There is no legally founded parent body between the Parents’ Council Working Committee (Norwegian abbreviation KFU) at each school and FUG at central level. Parents’ councils have been established at municipal level on a voluntary basis in around 180 of the country’s municipalities (out of a total of 430). The aim of these KFUs is to coordinate the needs and wishes of the schools in the municipality and to provide education/training and ensure the exchange of experience. KFUs should have a broad representation and be a natural cooperation partner for politicians and the school administration.

All parents who have a child at a school are members of the school’s parents’ council. The parents’ council elects a working committee (Norwegian abbreviation FAU), which represents the voice of the parents with respect to the school. The working committee is responsible for ensuring that parents have a real influence and is also jointly responsible for ensuring that the pupils’ learning environment is secure and good.

Parent contacts are the point of contact between parents in the group/class and the Parents’ Council Working Committee and also the link between the parents and the school. Parent contacts are perhaps the most important parent representatives in the school.