This one-day masterclass provides staff with the confidence, tools, and frameworks to manage challenging or sensitive interactions with parents and carers, strengthening trust, reducing conflict, and fostering productive home–school partnerships.
This masterclass is designed for staff who want to improve communication with families, especially when conversations become emotionally charged, complex, or high stakes. Focussing on collaborative engagement, de-escalation, and relationship-building, drawing on national guidance including the DfE’s Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers, Working Together to Improve School Attendance (2024), and the SEND Code of Practice (2015).
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This masterclass is designed for school leaders, teachers, SENCOs, pastoral leads, senior mental health leads, designated safeguarding leads, support staff, and frontline office staff who regularly engage with parents and carers across mainstream primary and secondary schools and specialist provisions. It is suitable for staff handling routine inquiries, attendance issues, behavioural concerns, or sensitive SEND-related matters.
KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this mastermind, participants will be able to:
Understand the key drivers behind parent–school conflict and how these differ from staff-based or pupil-based challenges.
Apply communication strategies grounded in empathy, clarity, and professional boundaries to foster trust with families.
Use de-escalation and calm-conversation techniques tailored to emotionally charged parental interactions.
Manage difficult messages with confidence, whether relating to attendance, behaviour, SEND concerns, progress, or wellbeing.
Navigate conversations with parents experiencing anxiety, frustration, or lack of trust in the system.
Implement family-centred approaches aligned with DfE guidance on partnership and co-production.
Respond constructively to complaints, criticism, or repeated dissatisfaction while maintaining positive relationships.
Support parents to engage collaboratively in early intervention and problem-solving around school-based concerns.
Strengthen interfaces between office staff, pastoral teams, and leadership so parents experience consistent communication.
Develop a personalised action plan to embed positive parent– school communication practices within their role and setting.
FACILITATOR
Kelly is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultant, serving as the Director and founder of Mind Work Matters Ltd., with a focus on prioritising wellbeing and people in education. Renowned as an award-winning motivational speaker, author, and creator of the ‘Family Matters’ programme, Kelly’s expertise extends to advising on school improvement and cultivating healthy work cultures. Employing a systemic approach, she collaborates with various stakeholders, including local authorities, MATS, and pastoral teams, to promote healthy environments and provide expert training for Senior Mental Health Leads. Her strategies empower individuals in education to thrive amidst challenges, enhancing aspirations, engagement, attendance, and outcomes. Recently, Kelly has spearheaded the DFE Wellbeing for Education Return project and continues to lead education development processes, earning recognition from the DfE, NCB, The Anna Freud Centre, and The Education Support Partnership as a key influencer in mental health and wellbeing within education.
