Table of Contents
INTRODUCING THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MIGRANT AND REFUGEE PARENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS
This document is the last deliverable of the Parents Engage project. Building on the research conducted for the first project result, “Collection and analysis of innovative initiatives engaging migrant and refugee parents in school life”, the experiences of partners and the participants of the pilot training and multiplier events, and the desk research conducted by partners to collect data for this deliverable, this document offers policy recommendations for European, national, and local/regional levels that policymakers may consider, while other actors can use them in their advocacy work to support successful migrant family inclusion in society.
These recommendations focus on migrant family inclusion through the school as a social center of the community and aim to prepare school staff for their professional role in the inclusion process. The recommendations all start with key messages that are broader, more general recommendations for policymakers, followed by a description of the evidence they are based on, some good practices when available implementing the recommendation, and concrete steps policymakers can take at different levels.
The recommendations emphasize the professional role teachers and school leaders play in facilitating parental engagement in the school for all parents, advocating for necessary changes in training and pre-service teachers to perform this responsibility as part of their job description. Parents are seen as equals to the school staff and experts of their children, cooperating with the school for the benefit of the child, building on mutual respect. Schools are encouraged to cooperate with experts of NGOs and CSOs, as well as the community, to share resources, build trust, and learn from each other.
Migrant families arriving in European countries, from within and outside of Europe, should receive support not only to learn the culture and language of the new country but also to keep and nurture their heritage and mother tongue.