Working With Families Who Need Intensive Support

At Mouse Club, we advocate our Model, Mentor, Coach approach to working with parents at a universal level, then in a more targeted way with small groups to cater to identified needs. But what happens when some families need more intensive support?

There is a risk, where families have many additional or complex needs, that parental engagement in learning can fall off the agenda. However, parents respond well to guidance on supporting their child’s education when given in a gentle, supportive and fun way. Use the same approach as you would at a universal level, but spend more time with the families individually. If families are reluctant to come into school, you might consider offering to provide this support in families' own homes or alternative safe environments where this work can happen sensitively and appropriately.

When modelling activities, use the same process as when working universally or in small targeted groups. Working directly with a single family, introduce and explain the activity clearly, explaining how and why their child will benefit from their involvement. It is essential to explain to parents that learning is not an instant leap; it can be hard work, takes practice, and sometimes progress is made in tiny steps. Affirm with parents that being involved and engaged in their child’s learning, especially through play, is making a difference. Encourage them to take the lead in this at home.

Mentoring is about parents having the opportunity to support their child with an activity while being guided and supported by someone more experienced. Rather than watching passively or being told ‘how to’, they practice with somebody there to help them if needed. Mentoring, even very basic activities, such as making playdough, will build parents’ confidence and help them repeat the play activity with their child independently.

The Coaching relationship is about closing the loop on how it has gone. Listening is essential, as parents often tell you other ideas they have had, things that have worked, things that haven’t worked, or successful changes they made. This is when it becomes a partnership, working together to support the child's learning. The coaching relationship is extremely important to develop, as you’re working on something together to improve the child’s outcomes. It has a very, very powerful impact. This scaffolding builds parents' self-esteem and confidence to work in partnership with educators, professionals, and facilitators to make a difference in their child’s outcomes.