Involving Parents, Carers & Families

• Schools and colleges create a welcoming, supportive environment and ethos for parents/carers.

• Opportunities for developing relationships and help parents, carers & families develop parenting skills either through informal drop-ins, groups such as family cooking or family forest school, light touch training such as webinars, supporting and involvement with campaigns or virtual briefings or full length parenting programmes such as Tuning into Kids or Teens. 

• Parents and carers are regularly consulted with, informed of and receive feedback on health and wellbeing experiences of the school, this may include invitation to be part of your school's Wellbeing Action Group (WAG).

• Parents and Carers receive a breakdown of topics and content of RSHE curriculum with opportunities for learning, comments and support the RSHE provision or contribute to the offer.

• Parents are sign-posted to evidence-based and high quality information to learn about their own health and wellbeing, including services available outside of the school.

• Parents and Carers are provided with information and knowledge of where to go for help and support with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). 

• SLT and WAG are aware of OHID and DfE (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Department for Education) guidance on the 8 key principles of a whole school or college approach to Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

• SLT and WAG are aware of NICE guidance in relation to whole school approaches - Recommendations | Social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education | Guidance | NICE

• The Somerset Parent, Carer & Families Toolkit provides information, resources, support and current self-learning opportunities for parents, carers and families - Somerset Parent, Carer & Families Toolkit 

• Groups such as Somerset Parent Carer Forum and Somerset's Local Offer, maybe included in newsletters and within the school website. The Somerset Parent and Carer Forum also run: Workshops for Information, Support and Education (WISE) WISE Up Workshops

• www.minded.org.uk a DfE and DoH funded organisation provides a dedicated information and learning area for parents, carers & families.

• Staff understand the positive value and impact of parental involvement - Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)

• Learning sheet/pdf for Adults, Parents, Carers & families - Adults Learn about emotional mental health and wellbeing .pdf

•    How is health and wellbeing information provided; how is effectiveness monitored?

•    What efforts are made to understand and overcome barriers to engagement for parents and carers and modify the offer?

•    How do parent and carers know what support is available via the setting, how to access it, and what is available in the wider community?

•    Are parents and carers given specific guidance about how best to support RSHE curriculum learning beyond the classroom?

•    Are resources accessible to parents and carers to help them improve their skills and understanding of their own health and wellbeing?

•    Are both formal (health and wellbeing workshops) and informal (social activities) available to families on a regular basis?

•    How does the setting work with organisations and services to proactively support families experiencing health and wellbeing issues?

The following UNCRC (United Nations Rights of the Child) articles support this principle:

•           Article 5 - Governments should help parents to help you to know about and use children’s rights as you grow up.

The Ofsted inspection criteria expects schools to be engaging parents in supporting pupils’ achievement, behaviour and safety and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They will be particularly interested in how successfully leaders involve parents, carers and, as necessary, other professionals/specialist services in deciding how best to support pupils with SEND including children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.

Parents should be aware of what provision is available to pupils and families to help promote resilience and where possible this should be easily available for parents to access on school website, locally or with the support of a Parent and Family Support Advisor.  

Ofsted inspectors have a duty to have regard for the views of parents. Inspectors will also take account of the results of any surveys carried out or commissioned by the school.