Each morning and afternoon, when parents or guardians step into the nursery’s cloakroom or pick up their child or children from after-school care, this represents a moment of significant transition in the child’s daily routine. These moments mark the switch between the family environment and the educational setting, which is of major importance for the child’s development.
Children need the reassurance that their two worlds are not separate islands. Instead, these worlds should be firmly linked by bridges of trust and exchange. A successful partnership between parents and educators is a central driver of children’s development. For this driving force to run smoothly, parents and professionals must work as a team. Education professionals are able to respond more sensitively to children if they are informed about restless nights, missed breakfasts or exciting experiences. In this way, the child’s current impulses can be picked up on and supported – both in terms of content and emotions – within the daily educational context in a manner that is as consistent as possible. Without these bridges, the transition between these two worlds is far too difficult for children to manage by themselves.
Mutual respect as the foundation
Cooperative partnership does not require absolute agreement in all matters, but is founded on the principle of mutual respect. The following applies:
- Educational activities create space for the diverse needs of families. Cooperating together in this way establishes an environment in which children feel safe and are able to realise their full potential for development.
- The parent-educator partnership is understood as a relationship-building process and requires time and honest dialogue in order to talk about the child.
- Successful collaboration is based on appreciation. Parents are experts when it comes to their own child and professionals are experts in supporting children in the educational setting.
By setting an example of respect and cooperation, children are given the sense of security they need at this stage, whilst at the same time laying the foundations for social skills later in life.
Literaturverzeichnis
- Knoll, M. (2025). Elternkooperation in der Kindheitspädagogik. In Perspektiven auf Kindheitspädagogik: Grundlagen, Potenziale und Herausforderungen (pp. 389-407). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
- Elvethon, E., Løkken, I. M., Svensson, H. B., & Moser, T. (2025). Early childhood settings as a ramp for inclusion: Staff and parents’ collaborations to promote peer relations. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1010445
- Pölzl-Stefanec, E. (2025). Communication matters: A mixed methods study on parent–professional interactions during early childhood education and care transitions. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-02021-7
