ABSTRACT
The Code of Practice emphasises the importance of establishing a partnership with parents. It suggests that this partnership ‘has a crucial bearing on the child's educational progress and the effectiveness of any school-based action’ (DfE, 1994, p. 12). It goes on to say (p. 13) that:
Children's progress will be diminished if their parents are not seen as partners in the educational process with unique knowledge to impart. Professional help can seldom be effective unless it builds on parents’ capacity to be involved and unless parents consider that professionals take account of what they say and treat their views and anxieties as intrinsically important.
An essential aspect of the partnership envisaged in the Code is that it must be based on mutual respect. For example, it requires parents and teachers to listen to each other and give due consideration to each other's views. In this way an effective collaborative working relationship can be established. In this relationship, teachers should be aware of addressing parents’ needs and of acknowledging the various ways they can contribute to the development and education of their children with special needs. Teachers should encourage parents to recognise their responsibilities towards their children and to understand that optimum progress will be made when they work in partnership with teachers and other professionals. In order for such a partnership to become a reality, schools need to produce and implement written policies on parent involvement which take into account parents’ rights and responsibilities regarding the education of their children.