Enhancing parental involvement in Early Childhood Development centres

Abstract

Enhancing parental involvement in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres is crucial for a young child's positive development, as it fosters parental agency and relational trust. Parent-teacher interactions are key in developing constructive relationships, as they allow parents to gain a teacher's perspective on their child. However, parents’ involvement with the school does not necessarily imply full parental engagement with their child. It was this lack of full parental engagement that led the research. The rationale of this study was to explore the perspectives of South African teachers and parents on parental involvement in ECD centres. The discontinuation of subsidies to schools by the South African government has led to such centres becoming privatised and community-driven and to a lack of government oversight, leading to concerns about the quality of instruction and the qualifications of teachers. The development of a framework which would assist teachers in their responsibility towards helping parents develop greater parental involvement was the aim of the study. It was only through understanding the feelings of both parents and teachers that this framework was achieved. Goodall and Montgomery (2014), Vincent (2001) and Bryk and Schneider (2003) provided the theoretical framework for this research. They highlight the importance of parenting at different levels, that parental agency is predetermined by socio-economic status and that relational trust develops through multiple interactions between parents and teachers. These theories were key components used when designing the Bishop-Kapp framework. Qualitative research methods such as narrative inquiry, vignettes, participatory reflection and action research, and thematic analysis was used to collect and analyse data from parent and teacher participants. This methodological standpoint was utilized as these concepts work in unison with each other and seek an understanding for how people construct meaning in their lives. This combined with the interpretivist paradigm will enhance the data by gaining a unique understanding for the participant’s world views. The data collected resulted in the development of a framework named "The Bishop-Kapp framework for the Enhancement of Parental Involvement in Childhood” (EPIC), which incorporates elements of parental agency, relational trust and parental involvement. This framework can be applied in the Foundation Phase of a preparatory school when parental involvement is still vital to the child’s development. It is also recommended in the training of prospective teachers, especially Foundation Phase teachers.