Aligning family learning values and The Promise principles

Published 16/08/2024.  Last updated 16/10/2024

The Promise outlines ten principles for intensive family support. These principles aim to promote and instil relational practice that shifts away from managing risk and needs to supporting families to find their own solutions.

The Family Learning National Occupational Standards (NOS) detail 8 core values for the delivery of family learning activity. The values focus on recognising the strengths and capacity of families as their child’s first educators and seeks to build on that capacity through supportive, caring, and relational practice.

Both The Promise and the NOS family learning recognise and support mums, dads and carers as key assets in their children’s lives and development. Family Learning offers a mechanism for non-threatening, early engagement with services helping to #KeepThePromise with its strength-based approach.

Figure 2 below illustrates how the principles and values align.

There are eight values that underpin the Family learning National Occupational Standards.

  • family learning recognises the role of the parent as the first educator (Family)
  • family learning is inclusive and is to be offered as a universal provision with open access (Scaffolding)
  • family learning recognises and values diversity of culture, race, relationships, and beliefs (Voice / Scaffolding)
  • equal partnership is the basis for all developments in family learning: all learners and educators, regardless of generation, recognise that learners and educators can frequently exchange ideas (Voice / Family)
  • family learning recognises that it is acceptable to make mistakes, which are part of the process of reflective learning (Family / Scaffolding)
  • achievements within family learning benefit the wider learning community through promoting change and empowering individuals and communities (People / Scaffolding)
  • family learning raises aspirations and all outcomes of the process, including those which may not be overt, are of equal significance and importance (Voice / Scaffolding)
  • family learning operates within a culture of mutual respect for individuals, communities, colleagues, and organisations (Voice / Family / People / Scaffolding)

What might this look like in practice?

Below is a composite story about the experience and impact of Family Learning on one family. The family is not real however, their experience has been taken from case studies and reflections of real families who have engaged in Family Learning activities and the impact it has had on them.

Elena and James have recently moved to the village with their four young children, Taylor (7), Rhys (6), Sophie (5) and JJ (3).

James works long shifts at the local supermarket warehouse, leaving Elena on her own with the children. Both James and Elena grew up in care and have no family nearby. With four young children, life can be very busy and demanding.

Elena 'feels alone in the world of parenting' and worries that she is not good enough, but she doesn’t want to worry James as he is working really hard for the family. After JJ was born Elena struggled with her mental health and still worries about the impact that has had on all of the children. James, however, is very proud of Elena and what a good mum she is.

When dropping the children at school and nursery Elena meets Mary who is a family learning worker. Elena is not really sure what that means but Mary seems really nice and comes to chat to her every day at drop off. Mary invites Elena to ‘Tea with the Teacher’. She says it’s a chance to get to know school staff and just have a chat. Her childhood experiences of care have made Elena really wary of getting involved with services, so she politely declines Mary’s offer.

A few weeks later Mary gives Elena an invitation from JJ with his drawing on it asking her to join him at a Stay and Play session. Mary explains it’s a chance to learn from JJ what he does in nursery and how she and James can help with fun activities at home. Mary explains that most of the parents from the class will be there, so Elena doesn’t feel singled out.

Elena is quite anxious and not sure but decides to go along. Mary welcomes her at the door and reassures her. JJ loves showing his mum around the nursery, and they have a great time. At the session Elena finds out about the Fit Food programme which gives mums and dads ideas to help their children learn with fun, activities related to healthy eating. Elena decides to give it a go as it can be hard to get the children to eat well.

Through going along to the programme, trying activities at home, and having fun as a whole family, Elena starts to get more and more confident. As she takes part in more programmes, Elena gets to know more parents in the village and Mary asks if she would be interested in helping out in the school as a volunteer. Through this, Elena has started to gain qualifications, something she never saw herself being able to do and is even thinking about the possibility of going to college. Elena has started to feel more connected to her community and can see that those around just want the best for her and her children.

When the school raised some concerns about Rhys’ reading, Elena was worried but with Mary’s help she was able to meet with the teacher and support the development of a learning plan. Elena felt more confident that as Rhys’s mum she should be part of that plan and could help, whereas before she would have taken it as evidence of her poor parenting.

Knowing how she and the children have benefitted from the activities and how much fun they have had together, Elena encourages James to go along to a monthly, Saturday Dad’s Club at the local library.

Family Learning supports us to deliver the foundations of the Promise by:

  • Building the confidence of mums, dads, and carers
  • Building and strengthening, trusting, non-threatening relationships between families and services
  • Building and strengthening positive bonds between family members
  • Providing safe and supportive spaces for families
  • Engaging families early and at key transition points in positive experiences
  • Adopting a strengths-based approach
^ Back to top

Aligning family learning values and The Promise principles

Published 16/08/2024.  Last updated 16/10/2024

The Promise outlines ten principles for intensive family support. These principles aim to promote and instil relational practice that shifts away from managing risk and needs to supporting families to find their own solutions.

The Family Learning National Occupational Standards (NOS) detail 8 core values for the delivery of family learning activity. The values focus on recognising the strengths and capacity of families as their child’s first educators and seeks to build on that capacity through supportive, caring, and relational practice.

Both The Promise and the NOS family learning recognise and support mums, dads and carers as key assets in their children’s lives and development. Family Learning offers a mechanism for non-threatening, early engagement with services helping to #KeepThePromise with its strength-based approach.

Figure 2 below illustrates how the principles and values align.

There are eight values that underpin the Family learning National Occupational Standards.

  • family learning recognises the role of the parent as the first educator (Family)
  • family learning is inclusive and is to be offered as a universal provision with open access (Scaffolding)
  • family learning recognises and values diversity of culture, race, relationships, and beliefs (Voice / Scaffolding)
  • equal partnership is the basis for all developments in family learning: all learners and educators, regardless of generation, recognise that learners and educators can frequently exchange ideas (Voice / Family)
  • family learning recognises that it is acceptable to make mistakes, which are part of the process of reflective learning (Family / Scaffolding)
  • achievements within family learning benefit the wider learning community through promoting change and empowering individuals and communities (People / Scaffolding)
  • family learning raises aspirations and all outcomes of the process, including those which may not be overt, are of equal significance and importance (Voice / Scaffolding)
  • family learning operates within a culture of mutual respect for individuals, communities, colleagues, and organisations (Voice / Family / People / Scaffolding)

What might this look like in practice?

Below is a composite story about the experience and impact of Family Learning on one family. The family is not real however, their experience has been taken from case studies and reflections of real families who have engaged in Family Learning activities and the impact it has had on them.

Elena and James have recently moved to the village with their four young children, Taylor (7), Rhys (6), Sophie (5) and JJ (3).

James works long shifts at the local supermarket warehouse, leaving Elena on her own with the children. Both James and Elena grew up in care and have no family nearby. With four young children, life can be very busy and demanding.

Elena 'feels alone in the world of parenting' and worries that she is not good enough, but she doesn’t want to worry James as he is working really hard for the family. After JJ was born Elena struggled with her mental health and still worries about the impact that has had on all of the children. James, however, is very proud of Elena and what a good mum she is.

When dropping the children at school and nursery Elena meets Mary who is a family learning worker. Elena is not really sure what that means but Mary seems really nice and comes to chat to her every day at drop off. Mary invites Elena to ‘Tea with the Teacher’. She says it’s a chance to get to know school staff and just have a chat. Her childhood experiences of care have made Elena really wary of getting involved with services, so she politely declines Mary’s offer.

A few weeks later Mary gives Elena an invitation from JJ with his drawing on it asking her to join him at a Stay and Play session. Mary explains it’s a chance to learn from JJ what he does in nursery and how she and James can help with fun activities at home. Mary explains that most of the parents from the class will be there, so Elena doesn’t feel singled out.

Elena is quite anxious and not sure but decides to go along. Mary welcomes her at the door and reassures her. JJ loves showing his mum around the nursery, and they have a great time. At the session Elena finds out about the Fit Food programme which gives mums and dads ideas to help their children learn with fun, activities related to healthy eating. Elena decides to give it a go as it can be hard to get the children to eat well.

Through going along to the programme, trying activities at home, and having fun as a whole family, Elena starts to get more and more confident. As she takes part in more programmes, Elena gets to know more parents in the village and Mary asks if she would be interested in helping out in the school as a volunteer. Through this, Elena has started to gain qualifications, something she never saw herself being able to do and is even thinking about the possibility of going to college. Elena has started to feel more connected to her community and can see that those around just want the best for her and her children.

When the school raised some concerns about Rhys’ reading, Elena was worried but with Mary’s help she was able to meet with the teacher and support the development of a learning plan. Elena felt more confident that as Rhys’s mum she should be part of that plan and could help, whereas before she would have taken it as evidence of her poor parenting.

Knowing how she and the children have benefitted from the activities and how much fun they have had together, Elena encourages James to go along to a monthly, Saturday Dad’s Club at the local library.

Family Learning supports us to deliver the foundations of the Promise by:

  • Building the confidence of mums, dads, and carers
  • Building and strengthening, trusting, non-threatening relationships between families and services
  • Building and strengthening positive bonds between family members
  • Providing safe and supportive spaces for families
  • Engaging families early and at key transition points in positive experiences
  • Adopting a strengths-based approach
^ Back to top

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