An open conversation can be the starting point for valuable cooperation. When parents and professionals talk to each other, they can clarify their wishes and expectations. They also gain a better understanding of each other's interests and perspectives. They can rely on this improved cooperation when things are not going well for a child at school and, for example, support is needed.
Investing in the relationship
Ellen Donkers, a researcher at the Netherlands Youth Institute who was involved in developing the toolkit: “It is really about pausing to reflect on the cooperation and investing in the relationship. Parents and school professionals often only talk to each other when something goes wrong. Those conversations often do not go well because no common foundation has been established as a basis for the discussions. We hope the toolkit will provide practical guidance for this.”
Three components
The online toolkit is a practical resource for professionals and parents to organise a meeting focused on cooperation. The toolkit consists of three components:
- Topics that you can discuss with each other
- A schedule for organising a meeting
- Methods for use during the meeting
Both parents and professionals can take the initiative to organise a meeting. The toolkit is suitable for both online and in-person meetings.