ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the importance of listening to the voices of parents/carers, and considers levels of parental participation, involvement, and partnership. There are many different types of terminology used for involvement of parents, for example parental involvement, parent partnership, parent participation. Parent partnership is a true equal partnership between parent and school, each having equal input into decisions made. Since the concept of parents' involvement in educational establishments is widely accepted as being positive, most schools will work to ensure that this happens to the best of their ability. One of the most significant barriers to parent/carer involvement is that of assumptions made about parents' knowledge. Giving people a voice is the key to empowerment, so it is important to be aware of power imbalances and to build trust to show that the perspectives of others are both valued and valuable. The chapter analyzes ways of building genuine relationships with parents/carers.
