A strategic view of parent participation

Abstract

Partnership and parental participation are terms which have featured frequently in discussions of educational matters in recent years. Their exact meaning and implications, however, are problematic. This paper seeks to move towards a strategic understanding of parental participation and in doing this addresses several themes: the concept of participation; contrasting perspectives on parental participation; the development of ‘welfare state’ rationality; the growth and significance of collective consumption and with this the development of the consumer‐citizen; and strategies towards consumer weakness. Tackling consumer weakness, it is argued, requires radically changing (or re‐casting) the relationship between consumer‐citizens and producers. It is suggested that education is a sphere which is particularly fruitful for the investigation and development of such a policy. The themes discussed in the paper suggest an alternative approach or framework for education and participation is required and this is briefly outlined. The paper concludes with proposals for promoting collective parental involvement and influence; in particular, a scheme for a national representative body for parents, which is both government‐funded and accountable to local associations of parents, is put forward.