Effective communication with families is key to building solid relationships at your preschool or childcare program. A strong family-teacher partnership is essential to each child’s development and success.
For some families, this may be the first time they've trusted their child with someone other than themselves or close relatives. Understanding how to inform families about your program’s goals, their child’s progress, and daily activities can help build trust. There are some important things to consider when sharing information. In this article, you'll find strategies for communication with families that keep them informed about daily activities and create positive outcomes for each child.
Why is communicating with families important in early education?
Communicating with families is important because it builds the trust and partnership necessary to support a child's growth and development. Since a family member is a child's first teacher, building a positive partnership ensures that your staff can effectively educate and nurture each child.
This partnership requires involvement from both teachers and families, with both parties sharing knowledge and seeking to understand each other. Through effective communication, educators and families can work together to support each child’s learning and provide the best resources needed to reach their full potential.
Build quality connections with families with brightwheel's communication feature. You can connect with families by sending real-time messages with photos or videos, keeping them informed and engaged with their child's learning. Families can also easily access their child's daily activity feed in the app and get in touch with you and your staff.
Parent Communication Toolkit
This kit includes templates, tip sheets, and other tools you need to build strong relationships with the families you serve.
How can you collect information from families with respect?
You can collect information from families respectfully by reaching out with a warm welcome as soon as they join your program to ask about their unique circumstances, values, and needs. This knowledge helps you understand family dynamics and builds trust with your staff.
To develop a respectful relationship with families, gather important information such as:
- Religious and cultural background, values, and beliefs
- Family dynamics and home arrangements
- Preferred languages
- Disabilities or health issues or concerns
- Learning styles
Not only will gathering this information help you learn more about children and their families, but it will also inform how you interact with them. The more you respect their values, beliefs, choices, preferences, and needs, the more likely you'll establish trust and a solid family-teacher relationship.
How do you understand family communication preferences?
You can understand family communication preferences by asking them directly about their preferred days, times, and methods of contact. Using a simple survey is an effective way to gather this specific information.
Take time to understand how and when to communicate with families. You may ask questions like:
- What days and times are best to reach you?
- Would you prefer to communicate over the phone, through email, or in person?
You can even use a survey to gather information about your families' communication preferences and other details that would be helpful to know. To accommodate for language differences, you may offer to communicate at times when a translator is available.
You'll want to be sure families understand your communication preferences too, so consider sharing the best times and ways for families to contact you. For example, you may inform them that you're available to speak on the phone during nap time and after school ends, or you may tell them to reach you on a childcare app like brightwheel or email during working hours. There are many ways to communicate, and understanding communication preferences will help keep families better engaged and informed.
What are the best ways to communicate with families in the digital age?
The best ways to communicate with families in the digital age include using mobile apps, social media, blogs, and monthly digital newsletters. These digital communication tools allow teachers to distribute important information quickly and send daily updates.
Leveraging technology to keep families engaged has never been easier. Here are four ways to engage with families in the modern age:
How do monthly newsletters help childcare programs?
Monthly newsletters are a great way to cover general school-wide announcements, updates, or events. These allow teachers and administrators to streamline communication with families, by providing important information in an easily accessible format that families can expect each month. To save time, consider using the same template each time you send it.
Why should you use childcare apps for family communication?
Many apps bring the early education business into the 21st century. For example, brightwheel is an easy-to-use mobile software app that will help you manage your school and stay in touch with families. Your staff can use brightwheel for recording and tracking daily events and activities in the classroom, and families will get real-time updates delivered to their mobile devices throughout the day.
This powerful app offers secure, digital check-in/check-out and an automated paperless billing system. Additionally, parents can invite other family members to join their child’s brightwheel community so everyone can stay updated.
How can social media engage families?
An active Facebook page or Instagram can give parents a real glimpse into a school’s daily activities. Families can also invite extended family members to follow the action. Be sure to have parents sign a release form and comply with them to protect your students’ privacy.
What are the benefits of childcare blogs?
If your program already has a website, you may consider adding a blog. A blog can keep your families up-to-date on current events in the early childhood education space and give in-depth descriptions of classroom events or activities. This gives families a deeper understanding of what goes on at your preschool. In addition, a blog that provides valuable information can position you as an expert in your field.
What are effective communication strategies for difficult discussions?
Effective communication strategies for difficult discussions include choosing an appropriate setting, preparing your talking points, beginning on a positive note, and actively partnering with families on a solution. Taking the time to prepare helps ensure the conversation remains calm and productive.
- Consider the setting: Determine the most appropriate form of communication for the specific incident. Depending on the situation, a phone call or message might be the best way to contact the parent. If the topic is sensitive, an in-person meeting might be necessary.
- Prepare your talking points: Give yourself ample time to prepare any records, notes, or examples that would be helpful to reference during your conversation. It’s also helpful to anticipate any questions parents might have and prepare some responses beforehand.
- Begin on a positive note: Start the conversation by sharing how much you value their child and highlight their strengths. Parents may need an extra reminder that you both want what’s best for their child.
- Remain calm: Keep your composure if things get tense. The best way to respond is to be direct, stick to the facts, and remain calm.
- Ask for the parent's perspective: Take the time to understand what parents are experiencing and feeling and listen with empathy. This will help prevent miscommunications.
- Partner with families: Collaborate with parents on a solution. Work together to come up with a shared goal, plan of action, and any next steps.
- Check in after the conversation: Follow up after the conversation by sharing any notes from the meeting or resources that will support the family.
What is the role of active listening in effective communication?
Active listening plays a critical role in effective communication by ensuring the speaker feels heard and understood. To practice active listening, you must pay attention to the family member, understand what they're saying, and reflect their main points back to them.
Taking time to build solid relationships with families through communication is vital to every child's success, and it begins with one critical skill—active listening. Active listening is an essential skill you can use to understand your children and families better and create meaningful partnerships that will improve learning outcomes for each child.
For example, active listening with families can reveal more about the child’s education at home, including insights into their learning style and how they're learning at home. This helps you see the bigger picture about the best ways to support each child.
Conclusion
A solid relationship with families is critical to a child’s success, and it begins when you initiate respectful communication with family members. By practicing active listening and informing families about your program’s goals and their child’s progress, you establish trust and begin creating a successful partnership that will lead to the best solutions for each child.
Frequently asked questions about communication with families
Q: How often should childcare programs communicate with families?
A: Childcare programs should communicate with families daily using digital tools like apps or brief in-person check-ins. Weekly or monthly newsletters are also ideal for sharing broader program updates and upcoming events.
Q: What is the biggest barrier to effective communication with families?
A: The biggest barrier is often a lack of aligned communication preferences or language differences. Establishing clear guidelines and using versatile tools like the brightwheel app can help bridge these gaps and keep everyone connected.
Q: How can I build trust with families who are new to my childcare program?
A: You can build trust by providing a warm welcome, actively listening to their concerns, and sharing daily updates about their child's progress. Consistency and transparency are the fastest ways to establish a strong partnership.
