The KidsMatter Early Childhood information sheets are resources that have been developed in collaboration and with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, the Commonwealth does not accept liability for any injury or loss or damage arising from the use of, or reliance upon, the content of this publication.

This resource and further information on the national KidsMatter Early Childhood initiative is available to download at www.kidsmatter.edu.au. The KidsMatter Early Childhood team also welcomes your feedback which can be submitted through the website.

Information for early childhood staff and families Component 3 – Working with parents and carers

Working together:

Suggestions for families and staff

Suggestions for staff f Find out the preferred names of parents

and carers and address them by these.

f Make personal contact with families new

to the service to get to know them and

try to understand concerns, if any.

f Ask families about their day and take an

interest in them as you would your own

friends. Respect information families

share about their child and other family

members.

f Share information about your own day

and interests. Relationships develop as

people start to share some personal

information.

f Let families know their involvement is

valued and allow them to decide their

own level of involvement.

f Have an open door policy at the early

childhood service where families are

welcome throughout the day.

f Inform families of the practices and

values of your early childhood service

and check how these fit in with families’

practices and values. Ask how families’

practices and values can be included in

the service.

f Create opportunities to celebrate family

diversity within the service.

f Ask families for ideas on how they

would like differences such as language,

culture, family values or disabilities to

be represented and supported.

Suggestions for families f Find out the preferred names of staff and address them by these.

f Ask staff about their day and take an interest in them as you would your

own friends.

f Share information about your own day and interests and what your child

enjoys at home. Relationships develop as people start to share some

personal information.

f Let staff know that their involvement with your child is valued.

f Consider ways in which you can be involved in the service. This will be

different for all families depending on circumstances.

f Share family and community values with staff and let them know how they

can support your children. Find out the practices and values of your early

childhood service.

f Share children’s acheivements like milestones (e.g., being able to feed

themselves) or events (e.g., riding their first bike).

f Let staff know if something is affecting your child’s feelings and behaviour,

for example, getting a new pet, having a birthday party or a family member

going away.

f Share information that may help support your child at the service, for

example, specialist recommendations on how to help with speech or

exercises to help with body strength.