2.2 Why work together?

There are many reasons why parents, carers, governors, practitioners and the school community should work together.

Educational researchers and practitioners often stress the benefits for children’s learning when practitioners, parents, carers and pupils work as an effective team. Parent-practitioner collaboration can be important to a child’s identity, self-esteem and psychological wellbeing. The close cooperation of parents, carers and practitioners in providing support to children is especially important during times of change and transition. This alone is a compelling reason for a close partnership.

The key adults in a child’s life should be able to relate to them and encourage them in similar ways. To get a sense of the extent to which parents and carers can be involved in children’s education, you will now explore how they:

• are educators
• give ‘background’ support to practitioners
• work alongside practitioners.