Breaking the silence: Providing authentic opportunities for parents to be heard

Within western society over the past 30 years, a vivid picture has emerged of exactly what a ‘good’ parent looks like. This ideal parent works hard in order to contribute to the economic well-being of the nation at the same time as having abundant time for the nurture and educational development of their child. This parent does not question or challenge, but rather silently supports the superior knowledge of researchers, policymakers and educationalists. This parent is ‘valued’ as the child’s first educator, yet, the authors argue in this article, has no voice. In this literature-based article, the authors explore the silencing of parents within educational systems and look at the possibility of creating more authentic partnerships between them and educational settings. They challenge notions of parental conformity and instead encourage educational cultures where parents are invited to suggest and challenge, inspire and educate. They look at ways of opening positive channels of communication between parents and educationalists, where knowledge and perceptions of quality can be genuinely shared, recognising and respecting the multiple dimensions of school and family life