Exceeding NQS in Quality Area 6: Families are supported (Element 6.1.3)

Practical Steps Towards an Exceeding NQS Rating in Quality Area 6: Element 6.1.3

To achieve an Exceeding NQS rating in the National Quality Standard 6.1, specifically in ELEMENT 6.1.3 FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED, here’s an exhaustive list of practical steps based on the provided references:

Element 6.1.3: Families are Supported

1. Provide Current Information: Ensure that families have access to current information about the service, relevant community services, and resources that support parenting and family well-being.
2. Open Communication: Engage in regular and open communication with families about their child’s learning, development, and well-being.
3. Operational Transparency: Keep families informed about the service’s ongoing self-assessment in relation to the National Quality Standard, quality improvements, and the outcome of the assessment and rating process.
4. Availability for Discussions: Educators should be readily available for informal discussions with families at mutually convenient times.
5. Provide Parenting Resources: Offer families current information on parenting and family issues displayed in the service and refer them to recognized parenting and child development websites.
6. Connect Families with Community Services: Provide information about local community services that can support parenting, helping families make connections that enhance their well-being.
7. Facilitate Communication with Schools: For school-age care educators, ensure there’s communication between families and the schools their children attend.

Exceeding NQS Guidance for Standard 6.1

Theme 1: Practice is Embedded in Service Operations

1. Ensure that educators, the educational leader, and the co-ordinator demonstrate a deep understanding of the requirements of the Standard.
2. Engage collaboratively with families from enrollment onwards to learn about their culture, values, and priorities for their child’s learning and well-being.
3. Regularly provide families with comprehensive information about the service, community services, and resources to support parenting and family well-being.
4. Recognize the leading role of families in their children’s well-being and development.

Theme 2: Practice is Informed by Critical Reflection

1. Reflect on the service’s approach to supporting relationships with families, ensuring it’s informed by robust debate, discussion, and past incidents.
2. Ensure that changes to the service’s approach are understood by all and implemented appropriately.
3. Educators should intentionally consider alternate ways of engaging with families and supporting their participation at the service.
4. Engage in robust debate and discussion about the service’s approach to engaging with families.

Theme 3: Practice is Shaped by Meaningful Engagement with Families and/or the Community

1. Ensure relationships with families reflect the unique geographical, cultural, and community context of the service.
2. Actively support families to build relationships with other families and relevant community services.
3. Tailor communication approaches to each family, recognizing their individual circumstances.
4. Explore opportunities to build trust and support families to contribute to the educational program in ways that celebrate their strengths, beliefs, and culture.

Remember, to be rated Exceeding NQS overall, all Quality Areas must be at least Meeting NQS, and four or more Quality Areas must be Exceeding NQS, with at least two of these being Quality Areas 1, 5, 6, or 7. The higher level of quality is assessed against each of the 15 NQS Standards using the three Exceeding themes.

An Example Monthly Schedule

Ready to implement these practical steps in your service? Using the constraints of 4 hours per week to work on improvements, we’ve created an example schedule below.

Given the educator has 4 hours per week, which totals to 16 hours in a month, here’s a suggested monthly schedule to work on improving their service based on the practical steps outlined:

Week 1: Understanding and Planning (4 hours)

1. Research and Understanding (1 hour): Spend time understanding the requirements of the National Quality Standard 6.1, specifically ELEMENT 6.1.3.
2. Self-assessment (1 hour): Assess the current state of the service in relation to the NQS. Identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement.
3. Planning (2 hours): Draft a plan for the month, prioritizing areas that need the most attention. This includes setting clear objectives and milestones for each week.

Week 2: Engagement and Communication (4 hours)

1. Engage with Families (1.5 hours): Schedule and conduct short meetings or discussions with families to understand their needs, culture, values, and priorities better.
2. Develop Communication Materials (1.5 hours): Start creating comprehensive materials that provide information about the service, community services, and resources.
3. Feedback Session (1 hour): Hold a feedback session with a few families to understand the effectiveness of the communication materials and gather suggestions.

Week 3: Resources and Community Connections (4 hours)

1. Research Community Services (1 hour): Identify local community services that can support parenting and family well-being.
2. Develop Parenting Resources (2 hours): Begin curating or creating resources on parenting and family issues. This could include pamphlets, website links, or workshops.
3. Engage with Schools (1 hour): If applicable, initiate communication with local schools to understand how they can better support families and children in the transition between school and the service.

Week 4: Reflection and Improvement (4 hours)

1. Critical Reflection Session (1.5 hours): Reflect on the service’s approach to supporting relationships with families. Consider what’s working and what needs adjustment.
2. Engage with the Team (1 hour): Discuss with other educators or team members about the service’s approach, gather their insights, and understand any challenges they face.
3. Plan for Next Month (1 hour): Based on reflections and feedback, draft a plan for the next month. This should include any adjustments to the strategies implemented this month and new initiatives to be taken.
4. Documentation (0.5 hours): Document all activities, feedback, and reflections for future reference.

Remember, continuous improvement is a journey. While this schedule provides a structured approach for one month, the educator should be flexible, adapting to feedback and changing needs. The key is consistent effort and a commitment to enhancing the quality of service for families and children.

Reflective Questions

Reflective questions are essential in guiding educators to think deeply about their practices and identify areas for improvement. Here’s an exhaustive list of reflective questions specifically tailored for Element 6.1.3 “Families are Supported”:

Understanding and Communication

1. How effectively do I communicate with families about the services and resources available to them?
2. In what ways do I ensure that the information provided to families is current and relevant?
3. How do I tailor my communication methods to cater to the diverse needs of different families?
4. What feedback have I received from families regarding the information and resources provided, and how have I acted upon it?

Engagement and Support

1. How do I ensure that families feel supported and understood within the service environment?
2. In what ways do I actively engage families in discussions about their child’s learning, development, and well-being?
3. How do I make myself available for informal discussions with families, and are these discussions effective?
4. What strategies have I implemented to connect families with local community services that support parenting?

Resources and Information

1. How regularly do I update the resources and information available to families?
2. Are there any gaps in the resources provided to families, and how can these be addressed?
3. How do I ensure that the resources provided are culturally sensitive and inclusive of all families within the service?

Feedback and Improvement

1. How do I gather feedback from families regarding the support and resources provided to them?
2. What mechanisms are in place to act upon the feedback received from families?
3. How do I ensure that the service’s approach to supporting families aligns with the National Quality Standard?

Collaboration and Community

1. How do I facilitate communication between families and other community services or institutions, such as schools?
2. In what ways do I collaborate with other community organizations to enhance the support provided to families?
3. How do I ensure that families are aware of and can access local community services that can support their well-being?

Personal Growth and Development

1. How do I stay updated with the latest research and best practices related to supporting families?
2. What professional development opportunities have I pursued to enhance my skills in supporting families?
3. How do I ensure that my biases or preconceptions do not hinder my ability to support families effectively?

Evaluation and Future Planning

1. How do I evaluate the effectiveness of the support and resources provided to families?
2. What are the short-term and long-term goals related to supporting families, and how do I plan to achieve them?
3. How do I involve families in the planning and decision-making processes related to the support and resources provided to them?

These reflective questions are designed to prompt deep thinking and self-assessment, guiding educators towards continuous improvement in their practices related to supporting families.

Learning from ACEQA case studies

Let’s break down the practical steps taken by services in the provided case studies to achieve Exceeding NQS standards in Element 6.1.3, along with the reasons, tips, and estimated time for implementation:

Case Study 1

Respectful relationships with children, families and communities are at the core of the philosophy of this regionally located before and after school care and vacation care service. This philosophy acknowledges families as children’s first and most influential teachers. It is also informed by and consistent with the principles and practices of My Time Our Place. This includes the value of collaborative partnerships with families to contribute to decision-making processes. It also includes appreciation and respect for diversity and difference.

1. Developing and Aligning Service Philosophy with Respectful Relationships:
   • Reason: The service’s philosophy acknowledged families as children’s first and most influential teachers, emphasizing the value of collaborative partnerships.
   • Tips: Engage in regular team discussions to ensure the philosophy is understood and consistently applied.
   • Estimated Time: 4-6 hours for initial development and regular 1-hour monthly reviews.
2. Reflective Conversations on Genuine Partnerships:
   • Reason: Educators were challenged to articulate what genuine partnerships with families looked like in practice.
   • Tips: Document these conversations and refer back to them regularly. Use real-life scenarios to guide discussions.
   • Estimated Time: 2 hours per session, bi-weekly.
3. Research-Informed Practices:
   • Reason: The service used research papers to reflect on their approach and enhance their relationships with families.
   • Tips: Regularly seek out and discuss relevant research papers in team meetings.
   • Estimated Time: 2 hours per month for research and discussion.
4. Tailored Enrolment Processes:
   • Reason: The service adjusted its enrolment processes to gather pertinent information and understand each child deeply.
   • Tips: Regularly review and adjust enrolment forms based on feedback and changing community needs.
   • Estimated Time: 2-3 hours for initial revision and 1 hour monthly for reviews.
5. Community Engagement and Fundraising:
   • Reason: The service engaged with the community for fundraising and support, fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration.
   • Tips: Identify local events or causes that resonate with the community and actively involve families in planning and execution.
   • Estimated Time: 4-5 hours for planning and execution of each event.

Case Study 2

This family day care service is situated in a regional agricultural town where the main crops grown in the surrounding area are wheat, barley and canola. The town is home to children and families from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal families who are descendants of the Traditional Custodians of the local land and Anglo-Australian families, who have lived in the community for many years. The town’s residents also include families who are new to the community, having immigrated to Australia and moved to the town to seek work.

1. Building and Sustaining Respectful Relationships:
   • Reason: The service emphasized the importance of ongoing conversations to build and maintain relationships with families and the community.
   • Tips: Regularly engage with local community leaders, families, and other stakeholders to foster mutual understanding.
   • Estimated Time: 2 hours per week for community engagement.
2. Open Play Sessions for Community Engagement:
   • Reason: The service opened its play sessions to all families, promoting inclusivity and community bonding.
   • Tips: Promote these sessions widely and ensure they cater to the diverse needs of the community.
   • Estimated Time: 3-4 hours per week for planning and execution.
3. Reflecting on Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity:
   • Reason: The service critically reflected on its practices to ensure they were respectful of all cultural backgrounds.
   • Tips: Engage in regular training on cultural sensitivity and seek feedback from families of diverse backgrounds.
   • Estimated Time: 2 hours per month for reflection and training.
4. Flexible Enrolment Interviews:
   • Reason: The service adjusted its enrolment process to be more accessible and less intimidating for families.
   • Tips: Offer multiple options for enrolment interviews, considering the comfort and convenience of families.
   • Estimated Time: 1-2 hours per week for flexible interview scheduling.
5. Community Social Events:
   • Reason: The service introduced social events like family breakfasts to connect families and address specific community needs.
   • Tips: Regularly seek feedback on event ideas and ensure they cater to the unique needs and preferences of the community.
   • Estimated Time: 3-4 hours per month for planning and execution.

These steps, reasons, tips, and estimated times provide a roadmap for services aiming to achieve Exceeding NQS standards in Element 6.1.3. Regular reflection, community engagement, and adaptability are key themes across both case studies.