planned and recorded actions which take account of the wishes, feelings and knowledge of parents at all stages.  Children's progress will be diminished if their parents are not seen as partners in the educational process with unique knowledge and information to impart.  Professional help can seldom be wholly effective unless it builds upon parents' capacity to be involved and unless parents consider that professionals take account of what they say and treat their views and anxieties as intrinsically important.

2:29. The school-based stages should therefore utilise parents' own distinctive knowledge and skills and contribute to parents' own understanding of how best to help their child.  The identification of a special educational need may be alarming to parents.  In some instances parents may consider that their early concerns were given insufficient attention.  Schools should not interpret a failure to participate as indicating a lack of interest or willingness.  Parents may feel they are being blamed for their child's difficulties when the school first raises questions with them.  Nonetheless, schools should make every effort to encourage parents to recognise that they have responsibilities towards their child, and that the most effective provision will be made when they are open and confident in working in partnership with the school and with professionals.

2:30. If the child has a behavioural difficulty or is following a developmental activity of any kind which requires a structured approach in school, reinforcement at home by parents will be crucial.  Many parents can become discouraged by their child's continuing difficulties at home and at school, and feel themselves to be inadequate in dealing with the difficulty.  The governing body, head teacher and the SEN coordinator should consider how the school can support such parents.

2:31. Some parents may have problems in understanding written information and communicating with schools because of literacy difficulties or if English or Welsh is not their first language.  The school should consider how best to involve such parents, and whether to make written information available in the main languages of the local community, using the resources of relevant community-based organisations.  In some instances taped or videotaped information packs may be helpful, particularly in illustrating the type of provision and support which is available, and how parents may help their children at home.

2:32. Schools should be aware of the definitions of 'parent' and 'parental responsibility', which are in the Glossary.  They should know in each instance who should be regarded as a parent of a particular child and who should therefore be consulted regarding the child's progress in school.  It is often the case that adults in more than one household qualify as parents for the purposes of the Education Acts.  All those with parental responsibility for a child have rights and responsibilities towards the child: a school should endeavour to keep records of all those with parental responsibility and involve them as much as possible in the child's education.  However, this will not always be practical and a school may be able to discharge its responsibilities by dealing with the parent who has day-to-day care of the child.  Where parents disagree among themselves about decisions regarding their child's education, they can apply to the Court for resolution under the Children Act 1989.