Qualifly Family Programmes: Recruiting and Retaining ParentsCarers

1
QualiflyFamily Programmes Recruiting and
Retaining Parents/Carers

• Elizabeth Jarman
• Akoya Ltd
• UK

2
UK Overview

• National guidance- data collection
• Resources/ websites
• FLLN Coordinators
• Local practice

3
Be clear about who will you target
4
What helps to recruit parents/carers?

• Easiest where the culture in the setting is
  supportive
• Rolling programmes are best
• Parents/carers eventually become the most
  effective recruiters of others
• All staff need to be involved- implication for
  training and communication
• Part of the offer for families
• Video clip of ESOL Family Programme

5
Ideas to try

• On the playground
• Video running in a foyer
• Photo displays from sessions/ ideas sheets
• Tasters
• Enrolment at school
• Celebration event from last cohort with
  certificates

• Letters- get the children involved/ make them
  visual
• Is the school a welcoming environment?
• Dads- where are they? Different promotion
• Children/community leaders recruiting
• Translators
• Frontline staff

6
Home visiting

• Why home visit?
• Who does the home visit?
• What happens on a home visit?

7
Retention

• Quality experience
• Relevant, well-planned content
• Staff fantastic communicators who understand the
  social context that parents/carers live in
• Benefits for children/ parents/carers must be
  obvious
• Ongoing nurturing, encouragement and praise
• Progression
• Right pace
• FUN!

8
Contact details

• Elizabeth_at_akoya.ltd.uk
• 07788720526
• 01233 820193
• Useful references
• Family Literacy Practice in Local programmes
• ISBN 1 85990064 X
• Walking Ten Feet Tall
• ISBN 1 86201 132 X
• Involving Parents, Carers and the Community in
• Schools
• ISBN 1 872972 39 X