Parental Engagement Research Articles

Practical Pedagogical Approaches: Integrating Play-based and Experiential Learning at Pre-Primary Education as per NEP 2020 and NCF-FS 2022

Early childhood education in India is undergoing significant changes, guided by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) 2022. This paper explores practical pedagogical approaches for pre-primary and early childhood care and education (ECCE) in India, aligning with these policy recommendations. It examines key strategies for implementing play-based learning, developing language and literacy skills, building foundational numeracy competencies, and incorporating inquiry-based and activity-based learning approaches. The study emphasizes the importance of creating stimulating learning environments featuring well-equipped indoor and outdoor play areas to facilitate meaningful play experiences. It details methods for fostering oral language development, phonological awareness, and early literacy skills through various activities and a print-rich classroom setting. Strategies for developing number sense, basic operations, spatial awareness, and other core numeracy concepts are outlined. The paper also explores approaches for integrating inquiry-based learning to nurture scientific thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the paper discusses the role of diverse activities in promoting holistic development across physical, cognitive, social-emotional, language, and aesthetic domains. It highlights integrating art and experimentation in ECCE to enhance creativity and self-expression. The role of educators is analyzed, focusing on their contribution to creating stimulating learning environments and facilitating meaningful experiences for children. Challenges in implementing these approaches include infrastructure and resource constraints, teacher training needs, parental engagement, and cultural relevance. However, the evolving policy landscape also presents opportunities for transformation through increased investment, flexibility in curriculum design, and an emphasis on developmentally appropriate practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for future directions, such as strengthening ECCE infrastructure, enhancing teacher professional development, fostering community engagement, conducting further research, and developing culturally appropriate resources. By synthesizing evidence-based practices aligned with policy directives, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of effective pedagogy for fostering young children’s holistic growth and development in early childhood education in India.

Parent-provider communication dynamics during the pediatric oncology diagnostic process in Guatemala: A qualitative study.

Effective communication is founded on bidirectional participation from families and healthcare providers. In adult medicine, bidirectional communication promotes treatment adherence and builds the family-provider relationship. However, the relationship between communication styles in pediatrics remains poorly understood, particularly in culturally diverse settings. This study aims to investigate parent-provider communication dynamics and parental involvement during diagnostic cancer communication in Guatemala. This qualitative study included 20 families of children with cancer and 10 providers at Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica in Guatemala. Psychoeducation and diagnostic conversations between parents, psychologists, and oncologists were recorded and thematically analyzed using a priori and novel codes exploring communication behaviors, parental engagement, and interpersonal dynamics. Participating parents had children with various diagnoses. Only 15% of fathers and 5% of mothers reported education beyond primary school. Providers spoke 68% of words during psychoeducation and 85% of words during diagnosis conversations. Providers used supportive communication behaviors providing explanations, demonstrating verbal attentiveness, and soliciting questions and non-supportive behaviors including paternalistic talk. Parental participation was considered active when they asked questions, expressed hopes or concerns, or asserted their opinions, and non-active when participation was limited to brief responses to closed-ended questions. Supportive provider communication often encouraged active participation; non-supportive communication did not. Furthermore, active parental participation prompted supportive communication from providers, while non-active participation did not. Our findings highlight the bidirectional nature of effective communication, establishing that provider communication styles both influence and are influenced by parental participation, and emphasizing the importance of supportive provider communication for patient-centered care.

Mtoto Wetu Growth and Temperature Monitoring System for Tanzania Child Healthcare Clinics

In most government maternal and child health (MCH) clinics in sub-Saharan countries caregivers rely on manual methods for data acquisition, storage, and analysis, leading to challenges such as errors, inefficiencies, and limited accessibility. Recognising the transformative potential of digital technology, this design aims to innovate the child growth monitoring paradigm by introducing a comprehensive Digitized Child Growth Monitoring System. The "Mtoto Wetu Growth and Temperature Monitoring System" is a comprehensive framework designed to monitor and assess the growth and temperature patterns of infants and young children on a monthly basis. This system integrates various components, including anthropometric measurements, temperature monitoring, immunisation schedule, automated growth chart generation, and parental, caregiver, and health care professionals’ involvement, to provide a holistic approach to child health monitoring. Implemented with standardised protocols, training sessions, and robust data management systems, the monitoring system aims to facilitate early detection of growth abnormalities, and health concerns. By promoting early intervention, preventive care measures, parental empowerment, and continuity of care, the Mtoto Wetu system strives to optimise health outcomes, foster parental engagement, and promote health equity among children. The system was able to provide results with a small amount of error compared to the standard weighing machines, tap measure and digital thermometer

Conducting 24-hour movement behaviour research with preschool children in middle-income countries: Lessons from the SUNRISE pilot study in Mexico.

ObjectivesMovement behaviour research among preschoolers is nascent in low- and middle-income countries, where levels of physical activity, sleep, and sedentary time in children are largely unknown. This study aimed to adapt and assess the acceptability and feasibility of the International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years (SUNRISE) in Mexico, and report on challenges and solutions while implementing the protocol. Study designPilot study of the SUNRISE protocol in Mexico. MethodsSafety, logistic challenges, local dynamics, and population needs were considered to adapt the SUNRISE protocol. A gender-balanced sample of 100 children aged 3-4 years from urban and rural communities were recruited through early childcare and education centres (ECECs). Measures on children’s movement behaviours, anthropometry, gross and fine motor skills, and executive functions were collected. Challenges and solutions for implementing the protocol were documented. ResultsThe protocol was well accepted by the school community (School response rate: 83.3%). Data were collected from 132 children (response rate: 44.4%); 88 children had valid accelerometer data (average wear time: 766.8 min/d).Challenges faced included: stringent regulations to access ECECs, low confidence in the research team and protocol, low literacy levels among parents, lack of basic services in rural areas (e.g., electricity, transportation, accommodation), and poor compliance with accelerometer wear time. To overcome them, changes to the protocol considered: adaptions to meet ECECs dynamics, strategies to enhance trust in the research team and protocols (face-to-face communication, demonstrations, and encouraging parental engagement), seeking community leaders to facilitate access to rural areas and ensure the research team’s safety and access to basic facilities, and strategies to improve accelerometer adherence. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the feasibility of conducting movement behavior research among preschool children through ECECs in Mexico and provides relevant lessons learned that may hold relevance for researchers in settings with similar contexts to Mexico.

Measuring critical parent engagement: the development and validation of the black parent measure of critical consciousness in education

Currently, measures of parent-school involvement do not consider structural racism, and current measures of critical consciousness (CC) include multiple forms of oppression without a focus on any in particular. This paper outlines the development and validation of The Black Parent Measure of Critical Consciousness in Education (BPMCC-E) and assesses Black parents’ analysis of educational inequities and their critical parent engagement. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were run to evaluate the proposed scale. Five internally consistent factors were found suggesting various dimensions that may capture differences in how Black parents critically analyze their children’s schools and engage in that space.

The Parental Influence on Their Children’s Career Choices

This study explores the role of parents in shaping their children’s career aspirations, with a specific focus on the impact of parental education and urban-rural divides on career guidance involvement. Data were collected from 5,000 parents across 200 schools in 17 regions and 3 cities using convenience sampling methods. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze respondents’ demographic and academic backgrounds. The results reveal that parents with secondary education are more actively engaged in guiding their children’s career decisions compared to those with higher education. Furthermore, a significant urban-rural divide exists, with rural parents demonstrating lower awareness and involvement in career guidance activities, potentially limiting career aspirations among rural students. Parental involvement peaks during middle school and declines as students approach higher education. These findings highlight the need for targeted career guidance interventions, particularly in rural areas, to ensure equitable support for all students. The study concludes by recommending strategies to increase parental engagement across different educational levels and geographical locations.

Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Performance in Public Day Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A Case of Kicukiro District

Main purpose of this study was to investigate how parental involvement impacts students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Rwanda, a case of Kicukiro district. This study was supported by the Theory of Epstein and system theory. The study was investigated in this study using the correlation research approach. 476 government day secondary schools teachers who work as respondents for this study was chosen using the purposive sampling method, and a sample size of 218 respondents was obtained using Solvin's formula. For first objective, findings, the data presented in the table 4.4 highlights various aspects of parental involvement in their children's education. A key finding is that a significant majority of parents, 68.6%, strongly agree that they assist their children with homework, and 19.8% agree with this statement. This suggests that most parents are actively engaged in supporting their children's learning at home. For second objectives, A significant proportion of respondents, 48.3%, agree that students' grades have improved, while 34.8% strongly agree, indicating a general consensus that academic performance has seen an upward trend. Based Low promotion rate of students, a majority of respondents, 54.1%, strongly agree, and 36.2% agree that there is a low promotion rate among students, which suggests that despite the perceived improvements in grades, challenges persist in promoting students to the next level. Based on the Improvement in class participation, the data reveals a strong belief in the improvement of class participation, with 62.3% agreeing and 37.5% strongly agreeing with this statement. The Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.927 indicates a very high positive correlation, suggesting that as parental participation increases, students' academic performance also tends to improve. The government should develop and implement national policies that encourage and facilitate parental involvement in education. The government should allocate funds to support programs aimed at increasing parental engagement, such as workshops, training sessions, and community events that educate parents about their role in their children's education.

Subsidiary Learning Opportunities for the Sustainability of Early Child Development.

Dear Sir / Madam In our fast-paced, ever-changing world, the key to a sustainable future is increasingly recognized as nurturing the potential of the youngest members of society.(1). New estimates are that 250 million children (43%) younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential (2). Early child development is the cornerstone upon which a sustainable future is built.(3) Subsidiary learning opportunities are found in the way a caregiver engages in conversation during mealtime, play, bedtime stories, and the wonder of discovering nature in a walk-through park.(4) Key Points Holistic Development: It fosters well-rounded children by encompassing cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development, ensuring they are academically proficient and possess crucial life skills like problem-solving, empathy, and resilience.(5). Early Exposure to Sustainability: this introduces children to sustainability, conservation, and responsible living through activities like gardening, recycling, and exploring nature, fostering an early appreciation for the environment. Cultural and Social Awareness: A global perspective fosters tolerance, understanding, and empathy towards different cultures and backgrounds. Parental Engagement: Subsidiary learning opportunities strengthen the bond to provide a stable, nurturing environment for their children’s growth, contributing to their overall development. Lifelong Learning: Children who are encouraged to explore and ask questions during these years are more likely to become curious, self-motivated learners throughout their lives. In conclusion, subsidiary learning opportunities are the unsung heroes of early child development, laying the groundwork for sustainable futures.

Abstract B049: Building rapport in navigator-delivered health insurance literacy interventions: Engagement and tone used by parents of children with cancer and patient navigators

Abstract Purpose: To explore the linguistic elements of engagement and tone used by parents of children with cancer and a patient navigator (PN) during a pilot study of a health insurance literacy (HIL) intervention. Methods: A trained PN delivered a four-session Zoom-based HIL intervention for parents of children with cancer that contained content on: Session 1 (S1) health insurance terms, (S2) using health insurance, (S3) insurance appeals/legislation, and (S4) budgeting and financial strategies. We applied Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC-22) software to analyze transcriptions of each session regarding engagement and tone. We report, in aggregate, differences in language: analytical language (e.g., formal, logical), clout language (e.g., confidence, leadership), authenticity language (e.g., degree of self-monitoring), and emotional tone (e.g., positive and negative emotion words) (all range 1-99) between S1 and S4 using paired t-tests. We also analyzed language similarities between the PN and the parent using Language Style Matching, which represents the degree to which both speakers are engaged in the conversation. Results: Of 10 participants, 9 completed 4 sessions, and 1 parent completed 3 (39 sessions total); sessions were on average 35.1 (SD=6.4) minutes. Most participants were women (80%), married (90%), white (100%), and non-Hispanic (90%); half had a college degree. The PN spoke more than parents across all four sessions (90% PN vs 8.8% parent); however, parent engagement, as represented by word count, increased as the sessions went on (mean S1: 414 words, S4: 603.8 words, p=0.21). S1 contained the most language exchange between parents and the PN (median word count: 5,533.5). The discussions became increasingly authentic (mean by session: S1:24.2; S4:28.6; p=0.02), held more clout (S1:77.8, S4: 85.8; p=0.009), and increased in emotional tone (S1:49; S4:65, p=0.002). Analytical language decreased over time (S1:24.4; S4:19.8, p=0.05). Language style matching was consistently high and trending upward across sessions (S1:0.80; S4: 0.81, p=0.3). Conclusions: In a pilot test of a HIL intervention, we saw an increase in authentic language, emotional tone, and parent word count coupled with a decrease in analytical language, indicating increased rapport between the PN and parent over the sessions. This suggests there is emotional and supportive value in PN-led interventions as compared to self-directed interventions. PNs can build trust and promote equity by deconstructing and personalizing health insurance information. Future work should explore how rapport built between parents and PNs relates to health insurance literacy and financial toxicity outcomes. Citation Format: Mary K. Killela, Anne C. Kirchhoff, Perla Vaca Lopez, Amy Chevrier, Monique Stefanou, Katie Rogers, Douglas Fair, Echo L. Warner. Building rapport in navigator-delivered health insurance literacy interventions: Engagement and tone used by parents of children with cancer and patient navigators [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B049.

Adaptation and Validation of the Parent Engagement in Early Childhood Education Survey for the Turkish Context

Adaptation and Validation of the Parent Engagement in Early Childhood Education Survey for the Turkish Context

Implementing an early-life nutrition intervention through primary healthcare: staff perspectives

BackgroundNutrition interventions targeting early childhood can be cost-effective and may provide lifelong, intergenerational benefits. From October 2022 to April 2023 the Nutrition Now (NN) e-learning resource was implemented within Early Childhood Education and Care centres and the Maternal and Child Healthcare Centre (MCHC) in a southern Norwegian municipality. As part of the NN project, the present study aims to explore the MCHC staff’s experiences with implementing the NN resource, to gain insights into measures important to scale up digital early-life nutrition interventions.MethodsThree group interviews were conducted among public health nurses and midwives alongside one individual interview with the department leader of a MCHC in May 2023. An inductive thematic analysis, as described by Braun and Clarke, was conducted to generate the key themes and subthemes regarding the implementation process of NN within the MCHC.ResultsThree main themes were generated: [1] Important resource but not always utilized; [2] Parents are interested but had issues with access; and [3] Staff and stakeholder buy-in and commitment needed from the start. Overall, the staff viewed the NN resource as a potential tool for promoting diet-related topics and believed it could support the guidance they were already providing parents. However, few staff members fully familiarized themselves with the resource. While staff perceived parents as positive when informed about NN, they believed issues such as access challenges, competing platforms, and time constraints reduced parental engagement. Lastly, staff suggested improvements for NN’s implementation, including enhanced training, better planning, assigning champions, and lowering the threshold for access.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that the real-world implementation of digital evidence-based health behaviour interventions is feasible but would be enhanced by employing strategies focusing on engagement and utilization.Trial registrationThe main study is registered in the ISRCTN registry with ID ISRCTN10694967, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10694967. (Registration date: 19-06-2022).

Influence of parental stress on online learning engagement among parents in Arab nations

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of parental stress on engagement with online learning during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Arab nations. A total of 729 parents from various Arab countries participated in the study by completing a 42-item questionnaire that measured four types of stress—personal, academic, technical, and financial—as well as behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement. Demographic factors, including gender, income, number of children, and country of residence, were found to correlate with different levels of stress and engagement. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed to validate the relationships between stress and engagement, while MANOVA explored the effects of demographic variables. The results show that personal and academic stress positively influence all forms of engagement, while technical stress has a significant negative effect. Financial stress did not demonstrate a measurable impact on parental engagement. The findings highlight the need for targeted strategies to manage parental stress, particularly personal and academic, to improve parental involvement in online education. These insights are crucial for policymakers and educators in developing support systems for parents during transitions to online learning environments.

Understanding levels of engagement and readiness for change in an eHealth sleep program for children with neurodevelopmental disorders

BackgroundChildren with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) experience high rates of sleep problems. The Better Nights, Better Days for Children with Neurodevelopmental DisordersTM(BNBD-NDDTM) program is an online intervention for parents of children with NDD who have insomnia/insomnia symptoms. The program has recently undergone a national implementation study (recruitment completed; data collection and analysis ongoing), where parental adherence and engagement are being evaluated. Preliminary results have shown that despite high levels of recruitment, there is less utilization of the program than the research team expected. Parental engagement may have been impacted by participants' motivation and readiness for change, as well as indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the current study is to better understand engagement with the BNBD-NDDTM program concerning parental motivation and readiness for change, while considering the possible impacts of COVID-19.MethodsParents of children with NDD (n = 18) who were enrolled in the BNBD-NDDTM program for a minimum of 4 months completed exit interviews using a researcher-generated, semi-structured interview guide. During the interview, participants were asked about their engagement in the program, perspectives on their own readiness for changing their children's sleep, and the impact of COVID-19 on their engagement. Data were analyzed following an inductive content analysis approach.ResultsSeveral categories of data were generated that explain levels of engagement, including: (1) severity of sleep problems; (2) motivation for change; (3) previous strategies for sleep; (4) confidence in the program; (5) sacrifices made to change sleep; (6) maintenance of change; (7) experience with levels of support provided; and (8) impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionParents identified several factors related to their readiness for change as contributors to their engagement level in the BNBD-NDDTM program. The COVID-19 pandemic had varied impacts on engagement for participants in this sample. Understanding parents' engagement levels within the BNBD-NDDTM eHealth program related to their motivation and readiness for change is crucial to optimize uptake and adherence to the program, improve the program's implementation and sustainability, and continue to help children with NDD to sleep better.

Exploring the Development of Creative Imagination across Different School Grades

The development of creative imagination across different school grades involves examining that students’ ability to think creatively and imaginatively evolves as they progress through their education journey. This study examines the development of imaginative creativity across a range of students' grades, emphasizing the roles that various factors play in students' creative growth, such as parental engagement, creative competition participation, innovative problem-solving skills, guidance from teachers, and visualization abilities. Information has been gathered from 150 teachers and 150 students who took part in speech, storytelling, and art competitions. With the use of SPSS version 28, discriminant and factor analyses were carried out to examine how these variables differentiate students across grade levels and identify fundamental aspects of creativity. Also, the self-reported questionnaires were executed to explore the student's creative thinking level. The outcomes show that creative problem-solving skills and mentorship from trainers are important factors in enhancing students' creativity, parental involvement and visualization also have a significant impact. These results highlight the importance of parental and instructional guidance in supporting inventive growth throughout various school grades and provide insightful information about the elements influencing students' increased creativity.

Innovate! Accelerate! Evaluate! Harnessing the RE-AIM framework to examine the global dissemination of parenting resources during COVID-19 to more than 210 million people

BackgroundParents were at the forefront of responding to the needs of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used the RE-AIM framework to examine the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of a global inter-agency initiative that adapted evidence-based parenting programs to provide immediate support to parents.MethodsData were collected via short surveys sent via email, online surveys, and analysis of social media metrics and Google Analytics. Retrospective surveys with 1,303 parents and caregivers in 11 countries examined impacts of the resources on child maltreatment, positive relationship building, parenting efficacy, and parenting stress.ResultsThe parenting resources were translated into over 135 languages and dialects; reached an estimated minimum 212.4 million people by June 2022; were adopted by 697 agencies, organizations, and individuals; and were included in 43 national government COVID-19 responses. Dissemination via social media had the highest reach (n = 144,202,170, 67.9%), followed by radio broadcasts (n = 32,298,525, 15.2%), text messages (n = 13,565,780, 6.4%), and caseworker phone calls or visits (n = 8,074,787, 3.8%). Retrospective surveys showed increased parental engagement and play, parenting self-efficacy, confidence in protecting children from sexual abuse, and capacity to cope with stress, as well as decreased physical and emotional abuse. Forty-four organizations who responded to follow-up surveys in April 2021 reported sustained use of the resources as part of existing services and other crisis responses.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of a) establishing an international collaboration to rapidly adapt and disseminate evidence-based content into easily accessible resources that are relevant to the needs of parents; b) creating open-source and agile delivery models that are responsive to local contexts and receptive to further adaptation; and c) using the best methods available to evaluate a rapidly deployed global emergency response in real-time. Further research is recommended to empirically establish the evidence of effectiveness and maintenance of these parenting innovations.

What do parents know about social-emotional learning in their children’s schools? Gaps and opportunities for strengthening intervention impact

Universal school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs have been shown to have a range of benefits for students. However, these programs tend to focus on students, not involving parents, which may limit their impact outside the school context. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 118 parents, 58 teachers, and 6 school administrators at six public elementary schools across the United States implementing the Second Step SEL program to determine (a) what parents want to know about SEL in their children’s schools and why, (b) what parents actually know about SEL in their children’s schools, and (c) educators’ perspectives on SEL communication with parents. The findings suggest that school staff underestimate parents’ interest in knowing what their children are learning in SEL at school and perceive logistical barriers to SEL communication with parents. Accordingly, many parents report lacking knowledge about SEL despite valuing that knowledge and wishing to support their children’s SEL development. These findings point to ways SEL programs can be designed to better communicate with parents, and importantly, to facilitate parental engagement in the development of their children’s SEL skills.

Reliability and validity of a measure of service providers' perceptions of child and parent engagement in pediatric rehabilitation therapy sessions.

There is growing interest in client engagement in pediatric rehabilitation. This article investigated the psychometric properties of a measure of service providers' perceptions of the affective, cognitive and behavioural engagement of both children with disabilities and their parents in pediatric rehabilitation therapy sessions. Test-retest reliability of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Intervention Measure of Engagement-Service Provider version (PRIME-SP) was examined using engagement ratings made by 60 service providers for 77 children and 73 parents. Construct validity was examined using the known-group validity technique, utilizing service providers' ratings of the engagement of parents and their children attending the same session with the service provider. We hypothesized that there would be significantly different, yet moderately correlated engagement ratings for children and their parents. There was evidence of moderate test-retest reliability for the child ratings, indicative of dynamicity across occasions, but also a degree of consistency, as aligned with our expectations. Service providers' ratings of parent and child engagement were not significantly correlated and paired t-tests indicated significantly higher engagement scores for parents than children. The study provides preliminary evidence to support the reliability and validity of the PRIME-SP as a tool for service providers to document, reflect on and monitor child and/or parent engagement.

Parental Involvement in Reading Among Grade 1 Learners

Parental involvement in reading is crucial for learners. Active engagement helps develop early reading skills, boost self-esteem, and improve parent-child relationships that may grow their children's reading experiences by having frequent storytelling sessions, having book discussions, and setting up a family that values literacy. This study determined the nature of parental involvement in reading among Grade 1 learners in the three identified public elementary schools in Cebu, Philippines. The instruments used in the study included a researcher-made questionnaire administered to 174 parents. Quantitative data from the questionnaire were analyzed using statistical measures such as frequency, simple percentage, weighted mean, and the Chi-square test of independence. It was concluded that although parents were somewhat involved, parents were more active in learning at home. The parental involvement was often modest. The same empirical findings showed no correlation between the respondents' diversified profiles and parental reading engagement with Grade 1 learners. Aware of the results, the researchers politely suggested using the action plans explicitly created to help parents involve their children in reading.

Impact of Parental Time Investment on Child Development among Dual Income Family

This cross-sectional study investigates how early childhood development is impacted by parental time commitment in the Horizon Hill dual-income family community. This study employs quantitative method approach to examine how changes in parental engagement dynamics affect children's behavior, mental health, and cognitive functioning both before and after the intervention. The results demonstrate that families have a great involvement rate, with 10 out of 11 demonstrating a strong dedication to enhancing their children's developmental experiences through the program's seamless integration into their daily routines. The results also show that advances in children's cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral dimensions positively correspond with higher parental investment. These findings highlight how important parental participation is in helping Horizon Hill neighborhood children have great early experiences. This study has ramifications that go beyond improving child well-being and encouraging good parenting techniques through community-based interventions. By comprehending how parental time investment affects child development, policymakers and practitioners can create focused initiatives that enable parents to create caring environments that support their kids' development and success. This study adds to our understanding of the dynamics of parent-child relationships and emphasizes how important it is to spend quality time raising children to promote positive developmental outcomes.

Empowering rural parents to effectively contribute to their children’s education

The high level of inequality in South Africa has widened the gap between rural and urban schools, and the performance of rural schools has been continuously declining compared to urban schools. Poor performance in rural schools is perpetuated by parents being absent from their children’s education because the socio-economic conditions and their educational background do not allow them to commit their time and energy towards education. Learners are left on their own to decide their future. The disparity between rural and urban schooling was further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools were closed during lockdown, teaching and learning was suspended in rural schools, however, in urban schools teaching and learning continued through online platforms. The lockdowns gave parents an opportunity to teach, advocate, and create conducive spaces to help their children focus on learning. During lockdowns, parents were expected to act as teachers in their homes to educate their children, and therefore, school closure presented opportunities for parents to actively participate in their children’s education. However, their socio-economic conditions and poor educational backgrounds continue to threaten effective parental engagement, posing a threat to the academic success of rural learners. Despite attempts by the government to introduce school governing bodies in schools as a structure to integrate schools and parents, the problem of little parental engagement remains unresolved. The purpose with this study was to empower parents in rural areas to effectively participate in their children’s education.