Parents' panel: summary reports of meetings held from January 2009 to March 2010
The panel of around 40 parents met quarterly to discuss a wide range of issues linked to government education policy.
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The British Market Research Bureau was commissioned by the then Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in 2008 to organise and facilitate a Parents’ Panel, to comprise around 40 parents, reflecting a wide mix of demographic and attitudinal factors. The Panel met quarterly to discuss a range of issues linked to government policy. Ministers and officials from the then DCSF attended each Panel meeting. Between January 2009 and March 2010 the Panel met seven times.
The 40 panel members were selected using purposive sampling in order to achieve a balanced sample of parents, reflecting key groups of interest whilst maintaining an inclusive range of variables.
Throughout the first year of the Parents’ Panel respondents were invited to reflect on some of the issues covered during the deliberative events through personal films. Parents were given video cameras and asked to record “video diary” style footage in their local community with the aim of increasing their own and other parents’ understanding of issues.
Includes:
- Background to the research
- Parents’ priorities
- Parental engagement in children’s learning and development
- Views about extended services
- Views about supporting children’s emotional health and wellbeing
- Family stability
- School information
- Challenges faced by parents
- Access to support
- Bullying outside of school
- Parental rights and responsibilities
- Support with work and financial pressures
- Family Information Direct
- The Families and Relationships Green Paper
- Pupil and Parent Guarantees (PPG)
- Parents’ Panel - One year on