Quality Rating 2: Family Communication

Instructions

School-Age Only programs will upload the following to meet the requirements for Administrative Policies and Practices: Family Communication: ADM 6.3:

  • Communication Policy explaining that staff members communicate with families and/or teachers about:
    • Child progress
    • Concerns
    • Program planning

The Policy or Statement Builder provides a step-by-step guide for creating your policy.

Communication Policy (School-Age Only)

Quality programs recognize the importance of open and shared communication. Their policies and practices promote communication between program staff, families, teachers, and others in support of children’s learning and development.

Two-way communication allows you to connect with families and teachers, and for them to connect with you. As a result, everyone gains a deeper understanding of a child’s background, interests, and strengths, as well as areas of concern. Shared communication gives you an opportunity to exchange information, develop common goals, collaborate to address concerns and partner to support a child’s progress. At the same time, you are able to keep families and teachers informed and involved in your program’s plans.

What does the documentation look like?

Your Communication Policy should clearly explain that staff members communicate with families and teachers about a child’s progress, areas of concern, and program planning. You may include information about the different ways families and teachers can expect to receive communication from you and your staff such as phone calls, emails, or written communication. In addition, you may include ways families and teachers can communicate with you and your staff. For example, information about the best days and times to reach you, or the best method to contact you (phone, email, notes), is often helpful for others to know.

If you offer family conferences, you may include information about how often conferences are held, how families are informed about conferences, and how they schedule conferences with you.

Policy or Statement Builder

Develop a statement that describes your program’s approach to family communication. The Reflection Questions below will help you think about what you do in your program to capture it when creating your policy. Once you have spent time reflecting on the questions below, you’re ready to build your Family Communication Policy.

  1. How/when do you communicate with families?
  2. What type of information is shared with families?

Optional questions:

  1. Do you have opportunities for conferences with families?
  2. How do you collaborate with agencies working with families, including special education services or school?

Once you have spent time reflecting on the questions, you have the option to download and save the Family Communication template to create your policy.

Technology Tips

Download the PDF.

Save the PDF.

Print the PDF.

Edit the PDF.

Do you need more time to think about writing your Family Communication Policy? Use the Writers Tips and Prompts to find examples and get more guidance.

Where can you learn more?

 

The Communicating with Families Tips Sheet gives you ideas to consider for effective communication with families.