---
title: What can teachers say when families raise concerns about their child?
description: "Learn what teachers can say and do when parents have concerns about their child. Get tips from teachers on how to respond, plus a printable of sentence starters. \n"
slug: what-can-teachers-say-when-families-raise-concerns-about-their-child
author: Gretchen Vierstra, MA
reviewer: Melissa Sandler, MEd
published: '2021-07-19T18:49:11.037Z'
thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/4xGIQTkDf8pfIPDisbOhbf/5327c4b996c75facf122df9fb63265ef/17.png
source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-can-teachers-say-when-families-raise-concerns-about-their-child
lang: en
---

# What can teachers say when families raise concerns about their child?

When families have concerns about their child, they may come to you, their child’s teacher, for support. They may have recently noticed a behavior that’s out of the ordinary for their child. Or they may have observed a pattern of behaviors over time. 

Families may turn to you as they seek out answers. This is especially true if you’ve built [a relationship of communication and partnership](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/eight-tips-to-build-a-positive-relationship-with-your-students-families) from the beginning of the school year. This foundation will help families feel more comfortable sharing their concerns with you. How can you make the conversation as supportive and productive as possible? 

We asked the Understood Teacher Fellows to share their experiences. Read their stories about how they’ve responded in these situations to support students and families alike. You can also download a one-page printable of sentence starters based on these tips. 

[Sentence starters for responding to families’ concerns](https://cdn-assets.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/6RD7w2DZTwV9IVbJSCGrH3/9b92925b17232803b3fbf68d84a6685c/Sentence_starters_for_responding_to_families____concerns_Understood.pdf)

Families aren’t the only ones who initiate these conversations. If you have concerns about a student, find out [how to start a conversation with families](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/having-difficult-conversations-with-families-a-teachers-guide).

---

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