The feasibility of TOGETHER: a collaborative educator-parent programme for teaching social and emotional competence in young children

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of the TOGETHER: Growing Children’s Social and Emotional Competence programme. This programme was designed to build a more collaborative relationship between educators and parents so that they could, together, develop children’s social and emotional competence skills by using positive behaviour support strategies in an Australian early year setting. The findings are reported on two educators, two children and their mothers. Data were collected via a questionnaire, rating scale, direct classroom and home observations and educator/parent interviews. The results indicated an increase in educator and parent positive responses to the two young children’s appropriate behaviour and a decrease in their challenging behaviour. The findings also showed inconsistencies between educators in implementing the strategies. Educators and parents developed a more collaborative relationship. Identified barriers families have with accessing this type of programme are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• TOGETHER programme
• early years
• positive behaviour support
• educators
• parents
• children

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their gratitude to the parents and educators who participated in this study. Their contribution to helping us understand the role of families and educators in children’s social and emotional development is highly valued.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joanna Grace Phillips

Joanna Grace Phillips has a PhD in Education from Swinburne University of Technology and teaching qualifications in early childhood education and psychology. She currently works as a Senior Advisor for the Ministry of Education in New Zealand. Joanna has extensive experience as an early childhood teacher, early intervention and behaviour specialist, and has taught for several years in the university setting. Joanna's interests in research focus on early intervention, family-centred practices, positive behaviour supports, and contextually responsive approaches in both education and intervention.

Gaye Tyler-Merrick

Gaye Tyler-Merrick is a Senior Lecturer in Education and Early Years at Nottingham Trent University. She has a PhD in Education along with teaching qualifications. Gaye's teaching and research interests are in special and inclusive education with an emphasis on child and youth social and emotional development, student learning and behaviour/classroom management, and developing culturally responsive practices in education. Her research expertise is in mixed- methods with an emphasis on single-case designs.

Sivanes Phillipson

Sivanes Phillipson is Professor and Chair of Department Education at Swinburne University of Technology. She is also Editor for Routledge's Evolving Families book series that focuses on issues, challenges and empirical best practices surrounding evolving families that impact their survival, development and outcomes. Sivanes's research expertise comprises of mixed-method approaches and analysis including Leximancer verbatim analysis. Rasch modelling, meta-analysis, and structural equation modelling. Her research interest and experience focus on comparative family studies in particular parent and community of culturally diverse and disadvantaged children and at-risk youth. Her research has shown how family and community influences underpin children/youth factors that impact short and long term social and economic outcomes. With her research, she has extended models of family and community support to enable children and young people to learn and self-regulate within a framework of accessibility and resources of an individual.