The well-being of a child in preschool is intertwined with the well-being of their family and home. The perspective of parents and their contribution to preschool work is an important part of having a comprehensive view of the welfare and well-being of children. When children start preschool, parents and preschool need to lay the foundation for collaboration where the care and well-being of children is the guiding principle. In this, preschool teachers and other staff must show understanding and respect for diverse family types and cultures. Consideration must be given to language stimulation and to giving them tools for communication and social participation right from the beginning of preschool. In this regard, preschool staff are important role models. Collaboration between preschool staff and parents needs to be based on mutual understanding and respect for each other’s experiences, attitudes, values ​​and knowledge. It is important that there is trust between these parties, that they can share their views and make joint decisions concerning individual children.

At the beginning of preschool, the cornerstone of cooperation between parents and the preschool is laid. Parents are given the opportunity to become familiar with the preschool’s working methods, ideology and curriculum, and the preschool staff receives information about the child, their circumstances, experience and interests. The child’s first steps in preschool are based on this mutual information. Parents need to receive the message right from the start that their contribution is highly valued and that they are seen as important partners. Staff should strive to reach out to the parents of all children. When multilingual children start preschool, it is necessary to have a conversation with the parents about their status in their mother tongue and Icelandic. Consideration must be given to language stimulation and to giving them tools for communication and social participation.

Daily communication needs to be characterized by a willingness to cooperate and respect for the feelings and opinions of children, parents, preschool teachers and other staff. The most frequent communication takes place when parents bring their children to and pick them up from preschool, and it is important that this time is used for daily communication whenever possible. Preschool staff also need to seize opportunities to provide parents with information about the preschool and their child and to listen to parents’ views and ideas. Similarly, it is important that parents are encouraged to ask questions about the work in the preschool and their children’s preschool attendance.

Regular conversations between parents and preschool teachers provide opportunities for meaningful discussions about the child’s well-being, learning and development at home and in the preschool. Parents know their children best and support their schooling by providing important information that lays the foundation for the child’s learning. Parents should also have good access to all information about the preschool and their children so that they can monitor their schooling, provide them with support and encouragement. Children’s diverse backgrounds should be respected and parents of multilingual children should be encouraged to maintain their mother tongue. All children should be supported to progress in Icelandic and parents should be educated about language development and literacy.

Family participation in preschool activities is encouraged and based on the idea that the family and the preschool are partners. Efforts should be made to listen to the views of parents and promote their influence, including through the preschool’s parent council and participation in internal evaluation. Preschool teachers reflect on and evaluate children’s views and the contribution of parents to preschool activities. With their professionalism, they are responsible for ensuring that the organization of the work takes into account the overall interests of everyone involved.