Effective communication between practitioners and families is essential to developing partnerships Varied provision such as foundation units, children's centres, private and voluntary nurseries and multi-agency family teams has further highlighted the need for effective communication between practitioners and parents.However, irrespective the range of services and provision, the aim remains unchanged the need to maintain positive communication is also important for children, as they can associate negative interactions with their behaviour, especially if there is poor communication between the home and setting (Whalley, 2007). For example, if there is disagreement between a parent and practitioner and this remains unresolved, a child may believe that this occurred because they have behaved poorly or done something has wrong. To maximize family partnership opportunities, communication needs