In addition to highlighting the importance of interchanges with parents being based on respect for diversity, the practice literature offers some specific guidance to resolve caregiving conflicts. Such feelings may lead to behaviour problems, cause delay in the development of specific skills such as learning to talk or even damage the child's sense of belonging and connection to his/her family. Approaches to discipline and toileting (e.g., the age when toileting is begun, use of training pants) were most often reported. Parents may also need help to clarify the particular problem or concern from their own perspective, as a basis for more effective communication with carers. Ask your child to brush his teeth, or get dressed in the morning, or change into pajamas at night. If a carer is not comfortable doing something a certain way, or doing routine tasks differently, the matter needs to be resolved in a positive fashion. Parents who speak with their children and explain why, for example, you say thank you when someone is kind, or why you should not hit siblings when they don’t give you their toys, are helping to raise a child who thrives in social situations. Gonzalez-Mena, J., Herzog, M., & Herzog, S. (1996). From this point a plan of action that is comfortable for both caregiver and the parent can be negotiated. (2007). National Childcare Accreditation Council. Attitudes towards children's care and development are influenced by factors such as socio-economic background and age. An unhelpful attitude that experience and training in the child care profession placed carers' wisdom above that of the parent was also evident from the research. Both parties then need to discuss how they feel about the other's viewpoint and practice. Despite spending more time talking with parents, carers in family day care may not necessarily initiate strategies specifically aimed at home-child care harmony. Differences were also noted in feeding solid foods, specifically the amount of child independence that is allowed or encouraged (carers emphasising independence and exploration and parents assisting children to minimise waste and mess). The practice messages included in the current paper offer some guidance to carers to enhance communication and build productive relationships with parents. The experience and perception of continuity between home and day care from the perspectives of child, mother and caregiver. In terms of encouraging contributions from parents, approximately three-quarters of carers in centre-based care reported that they engaged parents to discuss their childrearing perspectives. A study conducted in Melbourne by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, called Child care in cultural context (CCICC) (Wise & Sanson, 2000), which compared children's home and child care environments, suggested that carers in family day care adopted a more informal approach to communicating with parents and tended to work somewhat more intensely on parent engagement and communication than carers in centre-based care, primarily using transition times at the beginning and end of each day to engage parents (Hand & Wise, 2006). A variety of situations were used for this purpose; daily transition times, when the child commenced care and at parent-teacher evenings and other social events. Given the diversity of cultures that make up Australian society, it is vital that child care professionals have the skills and inclination to work collaboratively with parents with different values, beliefs and languages. Take time to talk to your child about their feelings, beliefs, and concerns, and share your values. Initially, the conversation should aim to identify the problem in words and to clarify both points of view. Findings from the CCICC study and other research suggests that early childhood professionals need to be mindful of working collaboratively with parents and children. Caregivers and parents need to share information about caregiving practices so that areas of common ground and points of difference can be identified. The resources cited at the end of the paper offer detailed practical advice for early childhood professionals about ways to enhance communication and build partnerships with parents. On a range of parenting dimensions, and especially in relation to the use of power as a behaviour management strategy, significant differences were observed between groups of parents and carers. We acknowledge all traditional custodians, their Elders past, present and emerging and we pay our respects to their continuing connection to their culture, community, land, sea and rivers. Information about the philosophical perspectives and approaches to curriculum were generally communicated via newsletters and information booklets. Retrieved 7 May 2007, from www.ncac.gov.au/factsheets/factsheet8.pdf.