In this article we are studying the importance of the participation of the immigrant families in educational centres to facilitate the social and academic integration of their children. After revising some current studies about the participation of the families in education, we present the results of a recent research carried out form the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC) in a sample of 458 immigrant families (based on a descriptive study by survey) stem from of different countries but with residence in Spain. Concretely, our objective in this paper is to test if the origin variable has an influence on the mother and father figures in the school where their children are studying. To do this we have completed a comparative study using the Chi-square test, between families from Latinoamerica (n=210) and Maghreb (n=40). The results of data analysis permit us to affirm that, in general, the participation of Latinoamerican families in the school is higher than Maghribian families. However, taking into account the parents figure, it is confirmed which such differences are significant, in statistical terms, in the case of mathers (p≤ 0.01) (in all indicators analyzed except in the implication of the AMPA -Association of Student Parents-activities), being the implication level more high in the Latinoamerican mothers. Also, although the participation of fathers from the same origin is higher than Maghribian fathers, such a difference is not significant in statistical terms. These differences are explained according to other variables. We have definitely concluded the need that participation should be understood as both means and end of the socio-educative intervention with immigrant families.

immigrant families Origin Participation Integration school Educational research

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