Sensitive and confidential family communication
New portfolio preparation record | A prospective protocol, not minutes, correspondence or a claim that a parent meeting took place.
Open printable PDFBefore the conversation
Check school procedures, the authorised recipient and preferred communication method. Clarify purpose, invite family priorities and identify any interpreter or accessibility needs.
During the conversation
Discuss learning in plain language, use specific evidence, listen without assumptions and check understanding. Work sensitively and confidentially; avoid information that identifies other students.
Shared planning and follow-up
Agree manageable next steps only through genuine consultation. Summarise the actual discussion accurately, store the record in an approved location and confirm how progress will be reviewed.
Safeguarding limits
Do not promise absolute secrecy. Follow applicable safety and reporting obligations and seek guidance where necessary. Consultation does not replace a required protective response.
Sources informing this record
Prepared from Family-School Partnerships Framework—Strategies, “Communicate”, pp. 2–3: https://www.education.gov.au/download/4280/family-school-partnerships-framework-strategies/6384/document/pdf. Academic support: Goodall & Montgomery (2014), https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2013.781576; Baxter & Kilderry (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103561.
Suggested reference
Dev, S. (2026d). Sensitive and confidential family communication [Portfolio preparation record]. Sarabjeet Dev – Professional Teaching Portfolio. https://sarabjeet-teaching-portfolio.netlify.app/records/family-communication-protocol.pdf