Early Childhood Education and Care Educators Supporting Parent-Child Relationships: A Systematic Literature Review

Building strong relationships between children and parents is vital for children's social and emotional development. A majority of children attend early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings where they experience a range of relationships (educator-child, educator-parent, parent-child). Educators build relationships with children and parents, yet their influence on parent-child relationships is not well understood. Therefore, an evaluation of interventions/programs designed to promote parent-child relationships in ECEC settings (long day care, occasional care and preschool) and a range of settings (play groups, community groups and health centres) was conducted. The search revealed 21 peer-reviewed studies and seven interventions: two conducted in ECEC settings and five in a range of parent-child support settings. All studies reported intervention efficacy, yet none examined educators' influence on parent-child relationships. Investigation into current educator practices is recommended to ensure educators are supported to promote and nurture parent-child relationships, consequently strengthening children's social and emotional development.