Written question WQ85627

We collect the views of parents in multiple ways, via surveys, interviews, focus groups, engagement and involvement groups, working with organisations representing the views of parents and social listening. We do this to understand awareness, experiences and views about policy, and use findings to inform policy development and appraisal, to support policy implementation and to understand its impacts.

The annual National Survey for Wales, that we have been running since 2012, randomly samples from all adults and covers a representative sample of parents and carers and includes a range of questions (all available on the internet) on, for example satisfaction with the education system, with the child’s school, with the information they receive about their child and with ALN provision.

We also run a programme of research and evaluation activity, carrying out or commissioning research projects which often include surveys and focus groups amongst parents.

Examples from the recent past are the Review of Counselling Services and research on the Whole School Approach to Mental and Emotional Wellbeing which worked with the parent organisations Parent’s Voices in Wales and the Fostering Network in Wales to collect parents’ and carers’ views on policy and provision and how they can be improved.

Current examples are: the parent/carer survey within the evaluation of the school enrichment trials; parent/carer focus groups as part of the research into attitudes towards school year reform in Wales and survey and focus groups as part of the development of a new information ecosystem to support improvement, accountability and transparency.

Our evaluation of implementation and impact of the ALN system is about to commence and will include surveys and interviews amongst parents and carers to check the reforms are having the intended effects and ensure their experiences and views inform future support and guidance to delivery partners.

As we publish detailed plans for evaluation of the Curriculum for Wales reforms in the coming months, we will set out the key role that research amongst parents and carers will play in informing our work to ensure they are aware of the changes taking place and become even more active partners in their children’s learning.

We are currently scoping research and evaluation for evaluation of Universal Free School Meals, Free Breakfast, and National Music Service policies, which will include fieldwork amongst parents/carers.

We grant-fund research activities within our Higher Education Institutions in Wales, which also includes collecting parents views. Examples are studies currently under way looking at the impacts of the pandemic on parent-school relationships and on health and wellbeing for families with ALN learners.

We also work closely with our partners and other organisations who are surveying parents such as Children in Wales, the Child Poverty Action Group and Parentkind to focus their research in ways that will collect opinions that will inform policy, and to ensure their findings inform our evidence base.

Communications and engagement with parents is a key feature of the new Curriculum for Wales, and our community focused schools. While engagement with parents is most effectively done at a school level, we run national campaigns that support schools, which will include parental focus groups to establish views and attitudes and test messaging. An area currently under development is addressing the issue of absenteeism, and what messaging best works with parents to help parents understand the importance of school for their children.