National Families Week 2026
REAIE acknowledges the significance of National Families Week and joins with the broader community in recognising the essential role families play in the lives, learning and wellbeing of children.
Families invite more than participation. They call us into relationship. When educators and families come together in shared dialogue, we encounter a rich landscape of perspectives, experiences and knowledge that shape children’s sense of belonging and identity. Each family brings unique values, histories and aspirations, reminding us there is no single story of family life — and always more to learn.
This week offers an opportunity to reflect on what meaningful engagement truly looks like:
- What becomes possible when we create space for authentic dialogue with families?
- How can we strengthen relationships that honour and trust families as co-constructors in children’s learning?
- In what ways are we listening to and valuing the diverse knowledges families bring?
With this in mind, we must remember that meaningful engagement with families is not an addition to our work, but central to it. At the inaugural Jan Millikan Public Lecture in February this year we were reminded that the rights of families should be at the forefront of our minds in education. Now, more than ever, we recognise that for families, connection with early childhood settings is shaped by trust, openness and the experience of being genuinely heard and valued.
Lori’s Malaguzzi reminds us that:
“There is an inner voice that pushes children on, but this force is greatly multiplied when they are convinced that facts and ideas are resources, just as their friends and the adults in their lives are precious resources. It is especially at this point that children expect – as they have from the beginning of their life adventure – the help and truthfulness of grownups”.
Loris Malaguzzi (from the catalogue of the exhibit ‘The Hundred Languages of Children’)
Malaguzzi highlights the importance of relationships as an integral part of the learning process, where knowledge is co-constructed through connection with others and the world. In this way, partnerships with families are not peripheral, but foundational to meaningful educational experiences.
During National Families Week 2026, REAIE reaffirms that strong partnerships with families must be lived and celebrated, not simply stated.
