Abstract
This study investigated the decline in sustained parental engagement at All Saints Secondary College (ASSC), a Catholic co-educational secondary school in Australia, in the period following the COVID-19 pandemic. The literature highlighted that effective family–school partnerships, particularly in secondary settings, require culturally responsive, relational, and two-way communication practices. Drawing upon Epstein’s theory of overlapping spheres of influence, Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s motivational model, Henderson and Mapp’s relational model, and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the study conceptualises engagement as a multidimensional process shaped by systemic, relational, psychological, and contextual factors. The problem of practice centres on the persistent disengagement of families, especially those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, despite school-led initiatives to enhance accessibility and hybrid communication. Guided by three research questions, the inquiry sought to explore stakeholder perceptions of communication effectiveness since the pandemic, identify emerging barriers to engagement, and investigate preferred strategies for strengthening partnerships. The study employed a qualitative exploratory case study design, incorporating stakeholder surveys, a structured interview with the school principal, and document analysis. The research is situated within the mission and values of Catholic education and supported by a five-layer conceptual framework that integrates theoretical and contextual dimensions of engagement. By generating evidence-informed insights into how engagement is experienced and enacted in a post-pandemic context, the study aimed to inform local practice at ASSC and contribute to broader understandings of equitable family–school partnerships in Catholic secondary schooling.
