The Importance of Parental / Carer Engagement for SEN Students.

Without positive parent/carer engagement, the chances of success for any student falls significantly. Research shows that family engagement with schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores parents’ confidence in their children’s education. Students with involved parents or other caregivers earn higher grades and test scores, have better social skills, and show improved behaviour.

Why this partnership is required

Parents and teachers know the student in vastly different, equally important ways. Teachers may see the child in ways that parents do not; they will have seen how the child behaves in class and whether they are engaged in their learning and progressing compared to their peers. 

Parents know their child in ways that teachers can’t. They have the most complete understanding of the child’s development and progress. They have valuable opportunities to assess their child’s learning, such as sitting side-by-side with them, working through homework and other learning activities. This information can be invaluable to school staff.

Parents are an integral part of any plan for the child. Schools need parents to support their strategies and recommendations through discussions and sometimes complete some work at home. Parent feedback on how their child feels about their support, and school life in general, is vital. This allows education staff to make necessary tweaks to what is offered in school. Children like to feel safe, and when they know that their parents or carers are working closely and in tandem with the school, they are reassured that everything that can be done to help is being done. School and home must be ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’; otherwise, the child becomes confused by the mixed messages they receive. 

One way of showing this collaborative approach is to replicate the consequences and celebrations given by the school. This home/school approach indicates that you agree and have been involved in planning your child’s support. Parents and schools who work together have the best outcomes for SEN students regarding grades and personal development.

Good practices to achieve the best outcomes for SEN Students

• Setting goals with children and fostering achievement of those goals;
• Accessing and using children’s academic scores to ensure they’re on track;
• Frequently viewing the parent portal (or whichever tool their school uses);
• Developing a relationship with children’s teachers and keeping in touch with them often; and
• Advocating for improvements in the school building and with local school boards and state and federal government to ensure schools have the resources they need to provide a high standard of education to every student.

The most significant type of involvement is what parents do at home. By monitoring, supporting and advocating, parents can engage in ways that ensure their children have every opportunity for success.

What does parental engagement look like?

One of the most important aspects of positive parental engagement is meeting regularly with the school. An ideal time to meet is usually just after any reports come out, but meetings can also be required when a specific issue needs to be addressed. When at a school meeting, be prepared to ask questions, no matter how difficult, and ensure you are satisfied with the answers. You must be clear about the school’s point of view; don’t be afraid to keep asking for clarification if you are unsure about any particular issue.

Parents, carers, school staff, and other professionals should attend planning and review meetings. This creates a team around each child that focuses on achieving positive outcomes to meet their academic potential. Parents should strive to attend meetings to ensure participation in decision-making and provide input on their children’s programs. The child’s progress may stall if both sides can’t collaborate to facilitate a support plan that includes both home and school.

What if there is a disagreement between the parties involved?

All information (positive and negative) that the school has should be shared with the parents. This can sometimes be difficult for parents to hear; what parent or carer wants to hear is that their child isn’t progressing as expected or that their child is not engaged with their learning? It is important that all parties respect, listen to and understand each other’s point of view. Sometimes, the child that a parent or carer sees at home is very different from the child that presents in school, and vice versa. Both parties should accept and understand this and aim to see the situation from another perspective.

Parents and carers should not let school personnel intimidate them in this process because the parent’s role as an advocate for their child is paramount. The school’s role is to mitigate such circumstances and work collaboratively with parents and carers to find the best solutions for all students. Many parents bring someone along for specific, professional or moral support. If required, you can ask for a translator or any other help you might need in helping you understand what is being said.

I urge all parents and carers to engage with school staff even when the message is difficult to hear. Having a different opinion is fine and, in some cases, both necessary and healthy. Teachers are often parents too and will mostly sympathise; however, they must be honest and upfront regarding students’ progress within their role as educators. Without both parties wholly engaging, the student will undoubtedly miss out on much-needed support. In the end, everyone must pull together in the child’s best interests.

In my experience as a special needs educator, I have worked with many parents who initially did not want to hear what I (on behalf of the school) had to say about their child’s learning. While this is entirely understandable, their commitment to continuous engagement with the school paid off positively in the long term. Subsequently, many parents have come to me over the years and thanked me for my work with their child, even after many years of disagreeing with me. They eventually understood that everything I did was from a place of caring and understanding, coupled with many years of experience in the field.

Advocating for your child is never easy; it can be a time of great anxiety and can be physically draining. It is a process that sometimes will have highs and lows, but it will bring rewards for all parties concerned. The feeling of knowing that a child is now on the path to success and that we have the data and evidence to prove it is what keeps me doing this job. This is one of the reasons why I set up this site: to empower parents and offer them a support mechanism to allow them to keep going through challenging times.