minutes of observing the primary caregiver and child reading
together.
» One of three bilingual books used at each time point
Parents Emotion Coaching
Play - Parents Emotion coaching
Play - Parents Critical Statements
Feedback from Participants –
parenting programme leaders who
completed their Work with Parents 3599
I understand more about the value of working with
parents, particularly working in partnership, for the
best for the family. Doing this qualification has
really made me think.
I have learnt about other services available to
families, and can speak to parents about these
services. I feel better informed.
(Resource: Toolkit for Working with Families)
Good Practice: Campbell, C. Head teacher
http://www.staugustinesprimary.com
School leaders who are already
overloaded with the day to day running
of a school, may find it difficult to plan
for a more personalised agenda for
parents. The findings and research give
a clear message that efforts put into
working with parents pay dividends to
the school in the long run. Parents who
are supportive can have such a positive
impact on their children’s learning,
behaviour and attendance.
School leaders need to be
committed to identifying their hard to
reach parents and try to persist in
including them in their child’s
education for the benefit of their
children, the school and the school
community as a whole. If hard to
reach groups resist, the message is
clear don’t give up, keep trying to
canvas opinion and keep inviting
them, even if they turn you down.
The key is to plan ahead well,
involve all staff, so that everyone is
delivering the same message: that
parent involvement is valued highly.
Impact – leadership strategy
Why work together? – Flintshire perspective
It makes a positive difference…
CYPP Plan 2011-14 –
committed to
effective partnership
working
•Action Area 1: Children and
Young People are cared for
•Action Area 2: Children and
Young People are ready, able
and encouraged to learn
•Action Area 3: Children and
Young People have a healthy
lifestyle
•Action Area 4: Children and
Young People have time and
space to play, and to
participate in activities
•Action Area 5: Children and
Young People are respected
in all areas of their lives
•Action Area 6: Children and
Young People are safe
•Action Area 7: Children,
Young People and Families
have
the resources they need to
maximise their opportunities
Families First
National outcomes
Families First Local
Work streams
•Outcome 1: Working
age people in low income
families gain, and
progress within
employment
•Vulnerable Young People
•Outcome 2: Children,
young people and
families in or at risk of
poverty, achieve their
potential
•Family Wellbeing
•Family Support
•Family, Home Learning
and Money
•Outcome 3: Children,
young people and
families are healthy, safe
and enjoy well-being
•Outcome 4: Families
are confident, nurturing
and resilient
Note: North Wales
Families First Parenting
Learning Set
Working Together… to improve outcomes
for children, young people and their families.
Example of Flintshire initiatives – parent focus:
Transition / Early Years
Transition / Adolescence Programmes
Wellbeing
Family
Incredible Years Baby – Toddler - School Readiness- BASIC
Family Links Nurturing / Parenting Puzzle
Chatterbox Playtimes and Parental Links to the Foundation
Phase
Challenging Years
Take 3
Workforce Modular Training
Incredible Years Classroom Management
PASS – children, education staff, parents/carers
STEPS to Confidence
Friends (all ages); PATHS
Respecting Others – Anti-Bullying
Forest School
SEAL and SEAL for parents (under consideration)
Family Learning groups/ workshops (Family Time - Learning
Together‘)
Integrated Services Training – Signposting / Essential Skills
Volunteer programmes, Reading schemes
Parent Councils; Forums; Class Meetings; Action Groups;
Focus groups; Parent Representatives; PTAs (registered ?)
Supported by informed, qualified, skilled and experienced staff & data intelligence
Flintshire Families First… is an approach
Continuum of Services –
Strengthening what we were doing
Building on foundations
Universal Services
Targeted Services
Referred Services
Specialist Services
• Playgroups
• Flying Start
•Childrens Social Care.
•CAMHS
• Schools
• Inclusion Service
•.Youth Justice
• Youth Services
• Play clubs
•.Disability Service
• Integrated Family
Support
• Health Visitors/GPs
• CAMHS
Areas for development
• Tend to be child focused rather than family focused
•Integration between service areas including services for adults
Why work together – family perspective?
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Shared responsibility of services and families
Earlier, more coherent support
Tailor-made support – more efficient
Ownership of support
Reduced need for more specialist services
Complex needs of families
Families are not static – needs change over time
Children and adults have different needs and different
perspectives on the same challenges
REFERENCES
»
Bateson, B. (2000), ‘Chapter 4: INSPIRE’, in S. Wolfendale and J. Bastiani (eds) (2000) The Contribution of
Parents to School Effectiveness. London. David Fulton
»
Carnie, F. (2011), The Parent Participation Handbook. Optimus-Education.
www.optimus-education.com
»
Chidren in Wales. (2006), Parents and Schools – Making the Connection: An exploration of the relationship
between parents and schools in Wales. Cardiff.
»
DCSF. (2008), The Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education. Nottingham. Crown Copyright.
»
Estyn. (2012), The impact of family learning programmes on raising the literacy and numeracy levels of children
and adults.
www.estyn.gov.uk/english/docViewer/247010.4/the-impact-of-family-learning-programmes-on-raising-theliteracy-and-numeracy-levels-of-children-and-adults-may-2012/?navmap=30,163,
»
Feiler, A., Andrews, J., Greenhough, P., Hughes, M., Johnson, D., Scanlan, M. and Ching Yee, W. (2007),
Improving Primary Literacy: Linking Home and School. RoutledgeFalmer
»
Harris, A. and Goodall, J. (2007), Engaging Parents in Raising Achievement. Do Parents Know They Matter?
Department for Children, Schools and Families Research Report. RW 004.
»
Illsley, P. and Redford, M. (2005), ‘Drop in for coffee’: working with parents in the north Perth New Community
Schools. Support for Learning, 20, 4: 162-166
»
Pathways to Child Friendly Schools: A Guide for Parents
www.parentcouncils.co.uk
»
Peters, M., Seeds, K., Goldstein, A. and Coleman, N. (2008), Parental Involvement in Children’s Education
2007. Research Report. DCSF RR034.NCSL. (2010-11), How to involve ‘hard to engage’ parents.
»
Prof. Desforges, C. and Abouchaar, A. (2003), The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and
Family Education on Pupil Achievement and Adjustment: A Literature Review.
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Welsh Government. (2006), Parent Participation Information Document. Cardiff. Welsh Government.