ABSTRACT
This chapter explores factors that influence parental engagement in transition to school in China and Australia. The quantitative results showed that Chinese parental engagement in transition to school, including home-based and school-based engagement, was significantly influenced by “invitations from teachers and children” and “time and energy”. Australian parents’ home-based engagement in transition to school was significantly influenced by “self-efficacy” and “invitations from teachers and children”; and school-based engagement was significantly influenced by “invitations from teachers and children”, “parents’ role construction” and “time and energy”. These factors were further investigated through qualitative findings from the interviews. Based on the analysis of the interview data, factors influencing parental engagement in transition to school include personal factors and contextual factors. Personal factors consist of socio-economic status, role construction, self-efficacy, school and transition experiences, time and energy and children's characteristics. Contextual factors include teacher and kindergarten influence, teacher and school influence, social influence, policy influence and societal and cultural influence.
