“Holding the Family and the Child in Front of Everything Else” An Exploration of Educational Psychologists’ Perspectives on Family-Centred Practice in Early Years Education: An Appreciative Inquiry

Abstract

This thesis explores Educational Psychologists’ (EPs) perspectives on their role in relation to a family-centred model of partnership within the context of early years education (EYE). It comprises of four chapters which include: a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), a critical consideration of the methodological and ethical assumptions of the project, an empirical research study and a reflective account of the research process. The SLR (Chapter 1) explores families’ perspectives on what contributes towards effective family-centred practice (FCP) within an Early Years context. A metaethnographic approach was adopted to synthesise the findings from six papers, which were identified as being relevant to this review and the research question. Findings were conceptualised into three key themes: Relational Behaviours (quality interactions and relatedness and an ethics of care), Dialogic Behaviours (valuing local knowledge, enabling and scaffolding dialogue and validating and legitimising families’ voices) and Participatory Behaviours (democratic partnerships and co-construction). A theoretical model of FCP, from the perspectives of the families whom it was designed to serve, was generated from these findings. By prioritising the views of families over other professional groups who may traditionally hold more power, this framework may contribute towards redressing power imbalances within the context of partnership working. Chapter 2 provides a rationale and argument for the empirical research question as derived from the SLR. A critical reflection of the philosophical assumptions are discussed with a focus on how relational constructionism can provide a suitable lens to view the empirical research, providing justification for the methodology adopted. Ethical considerations of this project are also explored throughout this chapter. As derived from the SLR, the empirical report (Chapter 3) follows the five-step process of an Appreciative Inquiry, whereby a group of six EPs from one local authority explore their past and current successes in implementing FCP. Conceptual ideas around what may be possible within a preferred future were also explored. The data was analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. The findings highlighted several factors that could contribute towards EPs re-orientating their professional practice to a more family-centred model of practice within the context of an Educational Psychology Service (EPS). This included the identification of current practice which supports the joint experience of FCP,

alongside suggestions which could open up new opportunities for co-action and promote broader organisational and systemic change. The use of this theoretical model of practice may support a new understanding of how FCP can be understood and implemented within the context of an EPS. The final chapter (Chapter 4) provides a reflective account of the research journey. This includes the exploration of how my engagement in this process has influenced me on a personal and professional level, impacting upon my future practice. Finally, several potential next steps are outlined in relation to future research and wider practice.