Parents as partners

What we did

What we learned

Description of what was learned in a case study focusing on actively encouraging fathers to be involved in their children's early learning in Plymouth. The Kids and dads project is part of: Plymouth's Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL), a joint venture involving Keystone children's centres, Plymouth's YMCA children's centres and the local authority (LA). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

Rationale and process

A description of how the project was incorporated into an existing wider local learning project called Learning2Go, and how it has been an opportunity to build on a prior initiative called PICL (Parents Involved in Children's Learning). A summary of how parents have been encouraged to get involved in the project and how schools were able to feed it into their self-evaluation process.

Practice and impact

A discussion of the positive impacts of the project, and an overview of the main challenges it presented, which included technical issues and an unexpectedly high need for support. An annexe presents an example questionnaire used to assess parents' familiarity with ICT before and after involvement in the project.

Conclusions and possibilities

An overview of plans for developing the project in future, which include a rollout to other children's centres across Wolverhampton, the sharing of good practice, more learning materials, an assessment tool for use on a personal digital assistant (PDA), and the possibility of working with various agencies to create e-books to help parents with parenting skills and reading to their children.

Case study evidence: Ben's learning journey

Case study evidence of how practitioners worked with an individual parent and her son to document the learning process.

Process

Information about the process, which included documenting children's learning, creating partnerships with parents and carers and creating links between schools.

Practice

Examples of emerging practice, which included how children's learning was documented and understood, and how links were created between schools.

Possibilities

Details of the next steps, which included using analytical tools to analyse observations, running workshops for key workers and developing a seamless Foundation Stage unit.

What did we achieve?

Details of the achievements of the project, including: confidence of the leaders has developed; motivation has been improved and leaders are using the skills and knowledge that they gained from the training; parents are now more willing to support their children's learning by contributing to the curriculum planning on a regular basis; more evaluation and self-reflection than in the early stages of the project.

What we did

Description of what was involved in the parent champions initiative via the National Children's Homes (NCH) children's centre in Bolton-on-Dearne – one of Barnsley's most economically-deprived areas. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

What we learned

What was learned from a case study focusing on parent champions recruited via the National Children's Homes (NCH) children's centre in Bolton-on-Dearne – one of Barnsley's most economically-deprived areas. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

What we did

Description of activities involved in a case study focusing on engaging fathers with their young children through active play in Liverpool. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

Outcomes

Outcomes of a case study focusing on engaging fathers with their young children through active play in Liverpool. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

What we did

Case study focusing on heuristic play targeted at widely dispersed settings located in some of Derbyshire's most deprived areas. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

Outcomes and future plans

The outcomes and future plans from a case study focusing on heuristic play targeted at widely dispersed settings located in some of Derbyshire's most deprived areas. This is part of: Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL). This case study includes the aims, procedure, outcomes and the key findings of the study.

How did we get started?

How a project focusing on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents and carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.

Things we provided

Materials provided to participants of a project focused on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents and carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.

What we have learned

What was learned from a case study focusing on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents and carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.

Planning and evaluating the sessions

Planning and evaluating the sessions in a case study focusing on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents and carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.

What others have learned

What parents and practitioners learned following workshops focusing on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents and carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.

Where next?

The future plans resulting from a case study focusing on increasing confidence and raising self-esteem through parents/carers enjoying playing and learning with their children. This is part of the 'Parents: Partners in Learning' set of case studies.