What is family learning?

Published 18/08/2024.  Last updated 22/08/2024

Family learning is an approach to engaging families in learning that has an impact on both children and adults. It has been woven into a number of cross-cutting Scottish policies and strategies as illustrated in the diagram below. The diagram also highlights the diversity of partners that can potentially be involved in developing programmes at a local level. The range of partners involved will vary depending on local needs, intended outcomes and resources. A more detailed policy mapping overview is provided in the Review of Family Learning (2016).

Family learning can be utilised as an early intervention and prevention approach which reaches the most disadvantaged communities aligning it with the principles that underpin The Promise. Family learning helps close the poverty related attainment gap through breaking the inter-generational cycles of deprivation and low attainment. The effects of family learning are known to extend beyond the duration of the intervention and provide lasting impact and improved outcomes.

Family learning encourages family members to learn together as and within a family, with a focus on intergenerational learning. Family learning activities can also be designed to enable parents to learn how to support their children’s learning. ‘Family learning is a powerful method of engagement and learning which can foster positive attitudes towards life-long learning, promote socio-economic resilience and challenge educational disadvantage’ (Scottish Family Learning Network, 2016).

One of the strengths of family learning, as an approach, is its adaptability to be used across sectors whilst supporting families with varied identified needs.

Responsibility for delivering family learning programmes can vary across local authorities, ELC settings, schools, Community Learning and Development, colleges and the third sector. These different settings are similar in that each work towards the same goals which is confident, achieving, happy, lifelong learning children and families. family learning provides a common language between sectors who work together on shared priorities with identified individual and family needs. Partnership working is one of the key values that underpin family learning.

Early years

Family learning is a key driver for change in the ‘Realising the Ambition: Being Me National Practice Guidance’ for early years in Scotland. It supports the idea that parents know and understand their child best.

Schools

Family learning is a key driver within Parental Involvement and Engagement Strategies which every local authority requires to have under the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.  It is also a key driver in the National Improvement Framework and the Learning Together National Action Plan.

Community Learning and Development

Family learning and parenting programmes that are delivered by Community Learning and Development can be a conduit to increasing parental involvement and engagement in the life of the setting or school and in children’s learning at home. Programmes can also be independent of school activity and focus on wider family and community needs such as health and wellbeing and community capacity building.

As the child’s first educator, parents are key partners in supporting their child’s learning. As pedagogical leaders, it is essential that practitioners develop positive relationships, work in partnership with parents and value their contributions. Understanding the complexities, diversities, and cultural differences of individual families and how this can impact each child is essential. Relationships are key and should be based on respect, transparency, and trust.

Developing and delivering Family Learning needs to be considered carefully. It is important to take into account a number of factors to ensure the approach is as successful as possible and has the desired impact. Factors include the interests and needs of the families, potential barriers to participation, sustainability, resourcing, and demographics.

Planning for Family Learning is most effective when carried out collaboratively, actively involving families, relevant colleagues, and stakeholders, for example from ELC settings, schools, CLD, colleges and the third sector. An on-going collaborative approach, from the planning through to the evaluation stages, can support high quality outcomes. Successful Family Learning takes account of families’ views about the learning they want to undertake, with any subsequent follow up programmes being developed in partnership with them.

Family Learning approaches range across literacy, numeracy, STEM, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), parental engagement and health and wellbeing. They can ‘draw on a number of traditions from adult literacy and community development to school improvement and parental engagement’ (NIACE, 2013, p12). Programmes can be ‘considered as a bridge between informal home learning and formal school learning’ (NIACE, 2013, p12). Family learning programmes can vary in length, format, and delivery.

The planning, reporting, monitoring, and governance of family learning activity varies across Scotland. With family learning being delivered in a wide range of community and educational settings by both statutory and third sector partners, it can be difficult to get a fully comprehensive picture of activity in any given locality.

Depending on where family learning sits within the locality, examples of activity may be found within:

  • School and Early Years establishment development plans
  • Community Learning and Development Service Plan
  • Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan
  • Children’s Services Plan
  • Education Plan
  • Library Service Strategic Plan
  • Third Sector Organisational Development Plans

The Promise is part of the culmination of the Care Review and outlines the need for a redesign of the ‘care system’ including a fundamental shift in how decisions are made, and how money is spent in supporting Scotland’s children and young people. It is fundamental that the voice of our children, young people and their families is at the heart of decisions that we make.

The Promise sets out the vision for transformational change. At the heart of The Promise are five foundations for change.

Voice 

Children must be listened to and meaningfully and appropriately involved in decision-making about their care with all those involved properly listening and responding to what children want and need. There must be a compassionate, caring, decision-making culture focused on children and those they trust.

Family

Where children are safe in their families and feel loved they must stay, and families must be given support together to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties that get in the way.

Care

Where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so and belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as needed.

People

The children that Scotland cares for must be actively supported to develop relationships with people in the workforce and wider community who in turn must be supported to listen and be compassionate in their decision-making and care.

Scaffolding

Children, families, and the workforce must be supported by a system that is there when it is needed. The scaffolding of help, support and accountability must be ready and responsive when it is required.

Further information about what The Promise is can be found on the Independent Care Review website.
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What is family learning?

Published 18/08/2024.  Last updated 22/08/2024

Family learning is an approach to engaging families in learning that has an impact on both children and adults. It has been woven into a number of cross-cutting Scottish policies and strategies as illustrated in the diagram below. The diagram also highlights the diversity of partners that can potentially be involved in developing programmes at a local level. The range of partners involved will vary depending on local needs, intended outcomes and resources. A more detailed policy mapping overview is provided in the Review of Family Learning (2016).

Family learning can be utilised as an early intervention and prevention approach which reaches the most disadvantaged communities aligning it with the principles that underpin The Promise. Family learning helps close the poverty related attainment gap through breaking the inter-generational cycles of deprivation and low attainment. The effects of family learning are known to extend beyond the duration of the intervention and provide lasting impact and improved outcomes.

Family learning encourages family members to learn together as and within a family, with a focus on intergenerational learning. Family learning activities can also be designed to enable parents to learn how to support their children’s learning. ‘Family learning is a powerful method of engagement and learning which can foster positive attitudes towards life-long learning, promote socio-economic resilience and challenge educational disadvantage’ (Scottish Family Learning Network, 2016).

One of the strengths of family learning, as an approach, is its adaptability to be used across sectors whilst supporting families with varied identified needs.

Responsibility for delivering family learning programmes can vary across local authorities, ELC settings, schools, Community Learning and Development, colleges and the third sector. These different settings are similar in that each work towards the same goals which is confident, achieving, happy, lifelong learning children and families. family learning provides a common language between sectors who work together on shared priorities with identified individual and family needs. Partnership working is one of the key values that underpin family learning.

Early years

Family learning is a key driver for change in the ‘Realising the Ambition: Being Me National Practice Guidance’ for early years in Scotland. It supports the idea that parents know and understand their child best.

Schools

Family learning is a key driver within Parental Involvement and Engagement Strategies which every local authority requires to have under the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.  It is also a key driver in the National Improvement Framework and the Learning Together National Action Plan.

Community Learning and Development

Family learning and parenting programmes that are delivered by Community Learning and Development can be a conduit to increasing parental involvement and engagement in the life of the setting or school and in children’s learning at home. Programmes can also be independent of school activity and focus on wider family and community needs such as health and wellbeing and community capacity building.

As the child’s first educator, parents are key partners in supporting their child’s learning. As pedagogical leaders, it is essential that practitioners develop positive relationships, work in partnership with parents and value their contributions. Understanding the complexities, diversities, and cultural differences of individual families and how this can impact each child is essential. Relationships are key and should be based on respect, transparency, and trust.

Developing and delivering Family Learning needs to be considered carefully. It is important to take into account a number of factors to ensure the approach is as successful as possible and has the desired impact. Factors include the interests and needs of the families, potential barriers to participation, sustainability, resourcing, and demographics.

Planning for Family Learning is most effective when carried out collaboratively, actively involving families, relevant colleagues, and stakeholders, for example from ELC settings, schools, CLD, colleges and the third sector. An on-going collaborative approach, from the planning through to the evaluation stages, can support high quality outcomes. Successful Family Learning takes account of families’ views about the learning they want to undertake, with any subsequent follow up programmes being developed in partnership with them.

Family Learning approaches range across literacy, numeracy, STEM, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), parental engagement and health and wellbeing. They can ‘draw on a number of traditions from adult literacy and community development to school improvement and parental engagement’ (NIACE, 2013, p12). Programmes can be ‘considered as a bridge between informal home learning and formal school learning’ (NIACE, 2013, p12). Family learning programmes can vary in length, format, and delivery.

The planning, reporting, monitoring, and governance of family learning activity varies across Scotland. With family learning being delivered in a wide range of community and educational settings by both statutory and third sector partners, it can be difficult to get a fully comprehensive picture of activity in any given locality.

Depending on where family learning sits within the locality, examples of activity may be found within:

  • School and Early Years establishment development plans
  • Community Learning and Development Service Plan
  • Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan
  • Children’s Services Plan
  • Education Plan
  • Library Service Strategic Plan
  • Third Sector Organisational Development Plans

The Promise is part of the culmination of the Care Review and outlines the need for a redesign of the ‘care system’ including a fundamental shift in how decisions are made, and how money is spent in supporting Scotland’s children and young people. It is fundamental that the voice of our children, young people and their families is at the heart of decisions that we make.

The Promise sets out the vision for transformational change. At the heart of The Promise are five foundations for change.

Voice 

Children must be listened to and meaningfully and appropriately involved in decision-making about their care with all those involved properly listening and responding to what children want and need. There must be a compassionate, caring, decision-making culture focused on children and those they trust.

Family

Where children are safe in their families and feel loved they must stay, and families must be given support together to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties that get in the way.

Care

Where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so and belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as needed.

People

The children that Scotland cares for must be actively supported to develop relationships with people in the workforce and wider community who in turn must be supported to listen and be compassionate in their decision-making and care.

Scaffolding

Children, families, and the workforce must be supported by a system that is there when it is needed. The scaffolding of help, support and accountability must be ready and responsive when it is required.

Further information about what The Promise is can be found on the Independent Care Review website.
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