Working together with families is a key part of our approved learning frameworks and practices as educators. It’s important to connect with families to not only celebrate children’s achievements but also to identify areas where additional support may be needed, as this is a key aspect of our curriculum. 

Helping families set realistic goals for their children involves clearly understanding and explaining the reasons behind the goals and their importance. For example, if caregivers want their two-year-old to start recognising letters, it indicates that language and literacy are valued by the family. 

However, this may not be a realistic goal to implement in the program at the current stage. Instead, we can collaborate with families to discuss the various ways our program supports literacy and language development, as well as how they can continue that support at home. 

It is vital to clearly communicate the steps and strategies that can help children reach their goals, making sure they’re aligned with children’s interests and abilities, all within a play-based learning approach.

Bryony Catlin
Consultant, Community Child Care Association

Looking for more support with programming and curriculum ideas? Check out our programming and documentation professional learning package: www.cccinc.org. au/training/professionaldevelopment/programmingand-documentation