Audience: Ensuring all stakeholders can effectively listen to learner and family voices
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Strive to understand the topic, recognising that others (learners, families or community members) may be the experts
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Join discussions with an open mind and be receptive to all voices in a range of formats
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Recognise, encourage and value the importance of intergenerational and diverse perspectives
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Prior to discussions, ensure there will be adequate support and means to listen to and understand all views expressed. This may include the need for translation or interpretation while participants are present
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Ensure all organisers and listeners are trained to facilitate meaningful discussions among diverse groups
Practical tools
We Are Here – A Child Participation Toolbox
We Are Here – A Child Participation Toolbox
This resource aims to support institutions to organise activities in partnership between children and adults. It defines roles for all stakeholders and includes information directed at youth.
Engaging parents and families: A toolkit for practitioners
Engaging parents and families: A toolkit for practitioners
This toolkit from Education Scotland helps practitioners develop a strategy for parental involvement/engagement, including establishing parent councils. It contains 11 detailed sections covering specific topics, from family learning, to home-school partnerships.
Parental Engagement Toolkit
Parental Engagement Toolkit
This highly detailed training toolkit is aimed at school leaders planning professional development opportunities. It includes interactive training materials to help school stakeholders engage with parents and involve them in their children’s learning.
Voice of the child
Voice of the child
This online guidance provides practitioners with tools to effectively communicate with children and young people. It links to tools and methods that may support them to listen to children’s voices.