C312 Opportunities for parents

Licensing criterion and guidance for C312 Opportunities for parents.

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Criterion C312

Regular opportunities (formal and informal) are provided for parents to:

  • communicate with adults providing education and care about their child, and share specific evidence of the child's learning; and

  • be involved in decision-making concerning their child’s learning.

Curriculum criteria documentation required

Guidance

Partnerships involving regular consultation with parents, guardians, and whānau are a crucial part of quality early childhood education. Parental presence and engagement have been found to support improved outcomes for children and develop a greater sense of belonging for whānau | families.

Where parents are welcomed, and educators use a range of strategies to develop genuine partnerships built on mutual trust and respect, parents feel more able to participate in decision-making about their child’s learning.

Educators need to consider the time, place, and space to develop these relationships through informal and formal opportunities. Formal opportunities will include times where communication is planned, and may involve preparation, for example, a parent interview when the child is admitted to hospital. Informal opportunities are likely to occur each day during the daily routines.

Examples of what this might look like in practice.

  • Parents feel that they are well-informed and that their views are respected and taken note of.

  • Interactions with parents give them a sense of belonging and are culturally appropriate.

  • Parents’ ‘voices’ are apparent in documentation concerning children.

  • Families are confident to talk with staff, ask questions, and offer information about their child.

  • Resource material about children’s learning is readily available for families.

  • Educators consult with parents about the process to be used when sharing information and making decisions to ensure it is culturally appropriate, comfortable, and effective for all.

  • What ways are utilised to share a child’s day with parents?

  • How do we acknowledge the role of parents and whānau as partners in observing and evaluating their children’s learning and development?

  • How do we empower parents and whānau to actively participate in decisions that affect the education of their children? How do we ensure they are effective?

  • How are parents' and whānau rights recognised?

  • How can parents and whānau communicate in our setting?

  • How effective are the ways we engage with parents? How do we measure this?

  • How do we encourage parents to enquire about their child’s learning and development?

  • How do we ensure that parents understand the practices and procedures of our service?