PROMOTING parental participation in education is to be the focus of a new assembly all party group.
The new collective provides an opportunity for the parents of almost 650,000 children to have their voice heard on education policy.
All party groups provide a forum by which MLAs and outside organisations and individuals can meet to discuss shared interests in a particular cause or subject.
They are informal and do not have any of the powers of an assembly committee, nor do they have any formal role in policy development.
Charity Parentkind has been championing the voice of parents and PTAs for more than 60 years.
It said there has never been a greater need for an All Party Group on Parental Participation in Education.
"Schools are not an island. Parents must be involved with their children's learning and school if their child is to thrive and reach their potential," said Parentkind's Head of Country Jayne Thompson.
"But in order to enable parents to become that educational partner, they must be equipped with greater insight and information on how education works and how they can support their child’s learning at home and at school."
The new group will support best practice and provision for parental engagement in education policy and directly with schools by encouraging use of Parentkind's `blueprint toolkit' for parent friendly schools.
It will also establishment a parent body in every school and advocate parent voice at every level.
Education Minister Peter Weir said his department recognised the central importance of parental involvement as part of children's development and learning.
"Opportunities such as these are important in promoting and supporting parental engagement in education on a cross-party, cross-departmental and cross-sectoral basis."
