ABSTRACT

This paper considers the importance parents place on engaging with children’s schools following the dissolution of parental intimate partner relationships. These periods of family transition typically involve many changes to everyday life, and can be complicated by tensions, disputes and competing agendas between parties. During such times, school staff may be unaware of family circumstances, uncomfortable about being privy to what many consider private matters, or unsure of their responsibilities based on the information available to them. For parents, however, the link between home and school can be a critical aspect of maintaining community connections and supporting children’s learning and wellbeing during a time of personal and family upheaval. Here we draw on in-depth interviews with four Australian parents, whose experiences highlight how gendered norms and assumptions that underpin everyday school activities and practices can create exclusions and additional demands for families in need of sensitivity, safety and support.

摘要

本文考虑了在父母亲密伙伴关系解除后，父母对与儿童学校接触的重视。这些家庭过渡时期通常涉及日常生活的许多变化，并且可能因各方之间的紧张、纠纷和竞争议程而变得复杂。在这种情况下，学校工作人员可能不了解家庭情况，对了解许多人认为是私人事务的事情感到不安，或者根据他们可以获得的信息不确定自己的责任。然而，对于父母来说，家庭和学校之间的联系可能是在个人和家庭动荡时期维持社区联系和支持儿童学习和幸福的一个关键方面。在这里，我们借鉴了对四位澳大利亚父母的深入采访，