Learning Exchange Library

Family reading breaks   NIACE says that children's literacy is heavily influenced by parents' reading habits; their Quick Reads campaign offers plenty of ideas and resources to encourage a love of reading in both.

Dad power   In this article National College for School Leadership article, Nick Bannister talks to a range of headteachers about how they are engaging parents - particularly fathers. It turns out, many fathers want to be involved, but they aren't often asked. The effects that their involvement in their children's schools can be dramatic. 

Quick Reads Family Reading Breakfast Toolkit   From the National Family Learning Network, this kit has lots of ideas in it for family reading breakfasts.

Getting back to work in Salford: skills and confidence are key    Family learning settings, based in schools and linked to children's centres and services, are definitely a way for people to achieve confidence and progress to gaining skills - particularly people who are in families beset by complex problems. If you need convincing, here's another example: Glasshouse Centre in Yorkshire and Humber.

DaddyBeGood   A website offering advice, articles and special offers for fathers.

Free Evaluation workshop for Voluntary and Community Sector Family Learning Providers    This training will enable you to develop your current evaluation practice. You'll be given practical examples and resources to take away and use in your context.

Involving Asian families in family learning   This video looks at some of the barriers that can prevent Asian families from becoming involved in their children's learning and suggests ways to overcome these.

Family Learning Network: Have a dig in the Ideas Box     Some excellent family learning resources here. You'll see the Ideas Box on the right hand side of the page.

Starting a Family Revolution: Putting families in charge: the Family Commission's final report     Families have told the Family Commission they feel that politicians are not listening to them - and that the state either 'ignores them or tries to take over'. This report  looks at how things could be changed and families given more control. There is also a summary leaflet.

NIACE: Supporting vulnerable families (case studies about family learning)    For example, this collection of case studies includes a case study which describes how families at risk have been encouraged to take more control of their day-to-day finances; and a case study describing how young fathers who have been involved in criminal activities can be engaged; also one about family learning in womens' refuges.

Adult Learners Week (May 14 -20 2011)   Lots of useful resources at the National Family Learning Network website.

Families, parents and carers: Knowledge Reviews   There are three reviews in this series from C4EO, which are essential reading for anyone involved in family learning or parent support in and around schools. This one, The impact of parenting and family support strategies on children and young people's outcomes contains evidence of collected from service providers, parents and young people about what works best for them and what their needs are. You can find the others here.

Involving fathers in their children's education   Paul Ainsworth's article offers recommendations from his experience of creating an environment for confidence-building activities involving fathers.

Why Fathers Matter to their Children's Literacy   The National Literacy Trust's literature review on how fathers are involved in their children's literacy practices and the influence this has.

Evidencing impact: Somali parent and pupil projects in Kingsbury High School   A parental engagement case study from the TDA which includes an impact evaluation model.

Latest resources from the National Family Learning Network     Paul Hamlyn Foundation Evaluation Resource; Pack; The Live Book Tour - Vayu Naidu company and TULIKA children's publishers; Storyteller.net; I Can: What’s the story?; Talking Point - Join the NFLN to see these resources. Membership is free.

Evaluation of Intensive Family Support Projects in Scotland   Evaluation of the establishment, operations and impact of 5 projects focused on families at risk of eviction for antisocial behaviour.

A guide to extended services and extended schools for mothers, fathers and carers

Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy (FLLN)    The Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy initiative aims to raise the literacy, language and numeracy skills of parents and children, and to increase parents' support for their children's literacy, language and numeracy development. Read the guide which sets out the strategy.

Engaging Parents in Raising Achievement: Do parents know they matter?   Report on the EPRA project which was designed to find new ways of engaging parents, especially those considered "hard to reach".

I'm stuck, can you help me?: a report into parents' involvement in school work at home    A study from Becta on how parents can use technology to engage with their children's learning. Survey results and key findings here.

Warwickshire Parent Partnership Working Together newsletters. They are packed full of interesting and useful information. You can download them below (please note that they are all in PDF format).

Helping to increase parental involvement   Six professionals give their hands-on advice for bridging the gap.

Quick facts from Family trends - British families since the 1950s (a report from the Family & Parenting Institute)

Building character    'We shape and strengthen our character throughout life, but the critical years are the early ones. Parents, then, are the primary character builders in society.' by Jen Lexmond and Richard Reeves. A free pamphlet from Demos.

Making of me   A paper that looks at how families could be better supported and how we might get more from our existing investments in this area. The authoris ask questions about what should be done as a stimulant for the kinds of ideas we need. By Jen Lexmond and Shelagh Wright. A free pamphlet from Demos.

Top 10 tips for running a successful family learning day by Martyn Davies, cluster manager for Whitecross Partnership, Hereford

Supporting parents   Read a Schools ETC magazine article (May 2009) about how schools and local authorities can work together to develop extended services that offer parents support.

Young People’s Reading: The Importance of the home environment and family support   National Literacy Trust's findings from their 2009 survey of young people's reading and writing.

Will the 'family' survive? A conversation with Mary MacLeod   Mary MacLeod’s background in social work, in running the 24-hour ChildLine counselling service and, more recently, as CEO of the Family and Parenting Institute, puts a pragmatic foundation under her enduring belief in the power of the family as a societal institution.

NCPTA Gold Star Rewards 2010: Finalists' innovative parental involvement ideas   A summary of how the five finalists in this year's National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations awards have shown outstanding achievements in involving parents.

Family learning: a survey of current practice   This survey, written in 2001, gives an idea of how far Ofsted’s family learning survey is part of its exclusion project which concentrates on inspecting strategies which aim particularly to keep those who are disadvantaged or disaffected in the system or encourage them to return to education and training.

The penny is dropping   The Uk's personal financial literacy levels need to rise more than a notch or two - particularly among young people. Parents can be involvedin personal finance education, but the pitch needs to be right. Paddy O'Dea reported for Schools ETC magazine, Issue 9, June 2008.

Parentline Plus - because instructions aren't included    Parentline Plus is a national charity that works for, and with, parents.

www.gotateenager.org.uk and www.besomeonetotell.co.uk   For information on gangs and bullying behaviour; also where parents can share their concerns about their children and gangs with other parents.

Raising the Profile   In partnership with local authorities in Yorkshire and The Humber, Rosemary Hendry Consultants have developed this tool, in two parts, which helps Family Information Services (FIS) and extended services work jointly to fulfil the statutory duty to deliver Section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006 in their areas. It may be useful to other local authorities.

Parent support advisors    After a two-year pilot programme in 20 local authorities, the parent support adviser (PSA) role has been expanded nationally. Across England, 2,464 PSAs and PSA-type roles serve 10,709 schools, either individually or in clusters.

Core Offer Toolkit   The toolkit provides guidance and support for those engaged in delivering parenting support and swift and easy access as part of the core offer for extended services in and around schools and children’s centres in London.

Childcare Affordability Programme (CAP)   The programme aims to provide central support to parents, children and childcare providers across all of London's boroughs. The London Development Agency has provided £12m to offer 2,000 parents assistance with childcare fees and parenting support.

Citizens Advice Bureau: Supporting parents - resources and guidance for schools in England

A room of their own   An article from Schools ETC Magazine by Deirdre de Barra about schools working more closely with parents.

Research brief - extended schools survey of schools, pupils and parents (DCSF)    The brief for a quantative a quantative study of perceptions and use of extended services in schools.

Building in family friendliness   John Grainger of Investors in Families discusses how family friendliness can be built into delivering Every Child Matters and Rights to Action outcomes in schools.

The Knowledge Exchange   A searchable database that fosters the exchange of knowledge and ideas between Parenting UK members. Submit questions and respond to policies and debates. You need to be a member.

Family learning evaluation from Ofsted   Between September 2008 and March 2009, inspectors visited 23 local authority adult and community learning services that were receiving Learning and Skills Council funding for wider family learning, family literacy, language and numeracy, and family learning impact funding.This is a small survey report evaluating aspects of family learning and its benefits for adult participants and their children, their families and the wider community.

Extra support for your children   A DCSF leaflet for parents about extended services.

How good is our school? (from the Scottish HMIE Self-evaluation series)   How well does your school work with parents? This self-evaluation guide will help you to evaluate your current practice and identify strengths and areas for further development.