Researching Parent Engagement: A Qualitative Field Study

Growing awareness that strengthening parents' engagement can enhance children's learning achievements, sense of wellbeing, and connectedness is fuelling increased policy interest (Pomerantz et al 2007). However the research literature base in Australia is small and emergent, and typically reflects either an institutional results/reform perspective or an individual psychological lens that considers how and why parents might engage, rather than ways that make it meaningful and purposeful. This report documents the findings of an Australian wide research project, Researching Parent Engagement: A Qualitative Field Study undertaken by the Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University in collaboration with the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). A qualitative ethnographic approach explored parent engagement in contexts where little research has been done, focusing on Aboriginal, low SES, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) parents, and parents of children with special needs. The research team were selected for their particular expertise in relation to these groups.