Promoting ECEC quality through educational alliance and family involvement : reflections arising from an empirical investigation in the Municipality of Livorno

Family and community involvement is a key lever to enhance ECEC quality (OECD, 2012), since it nurtures each child’s well-being and learning (Desforges & Abouchaar, 2003; Weiss et al., 2008). This paper aims at discussing this topic through the gaze of families’ pedagogy and educational alliance (Fruggeri, 2015; Gigli, 2016, 2021; Guerra & Luciano, 2015). Part of the results of an investigation involving a sample of parents (N=43) with children attending ECEC services in the Municipality of Livorno is presented, to prompt reflection on how to foster family involvement. Focus group interviews were carried out and data presented concern parents’ opinions about difficulties characterizing family life and their views on how educational institutions and welfare could support them in carrying out their parental functions. Data were coded both through a deductive and inductive process (Boyatzis, 1998), and show that participants often conceive their parental role in a performative way and report a lack of time, energy and difficulties in managing their emotions. A critical analysis of these instances can pave the way for ECEC services to nurture a co-evolutionary approach, improving their quality by increasing educational alliance, family involvement and by supporting educating communities.