'Invisible' parents project

Read the CDU news story about this project

Project investigators: Assoc Prof Tess Lea, Prof Lesley Barclay, Kate Senior, Georges Oteng

This three-year project, which commenced in 2007, is investigating barriers that prevent parents of struggling students from being involved in their child’s schooling.

Knowing about parents could be a key for school success. If parent involvement in schooling improves the prospects of children at risk of education failure, then knowing the sources of avoidance and alienation is critical. This research will work with Indigenous caregivers who tend to avoid school interactions in three Northern Territory schools to find out why they do not engage. Using anthropological techniques, the researchers are exploring the issues that matter with the 'invisible' parents who tend to avoid the school's methods of outreach and communication. Knowing how to engage parents is a key step to knowing how to engage students.

The results will be used by The Smith Family to inform their work in early intervention for children who are at risk of education failure, particularly benefiting remote and rural communities.

Funder: Australian Research Council