Research consistently shows that when parents and teachers work together as partners in education there are numerous positive academic and wellbeing outcomes for children. For teachers, the benefits of having positive relations with parents include higher levels of job satisfaction and teaching self-efficacy and lower levels of poor health indicators such as stress and burnout. However, teachers currently feel under prepared to work with parents and indicate this to be one of their biggest needs for professional development.

The Alliance of Parents and Teachers (APT) project aims to address this need by developing and evaluating an intervention for teachers, to equip them with the skills to proactively develop positive relationships with parents. A key component of program development has been involving consumer and end-user engagement to better understand teachers’ current experiences of parent interactions, how these interactions are impacting their wellbeing and what additional support teachers require in this area.​

This project is supported by funding from the Life Course Centre and is being conducted with support and advice from the Queensland College of Teachers.

Project members

Grace Kirby

Research Officer

Dr Julie Hodges

Senior Principal Psychologist

Professor Matthew Sanders

Foundation Professor of Parenting Studies and Family Psychology, Strategic Advisor and Founder of Triple P
Professor and Director, Parenting and Family Support Centre
School of Psychology