Supporting effective engagements with families in the early years
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) recognises that children benefit from strong partnerships between educators and families.
The Alliance have developed a Home Learning Environment toolkit to help settings support all families to create positive and engaging home learning environments, and ensure the setting is meeting their statutory requirements. It is underpinned by the principle that family members and main carers are their children’s first and most enduring educators.
The toolkit comprises of advice and guidance for both educators and families to embed the Alliance’s approach of best practice principles in relation to the home learning environment. It also includes downloadable resources, template forms and audit materials (some available in multiple languages) for you to adapt and use.
The toolkit will help you create a robust home learning environment strategy and support you to:
- communicate effectively with every family you work with and support
- understand the importance of sharing information with families about learning as well as care needs
- recognise the uniqueness of each family and ensure this is reflected in your practice
- work in partnership to support each individual child’s early learning and development