Context
The Family, Community, School Link (FCSL) Programme was launched in October 2024 under the Directorate for Planning and Strategic Foresight within the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation as a pilot initiative in Maltese state schools. It was developed as a key preventive and early intervention measure within the Early Leaving from Education and Training (ELET) Strategy (2023–2030) and contributes directly to the National Education Strategy 2024–2030 and Malta Vision 2050. Its primary aim is to strengthen collaboration between families, schools, and communities to improve student well-being, engagement, and educational outcomes.
FCSL addresses the growing need for integrated, person-centred support in education systems facing increased social complexity, inequality, and risk of disengagement. Through dedicated outreach officers in schools, the programme supports families, empowers parents, enhances communication between educators and households, and facilitates access to community-based resources and learning opportunities.
Initially implemented in four schools, the programme expanded to 30 schools by January 2026 in response to growing demand. Since its launch, FCSL has carried out 11 217 interventions addressing 2311 cases (to date), supporting students at risk of disengagement, improving attendance, strengthening parental skills, and promoting inclusive engagement.
Objectives
FCSL aims to provide an effective, preventive, and inclusive response to the risk of ELET by fostering collaboration between families, schools, and communities. Its key objective is to improve student engagement, well-being, and retention through early, personalised, and coordinated interventions addressing non-academic barriers to learning.
The programme enhances parental engagement and trust by improving communication, supporting parental skills, and empowering families as active partners in their children’s education. Schools’ capacity to involve families is strengthened through dedicated outreach officers who provide support, monitor attendance, organise parent sessions, and facilitate community coordination.
FCSL promotes equity and social inclusion, ensuring learners, particularly those facing socio-economic disadvantage or additional needs, access appropriate support and community resources. Through collaboration with local stakeholders, integrated support networks are created around schools, making communication accessible and equipping parents and communities to participate meaningfully.
Aligned with the ELET Strategy, National Education Strategy 2024–2030 and Malta Vision 2050, FCSL contributes to sustainable education governance, social cohesion, and long-term human capital development. It seeks to strengthen a cohesive support system for students through active family engagement, enhanced support for educators, and integrated partnerships with community organisations.
Implementation
FCSL is implemented through an integrated, whole-school approach that places learners and families at the centre while coordinating support across education, community services, and public administration. Dedicated outreach officers work within schools alongside educators, senior leadership teams, psycho-social services, community organisations, and other ministries to identify risks early and deliver tailored interventions, targeting ELET risk factors such as family disadvantage, low engagement, and absenteeism.
Implementation is structured around interconnected pillars: direct support and collaboration with educators and school leadership teams to address ELET risks; coordination with psycho-social teams and social workers to meet complex family needs; engagement with community organisations, NGOs, and public services; and liaison with other ministries to ensure access to health, social welfare, and financial support. This framework ensures continuity of care, avoids service fragmentation, and strengthens accountability.
Launched as a pilot in four state schools during the 2024–2025 scholastic year, FCSL received positive evaluation and strong stakeholder feedback, prompting progressive scaling. It is now operational across all state school colleges, covering 30 schools nationwide, with further expansion planned. This phased approach enables effective resource allocation, continuous learning, and quality assurance, embedding FCSL as a sustainable component of Malta’s public education system.