Policy Analysis

Educational Foundations, Semester 1 - February 2020

The Australian Government’s Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s Parent Engagement in Children’s Learning national policy states that a child’s first and most important teacher in their life is their parents, families or carers. Their main priority is for all Australian children to reach their full potential. The policy states that learning is lifelong and occurs in multiple settings, not just at school. It is for this reason that they aim to build partnerships between student’s lives at home, in their community and at school, so the student’s learning encompasses each aspect of their life. 

Parental engagement and involvement is defined in the policy as “how parents and families support their children’s academic achievement and wellbeing.” (Parent Engagement in Children’s Learning, 2008.) It is parents and carers, schools and communities actively working together to support their child’s learning, school community and social life. With effective parental engagement, a student’s learning can extend beyond the classroom. Positive engagement may include parental participation in school-based activities such as attending events or volunteering in class, effective communication and trust between the school and parents, and recognising and respecting the equal value of roles in a students life. 

The policy, intended for use by school leaders and teachers to then encourage the inclusion of parents and carers, identifies multiple strategies and processes to achieve engagement. Collaboration between schools and communities and responding to student and family needs and aspirations are important steps to a successful outcome. By building a sense of community and identity, the student can better understand the relevance of their education in their own lives. Communication is a key factor, and can be implemented in many different ways. This can be done through regular newsletters or letters home, parent-teacher meetings or open days / evenings where parents can directly see what their child is doing. (Hornby & Blackwell, 2018). Parents and carers, schools and communities each offer different knowledge and resources to support students' education. By engaging with and using community resources, the student’s learning and wellbeing is not only enriched, but offers a rounded perspective. This recognises the cultural and social diversity of the community while collaborating with the direct world of the students to make learning more relevant. The policy also includes physical resources available to teachers and parents, including the Learning Potential app which includes tips for parents to be more involved, and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth’s parent engagement project.

There are many positives to this policy. By having families, schools and communities strengthen their relationships with each other and work together actively to support the wellbeing, development and education of students and young people, student outcomes and academic results have been proven to improve. Children’s confidence has also been shown to increase, as well as their motivation, capability and general competence. This policy has also allowed for partnerships with several programs to further help children’s education. The Smith Family’s Learning for Life Program supports disadvantaged students and their families by providing financial, practical and emotional support. This policy has considered the students who may not have access to a parent or carer and has allowed for assistance to them too.

This policy does not, however, address the negatives or challenges regarding parental engagement. In 2018, Garry Hornby and Ian Blackwell conducted an interview with 11 primary schools from the south-west of England regarding their parental involvement. Many schools mentioned some of the possible reasons parents may not be engaging with their child’s learning. The parent’s own negative experiences with schooling, difficult life circumstances, or time restraints are all factors that could contribute to a lack of engagement. This policy fails to suggest ways to increase the involvement of reluctant parents. For this policy to be effective, parents and carers must already be willing to be a part of their child’s education. 

The Australian Government’s Parent Engagement in Children’s Learning policy is direct with its intention and provides plentiful resources to achieve its aim. By having families and carers work together with the school, the students learning, development and wellbeing can be fully supported. It’s strengths include improved academic and personal results, as well as inclusivity with student’s and their learning. It struggles, however, to engage parents who are reluctant to be involved. Overall, this policy succeeds in improving the outcomes for Australian students.