THE INCLUSION INDEX · NATIONAL RESEARCH · 2026
Parent and carer voice
Understand what helps the relationship between families and education settings work, and where support feels less dependable.
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61.5%
School works with the family
We listened when parents and carers said: “The school works with me to support my child.”
Why? A family describes regular communication and partnership. Their wider account also describes difficulties accessing external support.
They said:
“Constant communication with parents. They see us as a team.”
Parent/carer · PQ01
A question for your setting
How do you agree support around the individual child with their families?
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Trust
55.9%
Trust school to act in their child’s interests
We listened when families said: “I trust the school to act in my child’s best interest.”
Why? Positive words are explicitly contrasted with lack of follow-through. It is important not just. toact, but act with he support of the family.
Families told us:
“They say "you're his mother, you know him best." This is lovely, but it would make a lot more sense if they followed up on this with action.”
Parent/carer · PQ04
A question for your setting
How can you both make commitments clear and follow them through?
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84.5%
Understand school information
We listened when homes said: “I understand the information the school sends me.”
Why? Many families feel that technology and 1:1 contact support positive communication which in turns helps voice and relationships. Other answers describe unmet communication needs.
Parent and Carers said:
“Some teachers are good with the classroom app and share photos and details about my daughter's day and respond quickly to my questions.”
Parent/carer · PQ10
A question for your setting
How can you keep messages clear, timely and two-way?
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This theme is informed by comments and related experiences. No direct theme score is reported.
Why is this important? A ‘proposed’ arrangement is not evidence that the arrangement is in place for parents and carers. They need clarity and involvement in what happens to their child/ren.
“A single point of contact who is kept informed of decisions from around them, and has a reliable system in place, which communicates to all staff and allows actions to be put in place”
Parent/carer · PQ08
A question for your setting
How can your staff teams reduce the need to chase and retell?
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57.0%
Have seen action on feedback
We listened when homes said: “I have seen the school act on feedback.”
Why? Our national research, representing 500,000 families, illustrated that when families feel their voice is heard, have a better sense of belonging and community with their school, trust or local area.
Families told us:
“We really enjoy their "Feedback Fridays" (termly!) where they email the feedback they've received plus their responses”
Parent/carer · PQ02
A question for your setting
Can you show families what changed and explain what could not?
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63.1%
Know a staff member who understands their family
We listened when parents and carers said: “There is at least one staff member who understands my family’s needs.”
Why? Being heard creates trust, safety and social capital between families and their schools.
Parent and carers said:
“They have appointed a really strong SEND and wellbeing liaison officer. I wish she could share her communication approach more widely in the school.”
Parent/carer · PQ03
A question for your setting
How can you make access and continuity dependable to encourage strong and positive relationships with your community?
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70.3%
Family identity is respected
We listened when homes said: “My family’s identity (culture, background or situation) is respected in school.”
Why? When people know that their identity and lived experiene is respected, they feel a stronger sense of social capital and belonging.
Families said:
“Our school encouraged parents within each class to connect, particularly those that live in the same area, before the start of the year”
Parent/carer · PQ05
A question for your setting
Ask directly what helps families feel part of the community.
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44.6%
Feel supported in difficult situations; a related measure
We listened when homes said: “I feel supported during difficult or challenging situations.”
Why? For families that are navigating education systems, challenging domestic environments or a lack of school staffing, having a trusted adult who makes them believe they (and their children) are safe supports their wellbeing too.
Homes said:
“Having staff that understood his challenges in the context of communication and sensory rather than behavioural!”
Parent/carer · excerpt · PQ12
A question for your setting
Do your staff and families know how to act in times of distress, and understand how to agree a supportive response?
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This theme is informed by triangulated mixed methods research. No direct theme score is reported.
We asked about homes about transitions as our initial workshop research informed the team know much time and energy can be exerted by families in anticipation and following transition points in education.
A great example here illustrated by a family is of a school connecting families before the school year; not as a measured transition outcome.
“Our school encouraged parents within each class to connect, particularly those that live in the same area before the start of the year.”
Parent/carer · PQ05
Another parent described how a smooth transition to secondary school supported their own wellbeing as well as their confidence in their child’s support.
“Knowing how supported my child is at school and the smooth transition from primary to secondary has massively helped my mental health and wellbeing.”
Parent/carer · PQ13
A question for your setting
Do you know how to connect families and carry support into the next stage of their school life?
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53.8%
Decisions consider individual needs
We listened when parents and carers said: “Decisions about my child consider their individual needs.”
Why? Understanding your individual parent and carers’ culture, creating community links that appeal to them, and offering accessible listening opportunities (on their terms) support inclusion and parental engagement.
Families said:
“They truly listen to the children and get to know them as individuals. We are very pleased with the school.”
Parent/carer · excerpt · PQ11
A question for your setting
Do you know how to recognise the child and family beyond one label?
EXPLORE TEN THEMES
Which families experience trust and support?
Bringing inclusion into focus with Kaleidoscopic Data™
Looking beyond the overall result reveals differences in families’ experiences of education.
Trust that school acts in their child’s best interest was more positive among parents and carers reporting no diagnosed additional needs for their child (72.1%) than among those reporting diagnosed needs (40.0%).
Family circumstances also matter to the questions we ask: 50.6% of respondents in two-parent households felt supported during difficult situations, compared with 26.7% in single-parent households.
Differences extended to everyday resources, with 89.7% in two-parent households saying they could meet basic costs, compared with 48.4% in single-parent households.
These findings invite schools to consider how communication, practical support and the costs of participation fit around families’ lives.
Explore the full findings in the Inclusion Index →
Helping shape your Inclusion Strategy
Families’ experiences can help schools understand barriers that may be less visible in everyday school information. The DfE’s guidance for England asks schools to involve families and pupils when developing their Inclusion Strategy and identifies strong partnerships with families and wider services as one of its seven principles. Read the guidance.
Kaleidoscopic Data™ can help schools explore whose voices are heard, whether support reaches families when needed and what happens after concerns are raised. Used alongside local evidence, these insights can inform practical priorities and help families see how their contributions shape what happens next.
Explore how Kaleidoscope can support your Inclusion Strategy →
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Use local voice to recognise strengths, agree priorities and review what changes.
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The Inclusion Index · September 2026