Involvement of Parents in Early Years Setting - Dissertation Example

This approach is needed, as education is one first step towards helping children in developing themselves, defining their future career, and enabling them to become responsible citizens (Smit, et al, 2008; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). In this regard, laws, and policies of almost all countries all over the world embrace the importance of parental involvement in education (Smit et al, 2008).
Parental involvement is synonymous with ‘parental partnership’, ‘parent participation’, school-family relations’, and ‘educational partnership’ (Macbeth, 1993; Smit, et al, 1999). Nonetheless, all these terminologies refer to parental involvement as the collaborative effort and support given by parents, carers, the teachers, school, and other stakeholders with the purpose of improving, motivating, developing, and helping children in their education (Davies, & Johnson, 1996; van der Wolf, & Beukering, 2001). However, parental involvement in the education of children is impeded by barriers that make the ideal an unattainable ideal (Smit, et al, 2008). As such, this research aims to identify the potential barriers that inhibit parental involvement in education. Moreover, acknowledging that there is a wide range of levels of education, the research will focus on parental involvement in early childhood education. Since, studies have shown that, at this stage of children's education, the involvement of the parents in the education of the children has a clear, positive impact on children’s achievement in school and influences their longer stay in school (Henderson, & Mapp, 2002; Jeynes, 2005; Pomerantz, Moorman, & Litwack, 2007; Reynolds, & Clements, 2005).
As the purpose of this study is to identify the barriers impeding parental involvement in early childhood education, this chapter will present the discourses found in academic literature pertinent to the subject of this study. The examination of the literature relating to the topic will be undertaken to eliminate any possible ambiguities that may be inherent in the topic. In this regard, this chapter will be divided into four sections. The first part will be the discussion of the underlying theories supporting parental involvement in early education.