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1 – 10 of over 18000
Book part
Publication date: 11 November 2016

Elita Amini Virmani, Ann-Marie Wiese and Peter L. Mangione

This chapter reviews conceptualizations of parent involvement and family engagement as they aim to support children’s learning and development and introduces the reader to…

Abstract

This chapter reviews conceptualizations of parent involvement and family engagement as they aim to support children’s learning and development and introduces the reader to relational family engagement, a new approach to engaging families in their children’s early learning. Relational family engagement is discussed as central to effectively engaging culturally and linguistically diverse families as active contributors to their children’s lifelong success as learners. The authors delineate three principles fundamental to relational family engagement, supported by an interdisciplinary review of research. Reflective practice is explored as a pathway to relational family engagement. The authors assert that the integration of reflective practice holds promise as a way to facilitate and deepen relationships among staff in early childhood programs, between the early childhood education program staff and families, and between families and children, such that children’s early learning experiences are enhanced across both home and preschool contexts while drawing upon their families’ cultural and linguistic assets.

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2022

Abraham Stefanidis, Margaret E. King-Sears, Lina Gilic and Vasilis Strogilos

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between (1) employed parents' work–family conflict (WFC), (2) their children with disabilities' support needs, (3…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between (1) employed parents' work–family conflict (WFC), (2) their children with disabilities' support needs, (3) their children's age, and (4) those parents' levels of school engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 193 US parents of children with disabilities who completed a survey regarding work and family strain as well as school engagement. Descriptive statistical and correlational analyses were used, followed by moderated regression analysis.

Findings

Results indicate that higher levels of WFC have a negative impact on parents' school engagement. Similarly, children with disabilities' increased needs for parental support have a negative impact on school engagement. Moreover, the age of children with disabilities holds a moderating role in the relationship between support needs and school engagement.

Research limitations/implications

Human resource managers can acquire information regarding employed parents of children with disabilities' increased support needs and formalize flexible policies leading to supportive workplace cultures. School personnel can instigate a range of options that facilitate parents' school engagement, such as maximizing use of technology via virtual meetings and activities.

Originality/value

These innovative findings contribute to theoretical underpinnings in work and family strain research as well as conservation of resources theory, given the lack of previous empirical work specific to children with disabilities and their employed parents.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2024

Gráinne Hickey, Yvonne Leckey and Sinead McGilloway

Parenting programmes are increasingly a feature of services and policies aimed at improving outcomes for children and families and tackling inequality, yet they remain underused…

Abstract

Purpose

Parenting programmes are increasingly a feature of services and policies aimed at improving outcomes for children and families and tackling inequality, yet they remain underused. This study aims to assess parent engagement and retention in the parent and infant (PIN) programme – a universal, multi-component intervention designed to support parents from birth to when their children reach two years of age. The programme can be tailored to parent/community needs but also includes standardised core elements including two Incredible Years parenting programmes. Programme provider perspectives on recruiting and supporting participation were also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods study was conducted involving parents (n = 106) and programme providers involved in the PIN programme. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the impact of participant demographic characteristics on the likelihood of programme engagement and attendance. Semi-structured interviews explored facilitators’ experiences of parent recruitment and engagement, as well as barriers and facilitators of parental attendance.

Findings

First-time mothers were more likely to initially enrol in the PIN programme than younger or lone parents. However, older age and married/cohabiting status were the strongest predictors of attending at least one-third of programme sessions. Qualitative findings highlighted the importance of relationship building and connection in supporting participant recruitment and engagement. Practical and psychological barriers to programme participation are also described.

Originality/value

The findings shed light on factors that influence engagement and attendance in universal, early parent support programmes. Barriers to parent engagement are multi-layered and tailored strategies to promote uptake of parenting programmes are needed.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 March 2017

Kelsey S. Dickson, Sasha M. Zeedyk, Jonathan Martinez and Rachel Haine-Schlagel

Well-documented ethnic disparities exist in the identification and provision of quality services among children receiving community-based mental health services. These disparities…

Abstract

Purpose

Well-documented ethnic disparities exist in the identification and provision of quality services among children receiving community-based mental health services. These disparities extend to parent treatment engagement, an important component of effective mental health services. Currently, little is known about differences in how providers support parents’ participation in treatment and the degree to which parents actively participate in it. The purpose of this paper is to examine potential differences in both provider and parent in-session participation behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants included 17 providers providing standard community-based mental health treatment for 18 parent-child dyads, with 44 per cent of the dyads self-identifying as Hispanic/Latino. In-session participation was measured with the parent participation engagement in child psychotherapy and therapist alliance, collaboration, and empowerment strategies observational coding systems.

Findings

Overall, results indicate significantly lower levels of parent participation behaviours among Hispanic/Latino families compared to their Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino counterparts. No significant differences were seen in providers’ in-session behaviours to support parent participation across Hispanic/Latino and Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino families.

Research limitations/implications

These findings contribute to the literature on ethnic differences in parent treatment engagement by utilising measures of in-session provider and parent behaviours and suggest that further investigation is warranted to documenting and understanding ethnic disparities in parents’ participation in community-based child mental health treatment.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the evaluation of differences in parent treatment engagement through demonstrating the utility of an in-session observational coding system as a measure of treatment engagement.

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2006

Alina Morawska and Matthew Sanders

Despite the importance of increasing engagement and minimising attrition and drop‐out in parenting interventions, there is a paucity of empirical evidence examining factors…

907

Abstract

Despite the importance of increasing engagement and minimising attrition and drop‐out in parenting interventions, there is a paucity of empirical evidence examining factors related to engagement and participation. The range of factors examined in relation to engagement is generally limited in scope and variety, focusing on variables of convenience rather than utilising a theoretically‐driven approach.The aim of this article is to review the factors related to parental engagement with interventions and to describe strategies and implications for improving engagement with parenting interventions. Several policy and practice implications are identified: (1) Poor parental engagement may threaten or compromise the capacity of parenting programmes to deliver valued outcomes. Viable engagement strategies need to be a core part of prevention and early intervention parenting programmes; (2) Agencies delivering parenting services need a proactive engagement strategy, which includes strategies to prevent drop‐out, as well as strategies to actively respond to parental disengagement; (3) Research is needed to test the efficacy and robustness of different engagement enhancement strategies. Empirical tests are needed to test the effectiveness of different engagement strategies in order to ensure that the most efficient, cost‐effective and efficacious approach is used in order to engage parents. Investment of research effort to improve parental engagement is likely to have a high yield in terms of programme efficiency, utility and cost effectiveness. We conclude that research examining how to improve engagement and decrease non‐completion is needed to strengthen the population level value of parenting programmes as preventive interventions.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 December 2016

Marguerite Anne Fillion Wilson and Denise Gray Yull

While scholars recognize that parent engagement in children’s education is beneficial, much of the normative parent involvement literature rests on the assumption that…

Abstract

While scholars recognize that parent engagement in children’s education is beneficial, much of the normative parent involvement literature rests on the assumption that marginalized parents of color must be taught white middle-class norms of conduct in order to engage with the school system. In this chapter, we describe the ways our critical ethnographic implementation and analysis of the Parent Mentor Program – a parent engagement project in a small urban school district in Central New York – re-envisions parent engagement in three interrelated ways. First, we argue that the project is race-, class-, gender-, and power-conscious, drawing on the interrelated theoretical frames of Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies. Second, we argue that the program and research are unique in utilizing the toolkit of critical ethnography to not merely describe, but also to intervene in educational inequity. Third, we argue that the program has a more holistic goal than much of the parent engagement literature, as it seeks to connect parent engagement and activism with the larger antiracist goal of using restorative justice strategies to disrupt the disproportionate disciplining of Black students. Focusing on critical ethnographic methods in practice, we analyze the shifting positionalities of a multiracial research team as we grappled with methodological dilemmas in the first three years of the program. We document how we balanced the goals of introducing a race-conscious framework and catalyzing critical consciousness with the realities of constantly renegotiating entry in a school district characterized by colorblindness and colormuteness.

Book part
Publication date: 7 October 2015

Mark Stevens and Jered Borup

The purpose of this chapter is to overview what extant research says about parental involvement in online learning environments.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to overview what extant research says about parental involvement in online learning environments.

Methodology/approach

The approach in this chapter is a systematic review of literature focusing on engagement frameworks.

Findings

Parents have the potential to be the key to overcoming key concerns about attrition and achievement in online settings. However, research has been silent as to how to engage parents more fully as learning coaches for their children.

Research implications

Research about parental involvement in online learning should consider the roles of both teacher and parent as they coordinate their efforts to improve student engagement. Research also needs to look at what parents need to know about helping their students be successful and how to provide the training and expertise to parents that will help them learn critical support skills.

Originality/value

This chapter is particularly timely in light of the dramatic growth in online learning and the resulting concerns about achievement and attrition that are particularly acute among at-risk populations.

Details

Exploring Pedagogies for Diverse Learners Online
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-672-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2018

Grace Spencer, Philip Hood, Shade Agboola and Catherine Pritchard

Children’s health and life chances are affected by many factors, with parents and schools holding influential roles. Yet relatively little is known about parental engagement in…

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Abstract

Purpose

Children’s health and life chances are affected by many factors, with parents and schools holding influential roles. Yet relatively little is known about parental engagement in school-based health education and specifically, from the perspectives of health and education professionals. The purpose of this paper is to examine professionals’ perspectives on parental engagement in school-based health education.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with ten health, education and local authority professionals from a socio-economically deprived area in England. Semi-structured interviews explored the role of professionals within the school health curricula, roles that parents played in school health, and barriers and enablers to parental engagement in school health education.

Findings

Reported barriers to engagement related to assumptions about parents’ own health behaviours, impacts of funding and inspection regimes, and protected time for health within the school curriculum. Enablers included designated parental support workers based in the school, positive role modelling by other parents, consultation and engagement with parents and a whole school approach to embedding health within the wider curriculum.

Practical implications

Findings from this study suggest the importance of building meaningful partnerships with parents to complement school health education and improve child health outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper addresses an important gap in the research on parental engagement in school-based health education from the perspectives of health and education professionals. Effective partnerships with parents are crucial to the success of school health education.

Details

Health Education, vol. 118 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 29 October 2018

Melissa Rector LaGraff and Heidi E. Stolz

Work–family balance is important for working parents, their children, and their family functioning. However, little research has considered how one’s sense of work–family balance…

Abstract

Work–family balance is important for working parents, their children, and their family functioning. However, little research has considered how one’s sense of work–family balance may influence parenting behavior. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether perceived work–family balance of fathers of infants predicts engagement behaviors and whether stress mediates this relationship. The sample (n = 64) completed a phone survey, and data analysis consisted of linear regression tests and path analysis models for mediation. Perceived work–family balance did not significantly predict overall father engagement, but did predict fathers telling stories to their infant more often (B = 0.91, t(55) = 2.22, p < 0.05) and dressing their infant more often (B = 0.70, t(55) = 2.05, p < 0.05). Although perceived work–family balance was found to have a significant negative effect on father stress (r = –0.48, p < 0.001), stress did not mediate the relationship between perceived work–family balance and the two engagement behaviors. Greater perceived work–family balance may encourage engagement in behaviors above and beyond the stereotypical fathering behaviors (e.g., playing) and basic caregiving behaviors (e.g., changing diapers). Limitations include a small sample size, cross-sectional nature of the data, and self-report measures. It is recommended future studies use longitudinal designs, larger samples that differ in family type, and include mothers. This study provides preliminary evidence that one’s perceived work–family balance may influence parenting behaviors; thus, workplace policies that increase work–family balance, through greater job flexibility, for example, could promote positive family outcomes and reduce stress.

Details

The Work-Family Interface: Spillover, Complications, and Challenges
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78769-112-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2014

Vincent La Placa and Judy Corlyon

– The purpose of this paper is to review the current evidence base on barriers to inclusion and successful engagement of parents in mainstream preventive services.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the current evidence base on barriers to inclusion and successful engagement of parents in mainstream preventive services.

Design/methodology/approach

Evidence was generated using a narrative review which uses different primary studies from which conclusions are produced into holistic interpretations. It provides an interpretative synthesis of findings based upon an exhaustive inclusion and exclusion criteria and systematic selection of literature.

Findings

The paper identifies barriers to successful engagement as: structural; social and cultural; and suspicion and stigma. In terms of successful engagement, it identifies personal relations between staff and service users, practical issues, service culture, consultation, information and targeting, service delivery, and community development and co-production approaches.

Research limitations/implications

The paper demonstrates that the evidence base is limited and not adequately theoretically grounded. It argues for more research based within a pragmatic approach, which is more theoretically and epistemologically informed.

Practical implications

The paper demonstrates that more theoretically and epistemologically informed research needs to be addressed in order to design mainstream services on behalf of service practitioners and researchers.

Originality/value

Such an approach would assist policy makers and practitioners to develop interventions to reduce potential barriers and facilitate successful engagement and is grounded within users’ experiences. It would also reflect the complexity of working within a late modern environment, attend to the multiple needs of users, and address the complex layers intrinsic to the construction and reproduction of services, as well as widening the current evidence base.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

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