Parental Engagement and Early Childhood Education Around the World by Garvis, Susanne; Phillipson, Sivanes; Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi;

Short description:

Exploring the importance of parental engagement in early childhood education, this book delves into research and practices in 25 countries to bring insights into working families. The readership includes students in early childhood education, and researchers, teachers, policy makers, and individuals interested in parental involvement.

Long description:

Exploring the importance of parental engagement in early childhood education, this book delves into research and practices in 25 countries to bring students, researchers, teachers and policy-makers insights into working families around the world. The incorporation and consideration of parental engagement and involvement in early childhood education are a new phenomenon to many countries. Yet, increasing research recognises the importance of parental engagement and involvement in early childhood education services, and the role both parents and teachers play to support children’s learning and development. Using a range of materials from curriculum to policy documents, Garvis et al. demonstrate differences in practices and terminologies pertaining to the topic and provide an international perspective on the importance of parental involvement and engagement in early childhood education services.

The content covers a range of countries as well as countries beyond an ‘Anglo-Saxon’ perspective. The different policy settings across these countries highlight how countries work with, and involve, parents differently, which is useful for jurisdictions where early childhood education is a developing aspect of a country’s education system. Looking at cultural influences, partnership approaches, parental collaboration, institutional dominance and child involvement in parent meetings, the content offers readers real understanding of parental engagement and involvement in different settings.

The readership includes students in early childhood education, and researchers, teachers, policy makers, and general members of the public interested in parental engagement or involvement in early childhood education across the globe.

"A new and broad collection of policy and practice insights into home-early childhood partnerships that benefit children, families and education systems around the world."

Associate Professor Alexandra C. Gunn, University of Otago, New Zealand

Table of Contents:

1. An introduction to parental involvement in early childhood education and care: A global perspective 2. The Cultural Interface of Parental Involvement in the Australian Context 3. Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education in Azerbaijan 4. Parental involvement in Early Childhood Education in Belarus 5. Parental Involvement in Croatian Early Childhood Education: Challenges and Opportunities 6. Parental involvement in Czech Republic: Towards a partnership approach? 7. Parental involvement in Early Childhood Education in Denmark 8. Parental Perspective in Finnish Early Childhood Education Context 9. Educational Partnership: Parental Collaboration in German ECEC Settings 10. Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education in Ghana 11. Parental involvement in early childhood education in Hong Kong: Critical analysis of related policies 12. From Institutional Dominance to Parental Involvement: Models of Working with Families in Hungarian Kindergartens 13. Children's Participation in Parent Meetings in the Light of History of Preschool Policy Documents in Iceland 14. Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education in Jordan: Policy and Practice 15. Parental involvement in ECE in Norway 16. The State Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Education: Case of Oman 17. Parental involvement in ECEC in Poland 18. Collaborating with Parents for South Sámi Language Learning: A Study in an Indigenous Preschool in Norway 19. Parent Participation in Preschool Education in Serbia: Challenges and Perspectives 20. Taming the Tiger: Exploring Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education in Singapore 21. Parental involvement in Early Childhood Education in Catalunya, Spain 22. Parental involvement in Swedish preschools: A reflection of current steering documents 23. Parental involvement in early childhood education discourse in Uganda 24. United Kingdom–Four Nations in One Country: Diversity in Policy, Research, and Practice 25. Family Engagement in Early Childhood: Policy and Practice in the United States 26. International Trends in Parental Involvement of Sayings, Doings, and Relatings