Enhancing quality in Early Childhood Education and Care through Parent Participation (EQUAP): A state of play in seven European countries (2019)

Based on literature reviews of the University of Crete, the Ghent University (Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy), VBJK (Centre for Innovations in the Early Years), and the University of Parma, this document presents a general picture on parent participation in ECEC. It refers to the findings of the EQUAP Project, which describes different approaches of parent participation ranging from a rather outcome-related instrumental view on the issue to a more intrinsic and fundamental democratic approach of developing quality in partnership with parents. Besides, findings on common challenges in developing and maintaining parent participation, possible ways of overcoming barriers, an overview on good practices, and quality indicators for parent participation in the EQUAP partner countries are presented in the report.

According to the research findings presented in this review and the data provided by the seven EQUAP Project partner countries, meaningful parent participation in ECEC should be promoted and further developed: not only because of long-term effects that it has for children’s school, social and emotional development, but also because it shapes educational partnerships between professionals and parents, the latter being the first educators of their children.

Focus of the publication:

- parent participation in ECEC,

- inclusive ECEC;

- diversity