There were the usual speeches and banners and clapping. There was also lots of smiling and nodding and good cheer. And a cake, of course.

That’s how the Bureau was officially launched at a gathering of parent organisations, officials, and a host of others on a cold but sunny Canberra day on Monday 11 August.

The launch coincided with a major meeting between the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and Australia-wide representatives of parent organisations from both the government and non-government sectors.

We were also joined by dozens of people who are keen to support and partner with the Bureau in its work.

There were people from the Salvos and the Smith Family, from the Immigration Department and from FaHCSIA, from the Christian schools and the Independent Schools Council, from Teaching Australia and from the Australian Education Union, from Principals’ Associations and the Federation of Ethnic Community Councils.

This was one well-attended and widely-representative party!

The Bureau Director, Terry Aulich, introduced the event, reminding us that the launch was a significant milestone on the road to having the importance of families’ engagement with schools recognised and supported. His remarks were endorsed by DEEWR’s Helen McDevitt, who spoke of the delight the Department took in supporting the work of the Bureau. Helen acknowledged the sustained efforts of the two peak parents’ groups – the Australian Council of State School Organisations and the Australian Parents Council – in stimulating research in, and promoting the benefits of, family-school partnerships. Helen assured those present of DEEWR’s genuine commitment to working closely with the Bureau to achieve its objectives.

ACSSO’s Jenny Branch, who co-chairs the Bureau, spoke about the core tasks that the Bureau is undertaking, and acknowledged the significant support for the Bureau given by the Australian government. A commitment of four years’ funding is a solid vote of confidence in the Bureau’s work. Jenny put everyone on notice that the Bureau is here for the long haul, and that the next four years are just the first phase of an ongoing effort.

Caz Bosch, from the APC, who co-chairs the Bureau chair with Jenny Branch, emphasised the genuine commitment that the parents’ organisations have to working with the Bureau, and to making relationships between families, schools and the community an effective, sustainable and valuable feature of every school’s profile.

The cake, which had been arranged by the DEEWR officials who work closely with the Bureau, was a magnificent piece of decadence in chocolate and cream. It was cut with due ceremony, and was followed by a period of mingling and conversation that reinforced the spirit of goodwill and commitment that had been expressed in the preceding speeches. All in all, it was a launch worth waiting for.

And now we’re official, we’ve also been able to make our website go live. So visit it at www.familyschool.org.au. I look forward to hearing from parents, principals, teachers or anyone who would like to see the engagement between schools, families and their communities blossom.

Give me a call, or email me. Talk to you soon.