Looking at working with families

This page is a useful guide to some of the questions you might ask about your work with families.

1. How does the setting’s vision for the development of IIF fit with the settings plans overall?
2. How does the setting assess the impact of its work with families on attendance, behaviour, motivation and attainment?
3. How does the setting set success criteria?
4. How effectively does the setting identify the needs of all families and how successful is it at reaching all families?
5. Is the setting meeting the aims of Rights to Action?
   • Are parents helped to ensure their children are healthy?
   • Are looked after children supported in their health needs?
   • Are families with disabled children adequately supported?
   • Are parents and carers informed about key risks and how to deal with them?
   • Are steps being taken to minimise the incidence of child abuse and neglect?
   • Are children affected by domestic violence identified, protected and supported?
   • Is guidance and training offered to parents and carers on how to recognise and raise child protection concerns?
   • Are parents and carers supported in helping children and young people to enjoy and achieve?
   • Are parents and carers enabled to ensure their children attend the setting, such as school?
   • Are parents and carers enabled to support their children to develop personally and academically?
   • Are parents and carers partners with the setting to ensuring their children participate in decision making and in supporting the community?
   • Are looked after children helped to make a positive contribution?
   • Does the setting work in partnership with families over exclusion issues and re-integration?
   • Is there appropriate childcare available in the view of parents and carers?
   • Are parents engaged in planning their children’s future education and career paths?
   • Does the setting have an active concern about the quality of living conditions its children experience at home?
   • Does the setting address the broad range of family needs in an integrated way?  And does it target the most needy?
6. How effectively does the setting evaluate its success with families?  Is that accurately reflected in the setting’s portfolio of evidence?
7. Is there evidence that a whole-setting approach to work with families exists?
8. How does the setting identify staff development needs in this area and meet them?
9. Are the appropriate partner agencies involved and contributing to the setting’s work with families?  Are those partners also ‘family friendly’?