× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Ongoing support Seeking consent Many schools find that parents from migrant and refugee backgrounds may be reluctant to give consent to their child participating in extracurricular or out-of-school activities and often do not return permission forms. There are a number of strategies that can be implemented to resolve this situation: Provide information in the first language of parents/carers and seek informed consent Use translated permission forms and other materials This is critical to ensure that parents/carers can access information about the purpose of the activity, on what is being asked of them and what their child will be doing Acknowledge parental fears and develop an understanding of their perspectives Make personal approaches to families with the aid of an interpreter, bilingual member of staff or community worker when the student feels permission may be an issue. This allows for open dialogue and exploration of concerns Seek practical solutions to address concerns. Teachers may be able to provide schoolwork in advance for students who miss out during an out-of-school event. Transport arrangements can be modified to provide a greater sense of security for the family What you can do At enrolment, collect information about the student’s needs and convene a meeting between the year advisor and parents, using an interpreter where necessary. This is an opportunity to discuss issues such as academic history, health, parents’ perceptions of their child’s academic progress, homework, family views regarding education and parental involvement in the school Support new parents by establishing and supporting a ‘buddy’ system, pairing new parents with existing parents. Provide a description of the program for parents Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1 Overview 2 Involving key staff 3 Identifying the target groups 4 Targeting communities 5 Working with community partners 6 Setting objectives 7 Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1 Overview 2 Arranging seating 3 Preparing and managing interpreters 4 Greeting parents 5 Keeping the discussions on track 6 Building trust 7 Exploring expectations about school involvement 8 Explaining practical systems and roles 9 Seeking feedback from parents 10 Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1Overview 2Creating a welcoming environment 3Seeking consent 4Addressing parent concerns about camps 5Catering for cultural dietary needs 6Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7Addressing discipline issues 8Reporting on student progress 9Holding parent-teacher meetings 10Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Ongoing support Seeking consent Many schools find that parents from migrant and refugee backgrounds may be reluctant to give consent to their child participating in extracurricular or out-of-school activities and often do not return permission forms. There are a number of strategies that can be implemented to resolve this situation: Provide information in the first language of parents/carers and seek informed consent Use translated permission forms and other materials This is critical to ensure that parents/carers can access information about the purpose of the activity, on what is being asked of them and what their child will be doing Acknowledge parental fears and develop an understanding of their perspectives Make personal approaches to families with the aid of an interpreter, bilingual member of staff or community worker when the student feels permission may be an issue. This allows for open dialogue and exploration of concerns Seek practical solutions to address concerns. Teachers may be able to provide schoolwork in advance for students who miss out during an out-of-school event. Transport arrangements can be modified to provide a greater sense of security for the family What you can do At enrolment, collect information about the student’s needs and convene a meeting between the year advisor and parents, using an interpreter where necessary. This is an opportunity to discuss issues such as academic history, health, parents’ perceptions of their child’s academic progress, homework, family views regarding education and parental involvement in the school Support new parents by establishing and supporting a ‘buddy’ system, pairing new parents with existing parents. Provide a description of the program for parents Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1 Overview 2 Involving key staff 3 Identifying the target groups 4 Targeting communities 5 Working with community partners 6 Setting objectives 7 Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1 Overview 2 Arranging seating 3 Preparing and managing interpreters 4 Greeting parents 5 Keeping the discussions on track 6 Building trust 7 Exploring expectations about school involvement 8 Explaining practical systems and roles 9 Seeking feedback from parents 10 Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1Overview 2Creating a welcoming environment 3Seeking consent 4Addressing parent concerns about camps 5Catering for cultural dietary needs 6Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7Addressing discipline issues 8Reporting on student progress 9Holding parent-teacher meetings 10Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
