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Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education
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Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Family Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 7525

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Margaret Sims

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Interests: early childhood; community-based services for children and young families

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over 40 years ago, Bronfenbrenner (1979) proposed that children’s development should not be considered alone, without taking into account a range of other impacts. He neatly conceptualised these interacting factors as systems, providing the metaphor of a set of Russian dolls. Four decades later, with many different expansions of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, and many different ways of conceptualising the impact the world around children has on their development (for example, sociocultural theory), we still find that Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological model underpins much of the research and praxis driving the early childhood education sector. One of the key elements in the model, and its various derivatives, is the idea that the key environments through which children experience the world are those of the family/home and their early childhood service. Bronfenbrenner’s concept of the mesosystem suggests that the relationship between these two key environments is essential: when the learning priorities and strategies to support learning and perceptions of the child’s agency and capacity for learning are similar across these different environments, it is clear that children’s outcomes are enhanced. In contrast, when these are in conflict, children’s learning can be compromised. However, both of these key environments are embedded in cultural and community contexts that also shape not only how we function in our various environments, but what is valued for learning and praxis. In this Special Issue, we seek to explore current research focusing on family involvement in early childhood education. We seek to understand more about the factors that influence the ways in which families can be involved, the barriers needing to be overcome and the praxis necessary to support best outcomes for children.

References

  1. Bronfenbrenner, Urie. The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard university press, 1979. 
  2. Bronfenbrenner, Urie. Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development. sage, 2005.

Prof. Dr. Margaret Sims
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mesosystem
  • family involvement in ECE
  • relationships with parents
  • ECE and families
  • parent/EC teacher relationships
  • parent/EC educator relationships
  • families in ECE

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 340 KiB  
Article
‘Why Are the White Kids Clean and the Brown Kids Still Dirty?’: Parental Encounters with Racial Discrimination in Early Childhood Services
by Cherie Suzanne Lamb
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14010018 - 3 Jan 2025
Viewed by 576
Abstract
In Australia, the Early Years Learning Framework sets out a vision for all children to experience belonging, wellbeing, confidence, and a sense of identity. This article forefronts the voices of parents with refugee experience, through focus groups and interviews, to explore why they [...] Read more.
In Australia, the Early Years Learning Framework sets out a vision for all children to experience belonging, wellbeing, confidence, and a sense of identity. This article forefronts the voices of parents with refugee experience, through focus groups and interviews, to explore why they removed their children from early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. Supplemented by interviews with early childhood practitioners and researcher experience, constructivist grounded theory overlaid with critical race theory provided a lens through which to scrutinize the way racism implicitly impacts structural practices within ECEC environments. The overarching message was that everything is framed within the parameters of the dominant culture, which was taken for granted by educators, who are predominantly White and middle class. Parents withdrew their children because they perceived care to be culturally unsafe and unsuitable and because cultural and linguistic support was rarely available. Of concern were the smothering effects of assimilation and the imposition of a foreign culture which unsettled family life. Compromised identity and the nullification of cultural and linguistic heritage left children with little or no sense of belonging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
21 pages, 401 KiB  
Article
Pedagogical Documentation as a “Bridge” Between Parents and the Early Childhood Curriculum
by Domna (Mika) Kakana and Alexandra Gkloumpou
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14010007 - 29 Dec 2024
Viewed by 794
Abstract
Parents’ involvement in early childhood education is of great importance. In Greece, many educators still hesitate to involve parents in their school’s daily program. They also do not use pedagogical documentation in the educational process as it is not included in the official [...] Read more.
Parents’ involvement in early childhood education is of great importance. In Greece, many educators still hesitate to involve parents in their school’s daily program. They also do not use pedagogical documentation in the educational process as it is not included in the official curriculum. Our main goal was to bring parents closer to the early childhood curriculum, in an active and participatory way, through the documentation process. The main research question referred to the way in which the systematic use of pedagogical documentation can help parents understand the kindergarten’s daily curriculum and participate in it in a new way, in a country where pedagogical documentation is not mandatory. We used collaborative action research between ten kindergarten educators from five schools and two researchers from the same university department. The methodological tools were a researchers’ diary, two digital questionnaires for the educators (pre-/post-implementation) and a post-implementation digital questionnaire for the parents. The results showed that the documentation helped the educators to bring the parents closer to the kindergarten’s daily program and made them feel as if they could participate in it creatively. Also, the documentation derived from the children, educators and parents constructed a community of relations, participation, shared values and learning among them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
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22 pages, 670 KiB  
Article
Contextualised, Not Neoliberalised, Approaches to Families in Five Countries: Quality and Practice
by Marg Rogers, Fabio Dovigo, Astrid Mus Rasmussen, Khatuna Dolidze and Laura Doan
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120695 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Partnerships with parents in early childhood education and care services are a hallmark of quality education. Educators in Western countries work within a highly regulated environment, where government documents, such as frameworks, standards, and curricula, direct most of their work, time, and energy. [...] Read more.
Partnerships with parents in early childhood education and care services are a hallmark of quality education. Educators in Western countries work within a highly regulated environment, where government documents, such as frameworks, standards, and curricula, direct most of their work, time, and energy. Despite this, data from our mixed methods online survey from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Georgia, and Italy revealed a strong resistance to the homogeneity these documents prescribe. For the quantitative data, we used cross-tabulation and descriptive statistics. For the qualitative data, we used deductive thematic analysis using a parent–educator partnership framework. Educators described parents in their service as partners in their child’s education. This included efforts to share information, consult, negotiate, and build partnerships; problem solve; and monitor, report and manage the partnership. The educators talked about the uniqueness of their approaches to parents and families within their contextualised services. They then revealed how these unique features impacted their notions of quality and practice in these services. This will be of interest to policymakers, educators, and teacher educators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
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Graphical abstract

12 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education and Care: Insights from Portuguese and Norwegian Curriculum Frameworks
by Maria Dardanou and Rita Brito
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120694 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 2937
Abstract
The significance of family involvement in Early Childhood Education and Care has gained considerable attention within national reforms and regulations across various countries. This study aims to examine the early childhood education curriculum frameworks pertaining to family participation in Portugal and Norway. By [...] Read more.
The significance of family involvement in Early Childhood Education and Care has gained considerable attention within national reforms and regulations across various countries. This study aims to examine the early childhood education curriculum frameworks pertaining to family participation in Portugal and Norway. By analysing the national curriculum frameworks of these two countries, this study explores the distinct approaches they adopt towards family involvement in Early Childhood Education and Care, considering their unique cultural and policy contexts. Through content analysis of the curriculum frameworks from both nations, two primary themes emerge through coding: active involvement in the educational process and collaborative partnerships. The findings highlight the importance of fostering relationships between families and educational institutions to enhance children’s learning experiences and emphasize the necessity of ongoing communication and shared decision-making. Through an ecological perspective, this paper provides insights into how varying levels of family participation can influence educational practices and experiences in early childhood settings, suggesting potential improvements to strengthen partnerships between families and educators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
13 pages, 227 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Early Childhood Placement Program to Facilitate Family Involvement for Future Teachers
by Katherine Bussey
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120674 - 13 Dec 2024
Viewed by 502
Abstract
Navigating family involvement is commonly a cause of concern for pre-service teachers who will soon be early childhood teacher graduates in Australia. This paper uses a Research by Design methodology to analyse the interview and focus group data from 108 pre-service and 135 [...] Read more.
Navigating family involvement is commonly a cause of concern for pre-service teachers who will soon be early childhood teacher graduates in Australia. This paper uses a Research by Design methodology to analyse the interview and focus group data from 108 pre-service and 135 mentor teachers involved in an enhanced early childhood professional placement partnerships program. This program was used to advance professional relationships through shared professional learning and making time for collegial discussions. The findings show that the program interventions have enabled pre-service teachers to focus on family involvement while on placements, with some sharing their own documentation of children’s learning directly with families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
18 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
“It Is My Responsibility to Escort My Child to School …” Factors Influencing Parental Involvement in Educating Children with Disabilities in Malawi
by David John Musendo, Maria Zuurmond, Thomas Andrea Nkhonjera, Sarah Polack and Daksha Patel
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120654 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 946
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the factors that influence parental involvement in supporting the education of children with disabilities in Malawi, thereby generating insights into the barriers and facilitators they face. We conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with 25 participants from Nkhata [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore the factors that influence parental involvement in supporting the education of children with disabilities in Malawi, thereby generating insights into the barriers and facilitators they face. We conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with 25 participants from Nkhata Bay District: teachers, parents, and children with disabilities. We used the COM-B model to analyse how parents’ capabilities, opportunities, and behaviours influence their involvement in their children’s education. This study revealed that parents of children with disabilities showed willingness, optimism regarding their children’s future, and a strong sense of responsibility for their education. However, factors such as the limited knowledge of children’s learning needs, time, low confidence, and financial challenges have constrained their involvement. Schools and communities frequently limit participation opportunities by not consistently practising or championing parental involvement in policies and actions. This study sheds light on the complex interplay between knowledge, practical constraints, and external support systems that shape parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities. Further research aimed at creating tailored and context-relevant interventions to improve parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities in low-income settings is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education)
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