Is my child happy and safe? Are they learning? This is what parents wonder while their children are at school. So, how do we reassure parents this is the case? As the headteacher of a school for autistic pupils and those with speech, language and communication differences, I’m aware of the need to build strong relationships with families. I’m proud that in our most recent parent survey most said communication was effective and that our school understands their child’s needs. In future more children with SEND will be educated within mainstream provision, and leaders need to consider how to engage with their parents. The approaches we use will also work well with all and parents and as part of the Reach South Academy Trust, which is a family including both special and mainstream schools, our trust has thought hard about parental communication. When you work with children with SEND, acting inclusively and adapting practices becomes second nature, and this same approach needs to be taken with parents. Many parents feel the system is working against them. Some get stuck in combat mode as they may have had to fight to get their child’s needs met. We start our relationship with them understanding that and seeking to reassure them their child’s welfare is our top priority. Parental comms merits its own strategy Developing positive relationships with parents is crucial to creating a thriving school community. Parental communication merits its own strategy and saves time when you can avoid having to wade through complaints processes. The idea is to work with parents closely, so they quickly learn to trust staff and work collaboratively to resolve matters. Our parental communication strategy is designed to build trust and open effective two-way lines of communication. From the first-time families visit us at an open event we try to establish a close relationship with them. Open events need to be more than a tour, as we know parents are often anxious about anything from ensuring their child gets to school safely to making sure they eat lunch. We have the right people on hand to address such concerns, from uniform suppliers to council transport representatives. We even invite families to try the food in the canteen. Think about what gets sent home We have thought carefully about communications sent home as we know our children often can’t, or won’t, tell their parents much about what happens at school. At the start of each year we ask parents what their preferred mode of communication is – school app, email or phone. We have a fixed timetable so staff know when to give feedback. We know communication with families must be accurate, balanced and frequent and are committed to doing this in a way that is also realistic and manageable for staff. Our approach includes weekly individual communications from staff to parents. We also hold biannual parent consultations, either in person, by phone call or online and provide two academic overview reports, with a final full school report too. I write regular letters, and we send frequent communication updates from teachers and support staff. We keep our social media updated and also share whole school celebration news termly. We frequently invite parents to visit us and hold a range of events such as coffee mornings, our futures fair, curriculum open sessions and Christmas and summer fairs. We also run free webinars on helpful topics for parents with expert speakers, and we provide a comprehensive early help offer alongside specific autism support. Clarity on governors’ role Additionally, we ensure all parents are clear about the role of the local governing body (LGB) and the parent representatives within this body. We know parents just want to be listened to, which is why we use the HEARD principles: Hearing by listening Empowering by giving confidence and support Accepting what is communicated Reflecting on how we can move forward Decisions are made When parents feel heard it’s easier for families and schools to work together for the benefit of everyone.