1. Home
  2. Guide to the NQF
  3. Section 3: National Quality Standard and Assessment and Rating
  4. Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
  5. Standard 6.1: Supportive relationships with families
  6. Element 6.1.2: Parent views are respected

Table of contents

Element 6.1.2: Parent views are respected

The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.

What Element 6.1.2 aims to achieve

Educators recognise that families are children’s first and most influential teachers, and that the views of parents should be respected (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care). Children are born belonging to a culture, which is not only influenced by traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge, but also by the experiences, values and beliefs of individual families and communities (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).

When educators communicate with families to find out about their child’s evolving preferences, experiences and routines, and respect the expertise, cultures, languages, values, beliefs and child-rearing practices of families, they are able to:

  • better support each child’s learning, development and wellbeing
  • develop a tailored educational program that builds on each child’s background, strengths and promotes their development
  • support families' diverse parenting practices and approaches (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).

In a service environment where families are respected and share in decision- making, families and educators are supported to value each other’s knowledge and roles, and communicate and share information safely and respectfully. Ethical partnerships between educators and families are formed when information is exchanged responsibly, and educators take safety precautions to ensure children and young people’s right to privacy and protection, particularly with the sharing of information through media and digital technologies. Genuine partnership relationships which include shared decision-making with families enable educators to learn about other ways of knowing, being, doing and thinking, and support consistency between children’s experiences at home and at the service. Genuine partnerships positively enhance children’s learning, development, wellbeing and inclusion (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).

Assessment guide for meeting Element 6.1.2 (for all services)

Respecting families and sharing decision-making

Assessors may observe:

 

  • information being exchanged between families and educators at arrival and departure times
  • educators and families discussing children’s individual requirements and play preferences sensitively, respectfully and confidentially
  • educators demonstrating a non-judgmental understanding of each child, and each child’s family and community context
  • educators sharing with families:
    • some of the interactions they have had with children
    • children’s successes and achievements
  • families:
    • being informed promptly and sensitively of any incidents affecting their child
    • talking about the values and expectations they hold in relation to their child’s learning, development and wellbeing
    • sharing their knowledge, skills and expertise as well as aspects of their family life and culture
    • contributing to the documentation of their child’s learning and goal-setting.

Assessors may discuss:

 

  • the strategies used by the service to facilitate shared decision-making with families and to respect families’ requests
  • how the service supports consistency between each child’s home and the service but still ensures best practice and upholds the rights of each child
  • opportunities provided for families to:
    • contribute to curriculum decision-making, including the assessment, planning and evaluation process and the documentation of children’s learning
    • provide feedback about the experiences planned for their child
    • have private discussions with the educational leader, nominated supervisor, co-ordinators and educators.

Assessors may sight evidence that:

 

  • information from the family about each child’s background, experiences, preferences and home routines is updated, recorded in the child’s documentation and used to support curriculum decision-making
  • families are given opportunities to:
    • provide feedback about their child’s experiences
    • make suggestions about service routines, transitions and activities
    • contribute to curriculum decision-making and the documentation of children’s learning
  • families’ knowledge of their children is incorporated into plans for children’s experiences and learning.