Family, School, Community Partnerships

Effective family, school and community partnerships contribute to improved outcomes, well-being and life chances of young people.

Families are the first and most important educators of their children and the most dominant influence in a child’s life throughout schooling and beyond. When a family becomes part of a Catholic school community within the Diocese of Lismore, they become partners with the school in the educational journey of their child. The purpose of this partnership is to support the faith formation, learning and pastoral care of the student who is at the centre of all our endeavours.

When effective family school partnerships are developed, they help to support both families and school communities amidst the pressures of school and family life. Effective family school partnerships are developed when relationships between home and school are based upon trust and ongoing, open dialogue and result in all members of the partnership feeling respected, valued and cared for.

Investing our time, energy and commitment to develop positive family school partnerships is critically important for your children. Substantial research has clearly proven that schools, families and communities working together have a profound and positive effect on children’s achievement, well being and life chances including:

• improved academic performance
• higher levels of wellbeing and self-efficacy
• completion of further study

Simply put, family, school and community partnerships matter.

Parent Representative Bodies in the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS)

A requirement of each DLCS school within the Parish, is a commitment to strong partnerships between home, school and parish community. A key support for these partnerships is through Parent Representative Bodies. These bodies offer families a voice, a way to connect, and opportunities to actively support the life of the school and the community.

There are two models of Parent Representative Bodies operating in the DLCS schools:

• School Community Groups
• School Community Forums

School Community Groups

School Community Groups (SCGs) are flexible and responsive groups that support the mission and goals of the school. They operate in ways that suit the unique context of each school community.

Key features of School Community Groups:

• Open and inclusive membership for all parents and carers
• Focus on building community, supporting learning, nurturing the Catholic identity of the school, and supporting school improvement efforts
• Regular meetings or gatherings shaped around school needs
• SCGs prioritise connection, collaboration, and contribution—ensuring parents feel welcomed and involved.
• SCGs have no formal positions and no fundraising or financial accountabilities.

School Community Group Guidelines

School Community Forums

School Community Forums (SCFs) offer a more structured model of parent engagement, with formal meeting processes and designated leadership roles.

Key features of School Community Forums:

• Elected or appointed leadership roles (e.g. Chair, Secretary, Treasurer)
• A scheduled calendar of meetings open to all families
• Clear focus areas including school priorities, parent voice, fundraising, and community building
• Fundraising and financial accountabilities and charitable organisation registration
• Opportunities for dialogue between school leadership and parents.

Both models reflect our belief that families are essential partners in education. Whether through a School Community Group or Forum, parent involvement helps schools thrive and communities grow in faith and learning.

School Community Forum Constitution

Parent Assembly

The Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly is a unique organisation that seeks to support and serve parents of children in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lismore. Parent Assembly believes that “it takes a village to raise a child” and works to support and connect families by:

• Accompanying families on their spiritual journeys.
• Promoting family and school partnerships. Children simply do better when the important people in their lives - their families, school teachers and leaders - work together for the best outcomes for the child.
• Providing high quality presentations and workshops to parents/carers on a wide range of topics to support and equip them with strategies and information for a healthy and happy family life.
• Providing opportunities for families to connect with one another. Families do better when they feel they belong and are connected to their parish school community.
• Engaging in advocacy for Catholic school parents and share important information about issues such as government funding and education policy to parents through Parent Assembly’s membership on the NSW Council of Catholic School Parents.

The Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) NSW/ACT is the peak representative body for parents and carers of children in NSW Catholic schools.

CCSP is the voice and advocate for parents and carers of children in NSW Catholic schools. CCSP develops tools to assist parents and carers better engage with their child’s education.