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BACKGROUND: Premature infants are at increased risk for cerebral palsy (CP). Early interventions with a motor focus and administered by parents may improve motor outcomes. AIMS: Secondary study evaluating the short-term motor outcomes and risk for CP in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants randomized to multimodal interventions with a motor focus provided by parents versus usual care. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial (intervention vs. usual care (control group)) SUBJECTS: Infants (<32 weeks' gestational age (GA) and/or <1500 grams birthweight) born between March 2019 and October 2020. OUTCOME MEASURES: Short-term motor outcomes and risk for CP was evaluated using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Evaluation (HINE, primary motor outcome), the General Movement Assessment (GMA) and the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) at 3 months' postmenstrual age (PMA). RESULTS: 70 participants were enrolled (GA 28.3±2.7 weeks, birthweight 1139.2±376.6 grams, 64.3% male). The in-person follow-up rate was 73%, lower than expected, in part due to COVID-19 restrictions, resulting in 25 infants (intervention) and 26 infants (control) with outcome data available for analysis. There was not a significant difference in the HINE, GMA or TIMP at 3 months' PMA between groups. CONCLUSION: Multimodal interventions with a motor focus and provided by parents need further investigation to determine if they can improve short-term motor outcomes in VLBW infants. These interventions are evidence-based and the evaluation of broader implementation into routine care is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Parental involvement and its various aspects regarding students' education have drawn scholarly attention over the last few decades. Parents from minoritised backgrounds lack opportunities for active participation in their children's education, which, in turn, could prove fruitful for children's academic progress and future social inclusion. The present case study approaches views on parental involvement in Zones of Educational Priority (ZEP) classes, as displayed by Greek language teachers, as well as by a sample of ZEP students' parents, stemming from refugee and migrant backgrounds. It specifically addresses experiences discussed by both parents and teachers in the process of communication across settings, the emerging patterns from both sides, and the strategies considered as most effective for home–school communication by the participants. The current study corroborates previous research on the importance of parental involvement in refugee and migrant education and further advances it through participants' perspectives on solutions. It constitutes an effort to encourage more extensive research and potentially impact the design of educational policies and practices on parental involvement regarding ZEP classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents’ involvement and engagement with their child’s school and learning are important in children’s educational outcomes and their overall life successes, and both parental involvement and engagement are seen to be socioeconomically distributed. This paper aims to explore to what extent and how parents from areas of socioeconomic deprivation are involved in their children’s school and engaged in their children’s learning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with children, parents, and school staff from four schools in areas of socioeconomic deprivation across Wales. These interviews primarily explored parental involvement with schools and parental engagement with learning. Findings revealed that parents were involved in a range of parental involvement activities and events. However, there were differences in the levels of parental engagement reported by families and schools, with schools reporting limited parental engagement with learning. Variations stemmed from differences in how parents and schools conceptualised “learning”. Barriers to parental involvement and engagement showed schools’ limited understanding and consideration of the poverty faced by families, and deficit approaches towards parents were evidenced. To understand parental engagement with learning further, there is a need for a broader conceptualisation of learning and its value, to encompass non-academic and less formal development opportunities. Further research to explore and assess the impact of parental engagement with learning, both formal and informal, on children’s academic and non-academic outcomes is recommended. In addition, the research recommends schools attempt to further understand the complexities of families and their wider environment to tailor involvement and engagement approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study focuses on understanding the motivational factors driving Latino students to pursue higher education and the obstacles hindering their enrollment. We conducted eleven focus group sessions, involving five distinct groups: students, parents, teachers, and counselors from public high schools, as well as two adult learner groups. These discussions, involving a total of 56 participants, were held both in-person and virtually via Zoom. The results underscore the significance of higher education for Latinos and the need of a comprehensive strategy encompassing recruitment, retention, and promotion to boost and maintain college enrollment. Recruitment efforts should involve both students and parents in culturally appropriate activities, recognizing the family-centric nature of college decisions within this community. Enhancing Latino cultural capital, fortifying support services, and launching strategic community initiatives could boost student engagement. The study also suggests implementing a targeted marketing campaign featuring testimonials from current students and alumni to convey the attainability and value of degree completion. The research concludes by suggesting some recruitment, retention, and promotional activities to consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the general practices of bilingual students' home learning environments and to compare the variation in practices as a function of parents' length of stay in the USA, educational levels, and household income by analyzing the results of a large-scale parental survey in an urban area in the southwestern United States, serving a predominantly Hispanic student population. The data consisted of 959 parents' responses. The findings show that parents' practices of engagement in students' learning, discussions for students' future, emotional support, students' media consumption, disciplinary practice, and support for students' autonomy vary in multifold ways as a function of their backgrounds. For example, while most parents, regardless of their background, were not prone to supporting children's autonomy when deciding children's routines at home, those with higher educational and income levels tend to more frequently participate in children's classrooms or discuss children's college entrance and career paths. The study discusses the implications of the findings and limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools strive to respond compassionately to disadvantaged families. However, barriers to authentic home-school relationships persist because the concept of parental engagement at home is not well enough understood. Socio-cultural stereotyping still contributes to schools' fixed impressions of what parental engagement should consist of, and the abilities of disadvantaged parents to support their children's learning. This qualitative case study provides new and unique insights into learning at home. A child-centred study was undertaken in a small Primary school, in a deprived area of Scotland, exploring the importance of home learning with young children. The findings indicate the young participants had an acute understanding of the significance of home learning for their ongoing and future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Parental engagement (PE) in early childhood education refers to the different ways parents get involved to help children's learning. Drawing on Ecological Systems and Social Capital as theoretical frameworks, this research explored parents' engagement experiences in early childhood education in primary schools in Debre Tabor Town, Ethiopia. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed in this study. Through purposive sampling, 12 key informants, such as parents, school principals and teachers, were chosen from five primary schools for in‐depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from interviews focusing on four dimensions of PE: communication, learning at home, collaborative partnership and creating a nurturing environment. Results showed that parents excelled in creating a nurturing home environment to support their children's education. However, the study revealed low engagement from parents in communication, collaborative partnership and learning at home activities. It highlighted that parents' engagement in working with others to help the education of their children was not motivating. Lastly, the study also identified the reasons behind parents' low engagement in early childhood education, many of which are associated with parent‐related, and school‐related. Generally, the research indicated parents had limited engagement in their child's pre‐school education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 impacted all aspects of children's lives. Research showed that teachers were most concerned about Communication and Language, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development, two of the three Prime Areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage which underpin all learning. The pandemic had a significant impact on early years settings. Practitioners reacted quickly, adapting the way they worked with children and families to ensure all children were supported, whether at home or in the education setting. This paper examines these short-term responses and reflects on what the disruption tells us about what is important to early years practitioners and parents. The Language Intervention in the Early Years (LIVELY) project, focusing on language and communication skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage, started just before the first lockdown and was therefore ideally placed to investigate changes that resulted from the pandemic. We interviewed 11 practitioners, from 10 schools and 1 nursery in the North East of England. Within the group, the experiences of children, families and practitioners varied; our aim was to identify common themes. Parental engagement, the relationships between schools and parents/caregivers which enable children's learning, became even more central and much of the support provided by settings focused on how parents and carers interacted with their children to support language and communication. This paper identifies some of the benefits of the imposed changes and how these could continue in early years settings post-pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increased mobility and linguistic and cultural diversity internationally, there has been a renewed interest in the linguistic practices of immigrant families. Earlier scholarship focused on the difference between parenting in monolingual contexts and bilingual parenting conceptualised as management of more than one language in a family. To better understand the complexity of language practices in immigrant families, this article develops a new concept of plurilingual parenting. This analysis is based on empirical data from Canada and uses plurilingualism as a theoretical framework. I found that immigrant parents adopt plurilingual parenting, which is characterised by the following features: (1) parental beliefs in the dynamic and fluid nature of language practices; (2) family language policies that are flexible and allow for partial proficiency in languages in familial linguistic repertoires; and (3) interconnectedness of language and culture. Implications include the possibility to use the concept of plurilingual parenting in the scholarship related to family language policy and identity negotiation in immigrant families. Educators working with immigrant students will benefit from the familiarity with the concept of plurilingual parenting by aligning their expectations with parental practices and appreciating students' funds of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the immigrant rights practices of one un/documented Latina mother who organizes with her children for immigrant rights in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Findings show the ways she conceptualizes her immigrant rights organizing as parental engagement in her children's education. Implications highlight the need for education practitioners/scholars to include community organizing in their understanding of what counts as family/parental engagement in/out of schools, and to work with immigrant families as practice, policy, and research partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports findings from a mixed-method study investigating parents' perspectives and experiences in navigating their children's online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved surveys of parents (n = 775) and interviews (n = 32) conducted in eight primary schools in Hong Kong. Statistical analyses revealed that parents' perceptions of online learning (PPOL) were positively affected by their self-efficacy in providing online learning support, their expectations for parent-teacher communication, and their satisfaction with schools' support. Conversely, increased levels of parental engagement and stress, and the need for regular school updates negatively affected PPOL. Qualitative findings showed that parents' perspectives were influenced by experiences tied to their normative role expectations and their perceptions of teachers and schools, which subsequently shaped their emotional responses to online learning. These findings offer nuanced insights for developing policies and practices aimed at better supporting parents' engagement in the digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to enhance the interpretability and clinical utility of the strength and stressors in parenting (SSF) questionnaire, a parent‐reported questionnaire designed to assess strength, stress and associated risks of mental ill‐health in parents of children with developmental disabilities. Responses to the SSF and a demographic questionnaire were collected from 576 parents of children with (n = 203) and without (n = 373) developmental disabilities. To enhance the interpretability of the SSF, a subset of 129 parents were invited to complete an additional questionnaire consisting of three free‐text questions regarding recent help‐seeking behavior, experiences of mental ill‐health and experiences of parenthood. Parents' responses to the free‐text questions were then categorized as indicative of higher or lower degrees of stress and compared to their SSF score distribution to derive empirical cut‐offs for strength, stress and risk of mental ill‐health as measured by the SSF. The credibility of these cut‐offs was evaluated by comparing the cut‐offs with SSF scores collected from the other 447 parents. Finally, SSF scores from parents of children without developmental disabilities (n = 373) were used to generate percentile values for the SSF to enable a standardized interpretation of SSF scores. To increase the utility of the SSF, we examined a recurring pattern of missing answers to items 23 and 33–38, noted in previous studies of the SSF and repeated in the present study. These items were excluded from further analysis since our examination revealed that they were not missing at random but rather constituted real differences in parental experiences, such as receiving a healthcare allowance, or caring for more than one child. The proposed empirical cut‐offs performed well in discriminating between the two groups and yielded a specificity of 77–89% and a sensitivity of 68–76% for the strength, stress and risk of mental ill‐health subscales of the SSF. This study also presents a conversion chart associating each SSF score with a corresponding percentile value. We propose modifications to the SSF, whereby items 23 and 33–38 are excluded, which will enable a more reliable assessment of parental experiences. This will, together with the empirical cut‐offs and percentile values, enhance the interpretability and clinical utility of the SSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of parental engagement for children’s outcomes is indisputable. This paper studies whether teacher perceptions regarding parental engagement, their own proficiency, and contact possibilities for parent-teacher communication, as well as school type (by socioeconomic status), teacher, student, and parental characteristics can explain differences in parental engagement and parent-teacher communication. The results show that differences in school type, teacher perceptions regarding parental engagement, teachers’ perceived own proficiency, and contact possibilities are the main reasons for differences in the extent of parental engagement and parent-teacher communication. Teacher characteristics (such as gender and experience), student, and parental characteristics do not seem to play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality partnerships between families and schools can bring enormous benefits to the development, learning, and wellbeing of children. Decades of research has identified parenting self-efficacy as a key factor influencing parents’ contributions toward effective home-school partnerships. However, the strength of this association has varied significantly across studies with the aggregated strength remaining unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the associations between parenting self-efficacy and various aspects of parents’ contribution to the home-school partnership, namely home-based involvement, school-based involvement, home-school communication and relationships, as well as parental expectations and aspirations among parents of primary school students. Moderator effects were also examined. Through systematically searching six databases and screening papers, we included 50 independent studies involving 185 effect sizes (N = 20,043 children). Results showed a small to medium correlation between parenting self-efficacy and the multidimensional construct of home-school partnership outcomes (r =.189). The associations were stronger for education-focused parenting self-efficacy (r =.183) than general parenting self-efficacy (r =.114) and were stronger still for home-based participation (r =.248) and parental expectations and aspirations (r =.248) than school-based participation (r =.124) and parent-teacher communication/relationship (r =.090). We detected limited moderating effects of child gender, parent gender, ethnicity, sample type (general or targeted), and socio-economic status and publication bias. Overall, this meta-analysis provides evidence to support the positive relationship between parenting self-efficacy and parents’ contributions to the strength of the home-school partnership. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Based on the Asuwada Theory of Sociation, an indigenous theory that stresses the importance of the interactive community cycle, this study aims to understand teachers’ views of children’s schooling in the context of the parents’ engagement pathways. Education policymakers and decision-makers need to understand how outside factors affect children's education as they grow up. This is because education is a continuous, lifelong process largely predictable by activities from when and where children are born. While it is assumed that developing a child's whole personality is the teacher's job, studies have shown that this goal can be challenging to achieve when other aspects of their education are not up to par. However, studies show that parents have not shown much effort, hence this study. Methodology. The study, guided by one research question, adopted the qualitative research design. A semi-structured interview was conducted with twelve (12) seasoned primary school teachers with at least 20 years of teaching experience in the Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. Interviews were transcribed and evaluated thematically. Result. Findings revealed teachers’ disposition toward parents’ involvement through crucial thematic areas. We conclude that Child-centered parental networking should be reiterated among parents, making it possible for the children to develop interpersonal competencies, even after school. Conclusion. There are identified areas of engagement that are directly and mutually child-oriented beyond the common narrative of benefiting children alone, through which parents can be involved to improve the schooling interest and socioemotional development of primary school pupils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Prolonged hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can emotionally tax newborn infants and their families, resulting in developmental adversities and inadequate parent–infant bonding. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and value of the Baby@Home program in reducing prolonged hospital stays. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 26 infants from a tertiary neonatology department, using qualitative data (gathered through interviews with parents (n = 15) and professionals (n = 5)) and quantitative data (retrieved from medical records and the Luscii application). Results: Our study included 26 newborn infants. 76% were premature, born at an average term of 35 weeks and 2 days. During the study period, all infants thrived, and only two adverse events occurred (an allergic reaction and respiratory incident necessitating readmission). Interviews were conducted based on six major themes concerning the feasibility and value of the program. Despite the challenges of application utilisation, the program's overall value was evident. Conclusion: The Baby@Home program effectively facilitated early discharge, promoted family reunification, and yielded favourable safety and health outcomes. Innovative solutions such as Baby@Home have the potential to pave the way for more sustainable and patient‐centred care models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers in Fiji's lower primary classrooms face the task of raising students’ literacy levels. Consequently, many schools are attempting to involve parents in improving students’ literacy skills. This study investigated the effects of parental engagement on students’ literacy acquisition in lower primary classrooms in Fiji. Online questionnaires were administered to 31 primary school teachers and 38 parents using a mixed-method approach. The findings highlight the importance of teaching basic literacy skills such as phonics, alphabets, blending, and decoding. Parents and teachers acknowledge the importance of parental engagement in fostering children’s literacy skills. Parental involvement motivates children, resulting in increased academic performance and fewer struggling readers. Parents indicated participating in school-based programmes, reading with their children at home, helping with literacy-related activities, and establishing good routines to increase parental engagement. However, the research also revealed obstacles to parental engagement such as long work hours and a lack of familiarity with the current literacy curriculum. This study suggests providing teachers with resources, training, and introducing local literature to engage students in their culture and environment. Such findings may be useful in convincing parents to collaborate with teachers to improve students’ literacy skills, especially at the lower primary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to elucidate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and parental engagement in the academic advancement of children with intellectual disabilities. Drawing from a sample of 20 families, findings revealed a significant positive association between SES and parental engagement, indicating that higher SES families demonstrated increased involvement in their child's education. Crucially, even after controlling for SES, parental engagement remained a robust predictor of academic achievement in children with intellectual disabilities. The implications of these findings underscore the pivotal role of SES in influencing parental engagement and emphasize the need for tailored interventions that cater to families across varying SES backgrounds. This research not only accentuates the benefits of parental engagement for children with intellectual disabilities but also the potential disparities arising from socioeconomic differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explores the perceptions of 24 female first-grade teachers from northern Israel regarding parental emotions during their children's transition to first grade. Using semi-structured interviews, it examines the teachers' communication strategies and their self-assessed skills and training to effectively engage with parents at this critical stage. The findings highlight teachers' awareness of parents' concerns about social integration, academic performance, and behavioral adaptation. Despite the importance of effective communication, teachers face challenges due to parental disengagement and over-involvement and report a lack of formal training, relying instead on self-developed strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant public health challenge, particularly among children under five. In England, weight management programs aim to address this issue; however, engagement and uptake of these services remain low. Understanding the perceptions of parents and professionals involved in these programs is crucial to enhancing participation and improving health outcomes. This study explores these perceptions to identify barriers and facilitators to effective engagement with weight management services. Method: This qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit parents and professionals involved in weight management programs across England. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants (8 parents and 7 professionals). Data were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework to identify key themes related to engagement, cultural influences, and program effectiveness. Results: The study identified several key themes: parental engagement, the impact of virtual versus face-to-face sessions, motivations for participation, barriers to involvement, and the role of cultural beliefs. Parental involvement was critical for the success of weight management programs, but barriers such as time constraints, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic factors hindered participation. Professionals highlighted the need for more training and resources to effectively address these challenges. Cultural sensitivities and systemic support were found to be crucial for improving engagement and outcomes. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the need for culturally tailored, accessible, and sustainable weight management interventions. Enhanced professional training, increased community outreach, and policy-level support are essential to improve engagement and ensure long-term success in addressing childhood obesity.

The purpose of this study was to explore the stakeholders' perspectives on parental engagement in pre-primary schools in Nzega District, Tanzania. This study, therefore, explored how stakeholders define parental engagement and identify behaviours that are indicative of it. The study was qualitative, and a phenomenological design was adopted. It consisted of six focus group sessions with a total of 34 parents. A semi-structured interview was conducted with five pre-primary school teachers, four head teachers and five chairpersons of the school committees in the six selected schools. It deployed Braun and Clarke \cite{braun2006using} six steps of qualitative data analysis. Results showed that there was a slight variation within and between stakeholder groups on how they define and experience parental engagement. To enhance common understanding, participants felt the need to enhance parents' competencies to support their children's learning at home and in school. This study, therefore, recommends the need for intervention programmes that will empower parents to effectively engage in their children's learning opportunities at home and in pre-primary schools.

Practitioners are recognized as one of the key components that make parenting interventions meaningful and helpful to families, and the impact of practitioners' skills on the outcomes of parenting interventions has been consistently recognized in research. However, the mechanisms and ongoing processes through which the practitioners' actions and skills may impact parental engagement and other outcomes remain unknown. This qualitative study explored parents' perceptions about the processes through which specific practitioners' skills contribute to the outcomes of the Incredible Years Basic Parent Program (IYPP). Twenty‐four Portuguese parents who had completed the IYPP were interviewed in four focus groups, and the data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Practitioners' skills were perceived by parents as having an impact on their engagement in the program, their process of change, and their interpersonal relationships. Practitioners were perceived to demonstrate their influence in the intervention process through six different roles: the roles of a confidant, a positive coach, a partner, a maestro, a tailor, and a congruent person. This study reinforces the prominent role of practitioners in enabling parental outcomes of an evidence‐based parenting program and suggests that more attention should be paid to continuing supervision and other professional development processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shares the results of a meta-analysis on the parental-relational component of parental-involvement and its association with the academic and behavioral outcomes of urban students. This meta-analysis includes 76 quantitative studies. The results indicated that statistically significant effects emerged across students of different backgrounds, including differences by age groups, race, gender, and nationality. The results were also substantial in the highest quality studies. The significance of these results is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental engagement creates a pleasant learning environment, increases learners' confidence, motivation, and academic achievement with learning issues, and offers critical support and encouragement. This study assessed the parental engagement of the Grade 5 learners with learning difficulties in the three public elementary schools in Cebu, Philippines, during the school year 2023-2024 as the basis for the intervention plan. This study employed the descriptive-correlational method of research using the survey questionnaire as the principal instrument in gathering the needed data regarding the parental engagement of Grade 5 learners with learning difficulties. The study's respondents are 217 parents of Grade 5 learners of the three public elementary schools. This study utilized an adapted survey questionnaire from Azubuike and Aina (2017) to gather information regarding the parental engagement of Grade 5 learners with learning difficulties. The collected data were treated using frequency, simple percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Chi-square test of independence. The study revealed that the level of parental engagement and the challenges of the learners with learning difficulties, as observed by the parents, do not correlate with its profile. It was determined that a strong relationship between parents and teachers is necessary to establish a supportive learning environment that considers the particular requirements of these pupils. Engaging parents in their child's education helps to develop a feeling of teamwork and shared accountability. The researchers recommend implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the intervention plan to improve parents' engagement with children with learning difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports research that investigated how digital technologies were used to develop and maintain home–school connections and develop positive relationships when children transition to nursery schools and schools. School case studies, comprising four purposively selected schools with nursery provision in Northern Ireland and four primary schools in New Zealand, provided the context and evidence to enable a small-scale comparative study of how digital technologies enabled the development of relationships between homes and schools over time. In this paper, the findings were analysed using a conceptual model and framework derived from earlier studies in this field. However, given the contemporary social and technological context, it was found that the framework could be reviewed and elaborated, enabling the creation of a new conceptual framework that is offered here. Our findings reveal methods of employing digital technologies to positively support parental engagement when children transition to nurseries and schools. From the analysis of our findings using the framework developed, points to consider for future practice, policy, and research are highlighted, with an emphasis on understanding and integrating parents' aspirations into the transition process. Opportunities that use existing and emerging methods for home–school–community connections need to be made known to teachers and schools. While the digital technologies used must be capable of maintaining appropriate regular communication, additionally, supporting ways for involving parental voice in reviews of existing practices and exploring new opportunities should be shared with teachers and schools. Future research should explore how the use of digital technologies in developing wider and deeper engagement and participation of parents and carers with nurseries and schools might lead to a longer-term and positive engagement in later years beyond nursery schools and initial transition to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper comprehensively examines how school leaders in Kazakhstan managed schools during the COVID-19 school closures. An online survey was conducted with 1,298 school leaders, representing 17.5% of all Kazakhstani schools. Anchored in the concept of crisis leadership, the instrument measured school leaders' views regarding teachers' digital competence, their support toward teachers in digital pedagogy, as well as their practices in communicating with parents and teacher autonomy and monitoring. The results of bivariate tests indicate that a significant proportion of schools offered teachers online professional development opportunities to improve their digital instruction, with school location and size influencing the level of training in digital pedagogy received by teachers. Notably, school leaders' confidence in their teachers' ability to teach effectively online increased significantly after receiving training in digital pedagogy. School leaders also maintained regular communication with parents, but this increased their workload, particularly for women and urban school leaders. Most school leaders allowed teachers to choose online platforms and revise curriculum content, while also monitoring teachers' attendance and observing online lessons. These practices varied based on the school's medium of instruction. This study significantly contributes to crisis leadership by examining practices during school closures in addressing teachers' digital competence, communication challenges, and teacher autonomy, with insights on variations by school type, location, and leaders' gender. The study's findings have significant implications for post-pandemic school leadership, emphasizing equity in professional development opportunities for teachers, effective communication with stakeholders, and striking the right balance between teacher autonomy and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Zambian adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) have high HIV incidence and face barriers to the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Parental support improves PrEP use and adherence in some settings, but negative parental attitudes toward HIV prevention may inhibit engagement with AGYW. We explored perceptions of future PrEP methods among AGYW and parents and parent-youth engagement on HIV prevention and PrEP use. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study among AGYW and parents of AGYW in five provinces in Zambia in September–October 2021. We conducted 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) and four in-depth interviews (IDIs) with AGYW participants (n = 87) and seven FGDs and four IDIs among parents of AGYW (n = 62). All FGDs and IDIs were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed to identify qualitative themes. Results Most AGYW participants preferred the discreet nature and longer duration of injectable PrEP compared to the PrEP ring and oral PrEP. Many AGYWs reported inability to disclose PrEP use to their parents due to lack of parental support based on cultural taboos against premarital sex. Nevertheless, AGYW participants said they would like to talk to their parents about PrEP so their parents could support their use. Many parents also described difficulties discussing PrEP with their daughters because of cultural and religious beliefs about abstinence from sex before marriage. However, parents acknowledged that the threat of HIV is real and said they need PrEP knowledge and guidance on speaking with their children about HIV prevention and PrEP. Conclusions Although many parents are currently not playing a role in daughters’ decisions about PrEP use, both parents and AGYW are willing to engage with each other on HIV prevention issues. To foster parent-child engagement, HIV prevention programs should not only provide information about PrEP but also address social norms that impede discussion of HIV prevention and equip both parents and AGYW with skills and support for such conversations. Community sensitization is also needed as new PrEP products are introduced, to create an enabling environment for parent-child engagement by increasing awareness, countering misconceptions, and reducing stigma.

This study aims to investigate the general practices of bilingual students’ home learning environments and to compare the variation in practices as a function of parents’ length of stay in the USA, educational levels, and household income by analyzing the results of a large-scale parental survey in an urban area in the southwestern United States, serving a predominantly Hispanic student population. The data consisted of 959 parents’ responses. The findings show that parents’ practices of engagement in students’ learning, discussions for students’ future, emotional support, students’ media consumption, disciplinary practice, and support for students’ autonomy vary in multifold ways as a function of their backgrounds. For example, while most parents, regardless of their background, were not prone to supporting children’s autonomy when deciding children’s routines at home, those with higher educational and income levels tend to more frequently participate in children’s classrooms or discuss children’s college entrance and career paths. The study discusses the implications of the findings and limitations.

For decades, the role of parental engagement in children's schooling has been central to the promotion of learning and wellbeing outcomes for children. However, the recognition of diverse family structures, including where a child's parents are separated, is largely absent from these models of engagement. Instead, prior research has focussed on the impacts of separation and divorce on children's learning, resulting in a dearth of work on separated parents' experiences of engaging with their children's schools. In order to document these parents' experiences, a qualitative survey was deployed. From this investigation, it is clear that diverse family structures, particularly those where parents are separated, are not well accommodated, or even well understood, in the schooling context. In many cases, however, small adjustments on the part of the school can make significant differences in enhancing parents' successful involvement in their children's education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rhetoric of 'we are all in this together' during the COVID-19 pandemic, not all families experienced schooling disruption in 2020–2022 equally. middle-class parents typically enjoy significant advantage over parents in working-class occupations. To illuminate class-based differences in parental engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, here we present data from interviews with 15 middle-class Canadian parents. We found that middle-class parents successfully mobilized their economic, social, and cultural capital to manage challenges they faced: lack of structure and routine, lack of communication with the school, perceived low quality of instruction and resources, student isolation during online learning, and parental stress about children's schooling during the pandemic. The main implication of the study is that although middle-class parents in the study acknowledged their privilege more compared to prior research on middle-class parental engagement, ultimately, their individual solutions to pandemic challenges merely exacerbated existing social inequalities in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College opportunities now exist for young adults with intellectual disability. Because of this, it is common for these individuals' parents to express a desire for increased student agency (Miller et al., 2018). Yet, little is known about how parents feel about how to best support agency development for their young adult child. In the current study, authors surveyed 64 parents with a student attending an inclusive postsecondary education program to examine their perceived level of confidence related to supporting their student in developing agency. Further, we looked at parents' responses to their perception of the most important skills related to supporting agency development. Findings showed that parents felt least confident in supporting students' financial independence and felt supporting navigation of intimate relationships to be least important. Implications for practice and directions for future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current education policy in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa is the country's indigenous Māori name) requires schools and teachers to engage with parents and the school community to enhance student educational experience and achievement. The broad wording in these policy statements allows schools and teachers to tailor their parental engagement practice to specific community contexts. There is, however, little attention given to the built space of the school itself as an aspect of the material context within which parental engagement occurs. This article draws on a case study analysis of a single, bounded primary school in Aotearoa New Zealand, to examine how the school's built environment influences parental engagement. It involves the analysis of plans and other school artifacts, semi-structured interview transcripts of staff and parents, and the mental maps of parents. The findings reveal that multiple meanings are read from built space, with staff at risk of underestimating those readings and their agency to author new stories that better support parental engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current systematic review examined the similarities and differences between mothers' and fathers' reported barriers and facilitators to engaging in family-based interventions for child and adolescent behavioural problems (aged 2–17 years). Systematic searches of six electronic databases and grey literature alongside a two-way screening process identified twenty eligible qualitative studies from 2004 to 2019. A thematic meta-synthesis identified similarities in major themes of psychological, situational, knowledge/awareness, programme/intervention, co-parenting, practitioner, and beliefs/attitudes factors, alongside group experiences and stages of engagement. However, differences emerged in subthemes related to parental, treatment, and service delivery factors that included individual ideologies of parenting, parental roles, and treatment participation; the role of mothers in facilitating engagement; and individual preferences for treatment content and delivery. Overall, findings suggest that while mothers and fathers experience similar challenges to engagement, they can also experience distinct challenges which need to be addressed at the treatment outset to maximise engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study examines parental engagement in their children's pre-primary education in socioeconomically deprived settings in Tanzania. The study administered a Caregiver Report survey to 384 to parents in rural areas prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, focus group discussions were conducted with 106 parents both before and immediately after the pandemic-related school closures. The findings reveal that parental engagement in their children's schooling and learning at home was below expectations, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents' engagement with their children's learning was hampered by several socio-economic factors. During the pandemic, children from families with a low socio-economic status, and where the parents have a low level of education and were illiterate, were more marginalized in terms of accessing learning. Thus, they might have experienced a greater learning loss because they were neither attending school nor engaging in learning activities at home during the school closures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregiver support has been identified as a key feature of systems that deliver high-quality early childhood education. The purpose of this study is to explore the degree of engagement of parents/caregivers of preschool children and the modes of learning they used in Ethiopia and Pakistan in supporting their children through home learning during school closures caused by the COVID−19 pandemic. This study is based on a phone survey of over 450 parents and 48 head teachers teachers in Ethiopia and more than 2,000 parents and over 150 head teachers and teachers in Pakistan between August 2020-March 2021. The study finds differences in the level of engagement of caregivers with young children in the two contexts, with more of the sampled caregivers reporting engaging with their children in Pakistan than in Ethiopia. There was also relatively little reported engagement of headteachers and teachers in both contexts, with much of the focus resting on the maintenance of hygiene and keeping children and families safe while learning took a backseat to some degree. There are clear differences in the use of distance learning with parents from richer socioeconomic backgrounds in both contexts better able to engage their children in high-tech learning solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a dearth of research examining what parents in MENA region know about children's brain development and the type of activities they engage their young children at home to promote their cognitive development. This article describes and compares the views and behaviors of parents with children 0–6 years old from Casablanca, Morocco, the US, and the UK on early parental engagement. Seventy-eight Moroccan parents were compared to 1066 US/UK parents. The study utilizes survey data and explores parents' understanding of and support for their children's early cognitive development. Results reveal that more than fifty percent of Moroccan parents do not see themselves as having an impact on brain development until after the first year of their child's life compared to 10% of US parents, in part because they believe that babies' capacity for learning in the earliest years is limited. Yet Moroccan parents reported higher frequencies of teaching their young children letters and numbers and reading a book to them than US parents. These differences in at-home teaching practices may reflect the higher percentage of US/UK children who participate in early learning programs outside their own homes; such programs are not culturally accepted in Morocco. The belief that there is little capacity for learning in children's earliest years among Moroccan parents may minimize parents' motivation to function as their child's first teacher in the absence of early education programs. Policy implications and interventions are discussed concerning ways to change parents' knowledge and beliefs to motivate early learning activities. Highlights: Moroccan parents view themselves as having limited impact on their children's cognitive development in the early years compared to US parents. Moroccan parents reported higher frequencies of teaching their young children numbers and reading compared to UK parents. Sending very young children to early education centers is less acceptable in Morocco than in the US/UK. Moroccan parents turn to their extended family more than US parents do for guidance on child-rearing. Interventions should be culturally relevant and target sources to whom parents turn for support; home visits are promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality caregiving practices facilitate early childhood development. This study examined the levels of parents' engagement in caregiving activities with children aged 36–59 months and the socioeconomic and child-rearing environmental factors. A total of 1035 children and their caregivers were analysed using the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014. Multivariate logistic regression was performed separately for each following outcome caregiving activity: reading books, telling stories, singing songs, naming/counting, taking the child outside, and playing with child. Results showed that fathers' engagement levels were substantially lower than the mothers' in all caregiving activities. Reading books and telling stories was among the least frequent activities engaged in by both parents. Results from the logistic regression model showed that parental high education level, richest household wealth, and having adequate learning resources at home were positively associated with parents' engagement in caregiving activities. These findings provide important evidence for promoting positive parental caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disconnect between schooling and field of work has contributed to high levels of youth unemployment. Introduction of Community Service Learning (CSL) is to ensure learners acquire not only employability skills but also values essential in addressing their needs in the community. This paper aimed at analysing articles reporting empirical findings on factors limiting effective parental engagement in implementation of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya. It also investigated the influence of identified challenges on effective implementation of CSL in senior schools. It adopted a qualitative research approach. Document analysis design was mainly utilized. Both purposive and theoretical sampling techniques were used in this study. Data collection was mainly through document analysis whereby articles providing empirical insights into factors limiting effective parental engagement in implementation of CBC in Kenya were located online, read iteratively to determine patterns and generate themes. The emerging themes were then corroborated with the views of curriculum designers through interviews. The results indicated inadequate stakeholder sensitization, insufficient resource mobilization together with negative stakeholder attitudes as the main limitations to effective parental engagement in implementation of CBC in Kenya. Moreover, these challenges threaten to derail effective implementation of CSL in senior schools once it commences in 2026. The article thus proposes adoption of Dingili's (2022) Transmission, Transactional and Reflection model in order to ensure effective implementation of CSL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the risk-related factors during the pandemic and protective factors that might reduce its effects on family functioning in a sample of 161 low-income Hispanic parents in the United States, recruited from an ongoing longitudinal intervention study. They were surveyed about family functioning six months into the pandemic. We focused on the associations between social (e.g., exposure to the virus) and economic (e.g., job loss) pandemic-related risks on parental stress, parenting, and children's socioemotional problems and skills, as well as the degree to which coparenting support, parents' positivity, economic support, and access to services and information mitigated (protected) the negative effects of these stressors on family functioning. We found that increases in economic risk were associated with more child competence skills, whereas increases in social risk were associated with less parental engagement. Positivity and economic support moderated the effects of economic risk on parental stress and engagement. These findings show that to intervene effectively with low-income Hispanic families, we need to strengthen and support the resources for coping with adversity.

Purpose: This exploratory study evaluated how youth healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) behaviors could be influenced by a whole-of-school program, which was transformed to a virtual setting at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors investigated how students experienced programming and the role of students' perceptions of parental support in their self-reported engagement in HE and PA. Methods: PA and HE curricula were provided across 15 schools over 12 weeks. Students (N = 879, Mage = 12.12 years, 63% female) completed a survey evaluating the value and perceptions around programmatic aspects as well as their self-reported engagement in HE and PA. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed positive relationships between parental support for PA and student engagement, as well as positive relationships between students' self-efficacy and HE behaviors. Conclusion: Findings indicate that students utilized virtual HE and PA programming and that parent support helped to facilitate engagement in PA and HE behaviors beyond the school setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Edinburgh Maths Circles are free sessions for families, run by staff and students from the University of Edinburgh, UK. Their main aim is encouraging children to think and behave like mathematics researchers, as they explore open-ended questions, make their own conjectures, and explain their reasoning to others. Maths Circles started in 2016 as in-person events, with an online version created in response to the outbreak of Covid-19. To spread the initiative as widely as possible across Scotland, we have been running development workshops for over four hundred teachers and educators, and we have visited local schools and libraries. The ideas and methods of Maths Circles have moved beyond our disciplinary boundaries, as other departments at the university are planning activities based on this model. In this practice case study, we illustrate the aims and philosophy of Maths Circles, the challenges we faced, and how the initiative grew over time. We describe our work with local schools/communities, and how we adapted to Covid-19 restrictions. We also share personal experiences from researchers, university students and educators who contributed to the project. We aim to encourage colleagues to adopt a similar approach in other contexts and disciplines, and we are open to cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Motor skills during early childhood play a significant role in child development. We used the bioecological model to determine the bioecological factors associated with preschool children's gross motor skills (GMS). The GMS of randomly sampled 280 children were tested using a standardized checklist. The background variables theoretically framed in process, person and context characteristics were applied for multilevel logistic regression models. The children whose parents engaged daily in child-stimulating activities and who had family income above the mean were 2.3 times more likely to have normal GMS. Moreover, the children from the schools equipped with toys were 2.7 times more likely to be normal. Interestingly, the children who had teachers with higher degrees and more extended experience were less likely to be normal in GMS, demanding further exploration. Therefore, national child development policies and programmes should ensure parental support and the provision of motivated teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents' engagement plays a vital role in getting information regarding children's education and their progress. This role is not played by each parent but those who play it remain aware of their children's progress and it also helps school administrations in contacting students' parents easily and in sharing their concerns regarding children and school work. The present paper reports the findings of a researcher study that aims to analyse the current practices of parental engagement as well opportunities and challenges provided and faced by teachers and parents. For detail analysis, a qualitative approach was used with the help of semi-structured interviews which were taken from teachers and the parents. Three parents and three teachers were selected as participants with the help of a purposive sampling technique. Detailed interviews were taken with the participants to get detailed data regarding parental engagement in the research context. Most of the school staff and the parents were very much positive regarding the role of parental engagement in the school but the engagement level was very low. The findings of the study recommend arranging teacher-parent meetings or arranging such activities where parents could be involved in the learning process of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the connection between parental support and academic achievement among primary school students (grades 1 to 5) in CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) schools. CBSE schools are known for their precise academic standards, and their primary education curriculum highlights physical, emotional, social, and mental development, requiring support from parents. This research focuses on both working and single stay-at-home parents and their impact on academic performance based on the amount of time they offer to their children's academics daily. The research question is whether there is a connection between parental support and academic achievement, considering the conditions of both working and stay-at-home parents. As students spend more time with their families than at school, it is expected that their academic performance will be affected by their family environment. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the relationship between parental involvement in school and students' academic achievement. The research will involve a general study of both working and stay-at-home parents and their levels of parental support for academics. A quantitative research approach will be used, with 140 parents of primary school students (both working and single stay-at-home) completing a Microsoft form questionnaire to evaluate their parental support and its impact on academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The momentum of the decolonising education movement has led many scholars to rethink the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous peoples and generate catalysts for change. Using the decolonisation lens, the aim of this phenomenological study was to investigate the barriers, outcomes, and enablers of effective collaboration between West Papuan parents and teachers. Results suggested that although they encountered many obstacles, both groups of participants still believed in the possibility of establishing sustainable, culturally responsive home-school partnerships. In addition, when teachers embraced West Papuan culture in home-school partnerships, it increased their professional skills, parents’ agency, and self-efficacy, which in turn, enhanced children’s learning outcomes and strengthened children’s Indigenous identity. We offer a culturally responsive home-school partnership framework, developed from the bottom-up narratives of teachers and parents. The framework centres on three key strategies: culturally responsive communication, decolonising pedagogical practices, and emancipatory support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]