January 2022 by Under 5

Under 5 WIN

the magazine of the early years alliance January 2022

an EYFS focused m classrooom r bundle forth MOE w 0 £133.5

Our forces families

Considering their unique needs

Sowing the seeds of sustainability Bringing sustainability into your setting

The Big Birdwatch Spotting local wildlife

contents 4

welcome

News

All the latest news and policy updates from the early years sector

My Under 5

Dates for your diary

Work those muscles!

How to go plant-based healthily

Celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week

Alliance members share news of recent events and projects A look ahead at upcoming Alliance training events Why gross and fine motor skills are so important and how to check children are on track

How to support families to have a healthy Veganuary

Under 5 readers share how they use nursery rhymes in their settings

20 Sowing the seeds of sustainability

Ideas for bringing sustainability into your early years curriculum

23 The Big Birdwatch

How to join the RSPB’s Big Birdwatch

24 How to be head injury aware

Advice from the Child Brain Injury Trust

26 Recovering outstanding fees

A legal guide to settling debts at your early years provision

28 Supporting menopausal staff

How to support staff experiencing symptoms of the menopause

30 Our forces families

Considering the specific needs of children with parents in the armed forces

32 The art of decluttering

Why families may want to have a spring clean this January

33 Competition

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome to Under 5 Happy New Year to all our members & subscribers. I hope you all managed to enjoy at least a short break over the festive period and are feeling refreshed and ready for the new year ahead. To help you get ready for the weeks ahead, we’ve introduced a new section in this issue, listing all our upcoming training events (page 10). We’ve tried to make it as useful as possible so please do let us know if you have any feedback on this new section! The start of a new year often brings many resolutions and for the past few years we have seen the number of people pledging to go vegan or plantbased increase each January with ‘Veganuary’ now a popular challenge. We’ve heard from the ITF about how you can ensure that children are getting a healthy, balanced diet if their families have chosen a vegetarian or vegan diet (page 17). Another increasingly popular theme amongst resolutions is becoming more sustainable or environmentally friendly. We’ve heard from Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher about how you can build this into your curriculum this January (page 20). January also sees the return of the RSPB’s popular Big Schools’ Birdwatch, which is open to early years providers too. We’ve got all the information on how you can join in as well for a fun, outdoor activity supporting your local wildlife (page 23). We’ve also got some advice on how to become ‘head injury aware’ (page 24) and Alliance business manager Juliette Moran has also shared her thoughts on how we can better support families in the armed forces (page 30). Last year, we were delighted to hear from lots of our readers about how they were celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week (page 18). As always, it’s great to see what events and special occasions you have been enjoying – please do keep sending your good news to us at editor.under5@eyalliance.org.uk. Rachel Lawler editor

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in brief...

OBESITY RATES: The proportion of children under five who are ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ has increased significantly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a Nuffield Foundation report.

Helen Hayes MacArthur replaces Tulip Siddiq as shadow early years minister

round-up Bridget Phillipson is Labour’s new shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has joined Labour’s shadow cabinet, replacing Kate Green as shadow education secretary as part of a wider reshuffle of the shadow cabinet team. Writing on Twitter, Phillipson commented: “Delighted to accept the role of shadow education secretary under [Keir Starmer]. I had a wonderful education at my local state schools – and every child deserves that. The last Labour government transformed the lives of a generation. I’ll work every day to see that change again.” Phillipson replaced Kate Green, who has been shadow education secretary since May 2021. Writing on Twitter, she commented: “It’s been an hour to serve as shadow education secretary and to learn so much from education professionals, students, parents and children. I’m thrilled to congratulate my great friend [Bridget Phillipson] who will be a great champion

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for children and young people.” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We warmly welcome the appointment of Bridget Phillipson as shadow education secretary. Now more than ever, the sector needs an effective opposition to scrutinise and, where possible, help shape government policy, and so we hope that she will be a powerful advocate for the early years, along with the rest of the education sector, at this challenging time. “Early years educators have been on the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting children’s development and ensuring that parents – including our key workers – can continue to do their jobs. We look forward to working with Ms Phillipson to ensure that they, in turn, have the support they need to continue delivering quality care and education that is so important to children and families.”

Helen Hayes MP has replaced Tulip Siddiq as Labour’s shadow minister for children and early years, with Siddiq moving into a new role in the shadow Treasury team. Hayes has been the MP for Dulwich and West Norwood since 2015 and has previously served as shadow minister to the cabinet office, but resigned from the role in 2020 in order to abstain on the Future Trade Agreement between the UK and EU.

“Few things are more important than giving every child the best start in life.” Writing on Twitter, Hayes said: “I’m delighted to be joining the shadow education team led by [Bridget Phillipson] as shadow minister for children and early years. Few things are more important than giving every child the best start in life. My thanks to my friend and predecessor [Tulip Siddiq] who leaves big shoes to fill.” Siddiq will now serve as shadow economic secretary to the Treasury alongside shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves. She was first appointed shadow early years minister in October 2016, before resigning from the role in order to vote against triggering Article 50 of the treaty on the European Union. In 2020, she took up the role of shadow early years minister again after Tracey Brabin was promoted to shadow culture secretary. Writing on Twitter, Siddiq said: “As shadow minister for children and early years, I have fought for better support for vulnerable children, looked after children, children with SEND and those eligible for free school meals. Thanks to all the campaigners and organisations who supported me in this work.”

SAFEGUARDING REVIEW: The government has launched a national review looking into the circumstances behind the death of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and what lessons can be learned.

Early years staffing shortages reaches crisis point, new Alliance report finds More than eight in 10 early years providers (84%) are finding it difficult to recruit staff, according to a new report from the Alliance. The report, Breaking Point: The impact of recruitment and retention challenges in the early years sector in England, also found that 49% of providers have had to limit the number of places at their setting or stop taking on new children as a result of the crisis. More than a third of those who responded said that they were actively considering leaving the sector themselves, with 3% confirming that they were in the process of leaving and 1% had already left. One in six early

years providers said that their setting was likely to close within the next year as a result of staff shortages. The most common reason for staff considering leaving the sector was “feeling undervalued by government”, with 77% of respondents citing this reason. Two thirds of respondents (66%) said that their experience of working during the pandemic had increased the likelihood of them leaving the sector. Inadequate pay was also a commonly cited factor, with 57% of those considering leaving stating that this was a contributing factor, with 52% said that being unable

to meet salary expectations was a contributing factor in staff shortages. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “The early educators I speak to every day are passionate advocates for the work they do, but they are tired: tired of being overworked, tired of being underpaid and tired of being undervalued. We urge the government to act on the recommendations in our report and work with the sector to improve the status of early years as a profession and help build and maintain a dedicated, stable workforce for this vital sector, both now and in the future.”

Parents do not think the government is doing enough to make childcare affordable A survey of parents of children under 14, undertaken by MoneySupermarket, has found that seven out of 10 do not think the government is doing enough to make childcare more affordable, while more than two thirds (69%) say they rely on family and friends as an alternative to paid childcare. Almost half of parents surveyed (45%) said that they had been deterred from having another child due to childcare costs, with parents spending an average of £7,207 a year on childcare. Two in every 10 parents said they were using their savings to

pay for childcare (18%) and almost one in every 10 was using a credit card to pay for childcare. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “The current childcare model in this country is totally unsustainable for both parents and businesses and as such, these survey findings come as no surprise. “Parents regularly have to pay out large sums of money and rely on friends and family to fill the gap between what is provided and what they need to work and live, while

those working in early education settings or delivering school-age wraparound services often struggle to remain financially sustainable without pricing parents out of the quality care they rely on. “Parents are right to expect more, and it’s up to the government to deliver it: that’s one reason why we are calling on ministers to carry out a wholesale review of the childcare and early education system - to ensure it is sustainable in the long term for both providers and the families who rely on it.”

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DfE confirms local authority funding rates for 2022/23 The local authority rates for three- and four-year-olds will increase by 17p per hour across most areas, while rates for two-year-olds will increase by 21p per hour for most local authorities. The final rates due to be paid directly to providers will be confirmed by individual local authorities. The government has also confirmed that the Early Years Pupil Premium funding rate will increase next year from 53p to 60p per hour. Disability Access Funding will also rise from £615 to £800 per child. The minimum rate any council will receive from central government is now £4.61 per hour. However, it is important to note that these changes apply to the hourly funding rates that local councils will

receive, not necessarily frontline providers. All of these changes will come into effect in April 2022. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “The government has claimed that this additional funding will more than cover increases in the national living and minimum wages, but even if this is the case – and there is as yet no evidence to support this claim – how can it be right that the early years is given just enough to pay staff the minimum wage at a time when the government is committing to giving all teachers a starting salary of £30,000? “If the government truly wants to show that it values the early years, it needs

to stop giving providers just enough to survive and start giving them what they need to thrive. What we need now is an ambitious vision for the sector – and the substantial investment to back it up.”

IFS report says funding increase “will not compensate for rising costs”

New data reveals huge tax-free childcare underspend

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said that the early years funding increase announced in the latest Spending Review will “not provide any substantial relief for providers” once rising costs have been taken into account. The analysis came as part of the IFS 2021 Annual Report on Education Spending in England, which looks at spending across schools, further education and higher education as well as the early years. The report noted the additional £170 million announced in the Spending Review and the later announcement that this will amount to a 17p per hour increase to the rate paid to most local authorities. The IFS said: “With a rising minimum wage and new taxes like the health and social care levy, this relatively small increase will almost certainly not be enough to compensate for rising costs.” However, it also noted that the Early

New data given in response to a Parliamentary question has revealed a £2.4 billion underspend on tax-free childcare since 2017. Responding to a question from Labour’s shadow children and early years minister Tulip Siddiq, the government said that it spent £630 million on the tax-free childcare scheme between 2017/18 and 2020/21. In the OBR’s economic and fiscal outlook overview, the initial forecast spend for the scheme over the same period was £3 billion, although forecasts have been revised down in later reports. This means that the government has spent £2.4 billion less than initially planned on the scheme when in launched in 2017. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We know that, despite the increase in early years funding announced at the recent Spending Review, historic sector underfunding alongside the ongoing impact of the pandemic means that many providers still face an uphill battle to remain in business. “As such, we are calling on the government to ensure that any unused funding for the tax-free childcare scheme is reallocated back into the sector, so that providers can deliver the quality, affordable and crucially sustainable care and education that children and families need.”

Years Pupil Premium would increase for the first since its introduction, rising from 53p per hour to 60p per hour in 2022/23 and the Disability Access Fund, which will rise from £615 per eligible child to £800 per eligible child. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We know that the early years are absolutely pivotal to children’s longterm learning and development and yet, as this report reveals, government spending per child in the early years remains by far the lowest of any part of the education sector. “Instead of giving the sector just enough to survive and expecting us to be grateful for it, the government should rethink its entire approach to the early years, and invest what is needed to ensure the delivery of affordable, quality and, crucially, sustainable care and education, both now and in the long term.”

“The government should rethink its entire approach to the early years.”

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Children in Need

Children at Hinckley Road Nur sery in Coventry took part in a sponsored ‘Wellie Walk’ to rais e money for Children in Need and managed to raise a fantasti c £369.90. Lorraine WeaverEnnis, teacher at the setting, said: “It was lovely to have parents join us for this very wor th while event. It was a really fun morning and it was nice to see parents laughing and watchin g their children at play with thei r nursery friends.”

tions l in Pre-schoo ursery and N s ie s ab b lly celebrate hi ildren at Je r Brian Kite ee Staff and ch nt r 27 lu fo vo m nteering ed long-ter s been volu ha an Rednal help ri with B r . o g o ttin at the d ay at the se ing families m co 85th birthd el , w ry s ra way setting’s lib e setting, al running the le years at th es ro iti g in tiv ad reparing ac d takes a le ation and p a smile, an self-registr s n’ re ild ch ! sorting the one, Brian ren. Well d ild ch e th for ay celebra

85th birthd

Autumn fun

Children at Brightfie lds Pre-school in Pe terborough enjoyed watching the seasons change, sp otting the yellow leaves and ear ly sunsets. To help the m explore the changes further, the setting took a trip ou t the local park, where they we re able to explore ne w clim bing equipment as well as huge pile of leaves, which one child called ‘golden treasu re’! Caroline Keenan , manager at the setting, said: “The exc itement of how high they flew was the highlight of everyo ne’s day!”

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nce Day

ked Weald mar of the in Harrow l o o ch -S significance Pre about the g All Saints in is n ar ay le y why the d nce Day b discussing s, Remembra ie a p y p o la p n emorial to g their ow a nearby m day, makin to d ke al w and finally observed made. ad h ey th wreath that

Remembra

City art trail

inspired Children at ACE Nursery School in Cambridge were city so their in trail art by the popular ‘Cows about Cambridge’ paint, Using cow. decided to make their own junk-modelled n bottle tops, yoghurt pots and pipe cleaners, the childre name the her gave and decorated the cow’s cardboard body common ‘aqua’. The setting then took the cow on a trip to the trail. art the on opposite the nursery to visit her friends

Cambridg aterbeach, W in ry se Day Nur children Little Stars mber. The Children at Day in Nove e nc ra b s. picture d Remem own poppy also marke make their to ts ar p used loose

What’s been happening in your setting? Under 5 wants to know! To share your own stories, please email editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk with the subject line ‘My Under 5’.

Dates for y JANUARY 2022

Monday

Virtual Classroom - Quality teaching and learning in the early years

Tuesday

Spotlight - Early years inspection judgements - Leadership and management 12-1pm Ofsted’s grade descriptors refer to leaders having focus, integrity and a clear vision for their provision, in this session we will explore how these ideals can be realised to secure the best possible outcomes.

Spotlight - Key elements of effective budgeting 10-11am Join us to explore what should be considered within a budget as we delve into the elements of income and expenditure that you should consider to support the longer term financial success of your setting. Budgeting and ongoing understanding of finances is a must for any business: childminders, sessional and full day care.

12.30-4pm Virtual Classroom - Designated Safeguarding Person, Part 1 6-8pm

Virtual Classroom - Promoting communication and language, Part 1

1-2.30pm

Virtual Classroom - Inspirational Leadership and Management Virtual Classroom - Supporting speech books, stories, songs and rhymes

Makaton taster session £15 6-8pm This two-hour taster session will provide a brief introduction to Makaton - what Makaton is, where it originated, why it is used and who it is for.

9.30am -1pm

Virtual Classroom - Promoting communication and language, Part 2

1-2.30pm

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Alliance connect - How to support PSED in the home learning environment

12-1pm and 4-5pm How can we work in partnership with parents to ensure that their child’s personal, social and emotional development is strengthened at home? Spotlight - Working with EAL children and families: How can we ensure we promote the home language? 1-2pm Join EAL advisors Sharon and Louise to explore this aspect of how we can support EAL learners in your setting. Virtual Classroom - Children’s Progress Matters, Part 1 4-5.30pm

Virtual Classroom -Makaton Level 1 £79

9.30am -1pm

Virtual Classroom - Designated Safeguarding Person, Part 2 6-8pm

Virtual Classroom - Makaton Level 1 £79 12.30-3pm (3 x 2.5 hour sessions)

FEBRUARY 2022

Wednesday

Virtual Classroom - Makaton Level 1 £79 12.30-3pm (3 x 2.5 hour sessions)

12.30-3pm (3 x 2.5 hour sessions)

your diary

TRAINING

Thursday

Friday

Virtual Classroom - Makaton Level 1 £79 9.15am-1.15pm (2 x 4 hour sessions) This course will cover the history of Makaton and signs and symbols from the Makaton core vocabulary. Each participant will receive a manual containing background information, slides, and copies of the signs and symbols covered in the training. This course will be running across multiple dates and times, please see our website at eyalliance.org.uk/online-early-years-training for more details. Virtual Classroom - Makaton Level 1 £79 9.15am-1.15pm (2 x 4 hour sessions) Part two of the Level 1 course.

Virtual Classroom - Let’s talk the learning walk

1-4.30pm Virtual Classroom - SEND in the early years

1-4.30pm

Alliance Connect

Alliance Connect events are free online networking sessions for anyone involved in the early years. Sessions are often aimed at different groups such as baby and toddler groups, childminders, leaders, managers and parents. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-connect to find out more.

Spotlights

Spotlight - Recruiting and supporting volunteers 12-1pm We will look closely at the benefits of volunteering both for volunteer and your setting and give practical advice and guidance on recruitment, training and support. Virtual Classroom - Children’s Progress Matters, Part 1

4-5.30pm

Virtual Classroom - Sowing the seeds of sustainability in the early years

10am-12pm Spotlight - Meeting the needs of looked after children 12-1pm We will reflect on the role of early years providers in meeting the needs of looked after children who are, according to recent reports, more likely to be delayed in their development, have special educational needs and will need greater support with their social and emotional development and self-regulation.

Alliance Spotlights are bite-sized CPD sessions offering a deep-dive into specific early years topics. Each session lasts an hour and offers a detailed look at one area of interest. If you’ve ever attended a training session and wished that you had been given more time to delve deeply into a particular area of discussion, these sessions are for you. Spotlights are £12 for Alliance members and £24 for non-members. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-spotlights to find out more.

Virtual Classrooms Virtual Classrooms are longer sessions looking at broader topics in detail, but still delivered online with a flexible approach to suit early years providers. The courses take place over two or three 90 minute sessions. Prices start at £23 for Alliance members and £33 for non-members for a 2 hour session. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/online-early-yearstraining to find out more.

The dates listed here were correct at the time of going to print but may be subject to changes. Please check the Alliance website for the latest information.

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NEW

Alliance CPD-recognised online course available

Musculoskeletal Wellbeing in the Early Years Workforce will benefit anyone employing staff or working in environments designed for children. It will: increase your understanding of the risks of back pain, knee strain and other MSDs raise awareness of specific risks for this sector advise on how to assess, record and address said risks explore legal aspects and responsibilities to protect both employer and employee offer practical solutions to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of practitioners Available FREE to Alliance members as part of their membership package. Non-members can buy for a special price, only £10.50 plus vat. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/back-pain to find out more

If you’re interested in enjoying this and many more amazing FREE Alliance member offers, simply visit eyalliance.org.uk

HIP

Exclusive discount at Hope Education Here’s some ideas for making the most of the Alliance’s partnership offer with leading supplier Hope Education

Outdoor Wooden Play Tray Stand

he Alliance has partnered with Hope Education, offering all our members a 10% discount off all orders with Hope and 20% off their first order. To access your discount, simply log on to the Members’ Area of our website at portal.eyalliance.org.uk to find the exclusive code and hope-education.co.uk to make your purchase. Here are some ideas for making the most of your exclusive membership discount…

The new Sense of Place furniture Range

the ‘thinking for grown ups’ section, teachers and practitioners will gain an understanding of the theory behind the many activities and materials included. With the Bag of Buddies to help children make friends with their feelings and the set of Nesting Bears, children can learn to embrace their emotions through play. Other kits within the range are also available. From £59.99 or £53.99 for Alliance members

Black and White Teepee The own developed play tray stand features wheelchair access on one side and the other has deep shelves for storage. The top can also be used as a play area without the tray. Made of FSC sustainable timber with a 10 year guarantee. Suitable to be left outdoors. Dimensions: Width and depth 1050mm Height 800mm. Play Tray not included. £349.99 or £314.99 for Alliance members

Exploring Emotions Kits

The Sense of Place collection is beautifully and intentionally designed to inspire nursery children and pre-schoolers’ wonder and to nurture their growth and development. The collection includes FSC certified display and storage, tables & seating, home living and authentic accessories. It comes with a lifetime guarantee and will be delivered and assembled on site for free. Available to buy exclusively from Hope from February 2022. Products within the collection start from £60 or £54 for Alliance members

These Emotions Kits are thoughtfully created by experts to give practitioners a practical and positive framework to help children recognise, understand and embrace ALL of their emotions. Through

The new, owned-developed highcontrast Black and White furnishings range will captivate baby’s attention whilst encouraging visual development. The doorway includes hook and loop fastenings. 100% Cotton. Machine washable. Size: 120 x 120 x 155cm. Other furnishings within the range are also available. £114.99 or £103.49 for Alliance Members

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Work those muscles! Hayley Still, EYFS specialist and reception teacher at Waverly Prep School in Berkshire, explains the importance of developing strong gross motor skills

ith the new EYFS curriculum being used across all early years settings in England, there has been a new focus on the importance of the development of gross and fine motor control. Gross and fine motor experiences develop throughout early childhood and start being developed right from the start of a baby’s life. With sensory explorations, the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness can be enhanced through tummy time and crawling, leading up to the progression of walking, jumping, running, balancing and physical play with both adults and objects as a child gets older. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop key skills in gross motor development including: core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility.

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Why is this so important? Gross motor skills are vital to a child’s educational wellbeing, as they provide the foundation for children to progress and develop their concentration, communication, speaking and fine motor skills – which is later linked to those all-important early literacy skills. Before children have the ability to form letters and hold a pencil, they need to have developed their gross motor muscles first. For example, if a child has underdeveloped shoulder and arm strength, then they will find controlling and holding a pencil uncomfortable and will often show resistance attempting to mark-make and colour. Before a child can sit on a chair or carpet and sustain sitting to listen to a story, they need to have developed their core muscles and strength, otherwise you may find that they have poor listening and attention skills. Before we expect children to use a sustained amount of fine motor

control, we need to work just as hard on supporting gross motor development. Fine motor control comes and leads from the development of the gross motor muscles in the body. If you have a child in your setting that is not on track to achieve a good level of development by the end of the Reception year – this could be the biggest indicator of why. It is important to focus, as one of your first on-entry assessments, to check on the child’s gross motor skills and know where to start and build upon from there. With physical development being one of the ‘Prime Areas’ for development within the EYFS, there is a good reason why, as it in turn develops the ‘whole child’ across all areas. With this in mind, how can we best support the children in our care so they get the best opportunities to thrive and progress with their gross and fine motor development? Here are some ideas of how to support them with this for each age and stage:

BEST PRACTICE

Babies up to one-yearold

Provide lots of opportunities to experience tummy time and back time. Offer this with objects, baby-gyms or with an adult so that they can develop their gross motor skills (kicking, waving, rolling and reaching).

Check: Does the baby move with ease and enjoymentt Can the baby pull to stand up from a sitting position at 12 months?

Encourage babies to sit on you, climb over you and rock, bounce and sway with you. Use everyday open ended materials to support overall co-ordination. Provide a range of surfaces and materials for babies to explore. Toddlers Aged two-to three-years old

Offer opportunities for children to move freely and explore their surroundings, indoor and outdoor. This could include slopes, sandpits, large hollow blocks to move, crawling tunnels and dens.

Check: Can the toddler run, kick a ball and jump with both feet off the floor?

Allow children to develop on their gross motor skills by allowing them to access balls to kick and catch, tricycles to pedal and apparatus to climb. Provide different types of paper for children to tear, make marks on and print on. As well as lots of different things for them to grasp and hold such as spoons, brushes, shells and pipe cleaners in sensory trays.

Three- to fouryears old

Continue to develop their balancing and movement by skipping, hopping, standing on one leg and games such as musical statues.

Check: Can the child climb, catch a ball and pedal a tricycle?

Encourage them to use their large muscle movements such as waving ribbons, chalking on the playground, painting on large surfaces and swinging on monkey bars. Introduce one-handed tools such as scissors and paper to make snips, and hammers and pegs. Pens and pencils can be modelled so that the children can use a comfortable tripod grip and they may begin to show a dominant hand. Encourage children to pick up small objects, such as beads to thread onto pipe cleaners, small pieces of chalk to draw with, and paper clips to put onto paper. Zipping coats, putting on wellington boots, shoes and socks and dressing dolls is a great way to encourage gross and fine motor independence on a daily basis. Pre-Schooler Aged four- to five- years-old

Provide a range of surfaces to move, feel and balance on such as large tyres, wooden planks and large blocks. Open ended materials that allow a choice of play to encourage regular practising of physical skills such as lifting, stacking, climbing and carrying. Develop their small motor skills by providing pencils for drawing and writing, paint brushes, scissors, knives and forks for eating with or using with play dough on a daily basis.

Check: Children should have developed their upper arm and shoulder strength by noticing if they need to move their shoulders in order to move their hands and fingers. Can they can move and rotate their lower arms and wrists independently? Can they can use their core strength muscles to achieve a good posture when sitting?

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20% off People Management Includes NEW: Menopause policy Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Policy Code of Conduct Anti Bribery Policy

Order by 31 January, quoting PeM22 to receive 20% off

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Please visit shop.eyalliance.org.uk, call 0300 330 0996 or email shop@eyalliance.org.uk

Early Years Alliance

NUTRITION

How to go plantbased healthily this Veganuary The ITF explains how you can look after children on plant-based diets this Veganuary and beyond

he beginning of the new year marks the start of Veganuary too – an initiative that has inspired and supported more than half a million people, from over 200 countries, to try a vegan diet during 2021. Whether it’s jumping on a month-long trend or making a permanent change to their children’s eating lifestyle, many parents are likely to be switching to plant-based diets in the new year. As a childcare professional, you may be concerned about looking after children following a vegetarian and particularly vegan diet. Toddlers have high-energy and nutrients needs but small stomachs, so it’s important for carers to be aware of the nutrients needed to support healthy growth and development, from a variety of foods that can be provided on a plant-based diet. The Infant & Toddler Forum has hosted an on-demand webinar ‘10 Steps for Healthy PlantBased Toddlers’, presented by Lucy Upton, Infant and Toddler Forum member and specialist paediatric dietitian and nutritionist. Below are some of the practical tips and advice for looking after a toddler on a vegetarian or vegan diet: Fortified foods such as cereals, breads and plant-based milk alternatives are helpful (and often essential) to include in a toddler’s diet to contribute to essential daily vitamin and mineral intake including calcium and iodine. Toddlers need regular meals and snacks during the day, while also encouraging them to eat a wide variety of foods. We recommend serving them three meals and two nutritious snacks a day.

Variety is key! Plan meals so toddlers are getting foods from all the food groups, with plenty of variety and the right nutrients to help them grow and develop. Special consideration will need to be made, to ensure extras fats and sources of key nutrients are included within their meals. To make sure the child gets a healthy balance, a few of the important nutrients to include in their diet are: Vitamin B12 is found predominantly in animal-based sources. In a vegetarian diet, foods rich in B12 would include eggs and dairy produce. For vegan toddlers however, foods fortified with B12 should be included in the diet such as breakfast cereals, plantbased milk alternatives such as soya, oat, coconut products. Yeast extract, for example MarmiteTM, or nutritional yeast flakes can also be a helpful source, just watch the salt content! A vitamin B12 supplement is also typically recommended for vegan toddlers. Calcium is essential for bone health. Whilst on a vegetarian diet, calcium can be consumed more easily from dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt). Other plant-based sources that would suit a vegan diet are pulses (such as beans, lentils and chickpeas), calcium fortified milk alternatives, tahini, almond butter, calcium-set tofu, dried figs, bread and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin D is another important nutrient for healthy bones. There are few foods naturally rich in vitamin D, with sunshine being key

for vitamin D production. It is recommended that toddlers take a vitamin D supplement daily. For more information, read ITF’s guidance and tips on ‘Preventing vitamin D deficiency in Toddlers’. For more tips and advice for toddlers following plant-based diets, check out the ITF’s on-demand webinar, presented by Lucy Upton. Inspired by questions received from parents and carers alike, the ITF’s speciallycurated on-demand webinar will also cover the following points and more: how to achieve a healthy balance and ensure dietary variety nutrients and vitamins of consideration for toddlers supplementation considerations for plantbased diets and toddlers tips & advice around food preparation and meal planning The ITF is passionate about supporting babies, children and their families to achieve health and wellbeing through feeding and nutrition. Get access to the webinar by visiting the Shop page on the ITF website or following the link bit.ly/ITFplantbased. Remember, if any families plan to place their children on a vegetarian or vegan diet it is a good idea to seek dietary advice from a healthcare professional, who can ensure their diet is nutritionally sound.

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Celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week Here’s how some of our readers celebrated World Nursery Rhyme Week in November 2021…

orld Nursery Rhyme Week is an international celebration promoting the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development. Last year’s event took place on 15-19 November, with more than five million children joining in alongside parents, early years practitioners and anyone working with children under the age of seven. As well as being lots of fun for children and adults alike, nursery rhymes are also important learning tools for children in the early years. Nursery rhymes can: boost children’s vocabulary and language development help children develop early literacy skills support early numeracy skills help children develop social, physical and emotional skills

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Hinckley Road Nursery, Coventry “Rhymes and singing are embedded into our everyday practice. Children are eager and excited to choose and join in with their favourite rhymes. Children can be heard laughing and giggling as they sing with practitioners as well as independently on their own. We use a song box, which has visual resources to ensure that all children, including those who are non-verbal, can feel a part of making choices and feel part of the group.

“Nursery rhymes lend themselves to all areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage such as PSED – respecting other choices, mathematics – counting, adding and subtracting and literacy – recognising words and pictures in books or song cards. But the very best thing about nursery rhymes is that you don’t need to set time aside, you don’t really need anything, you can sing them virtually everywhere and make children’s and adults’ day better for it.” Lorraine WeaverEnnis, manager

BEST PRACTICE

Heart Pre-school, Nottingham

“Nursery Rhyme Week is a great opportunity to build upon our existing practice, reflect upon the importance of music and share fun ideas with parents and carers. This year children have enjoyed finding sheep in different sensory materials like sand, shaving foam and lentils as they sing ‘Little Bo Peep has Lost her Sheep’. We also made a pretend cake and sang ‘Pat-a-cake’, to enable them to relate the rhymes to real life experiences.” Angela Msumba, owner/ manager

our nursery rhymes so that all children are included regardless of their home language or ability to communicate verbally. Outside the children love to join in singing nursery rhymes using our large parachute. As well as developing language and listening skills, we can incorporate a more physical element as we move the parachute around. We also sing lots of counting rhymes to develop mathematical skills alongside this. Sometimes a child may have a particular favourite and will enjoy standing up and singing it to their friends. Turn taking skills are embedded as a child is asked to be the ‘farmer in his den’ or a crocodile who is teased by the monkeys swinging in the tree.

“Many of the traditional rhymes can get lost over time unless they are passed down from generation to generation. Often, we find that the songs we teach some of the children, are familiar to others as they have been sung at home with grandparents.” Theresa Miller, manager

daily, in all aspects of our day. From our circle time hello, as a physical start to an adult lead activity, to modelling language opportunities during free play and using nursery rhyme books to support early book skills. The importance of early language acquisition is widely known. By creating an environment where language is celebrated, challenged and cherished is what we strive to achieve daily.” Dawn Davies

Squirrels Pre-school Nursery, Cuddington, Cheshire

St Gabriel’s Pre-school, Tamworth, Staffordshire “As part of our daily routines we incorporate many traditional nursery rhymes, as well as other rhyming songs. For example, as children go to the bathroom to wash their hands or when they line up to go outside we will sing different rhymes. We have started learning some Makaton signs to accompany

“At Squirrels we know every child is different. They come to use with a wealth of experiences and endless capability to be who they want to be. Nursery rhymes are one facet of how we invite children to be excited and be active participants in their own language development. We use songs, poems, stories and rhymes to build attention and a love for language they can share with their friends. “Nursery rhymes can be incorporated into all aspects of the curriculum, they are often a familiar link with home and they are a perfect gateway into early reader skills. We use nursery rhymes

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Sowing the seeds of sustainability Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares some ideas for exploring the theme of sustainability

ACTIVITY CORNER

new year always brings new hope, new beginnings, and new resolutions, many of which we discard within a few weeks because they are either unrealistic or not terribly important. This year it’s time to make some lasting resolutions that will have a direct impact on the future health and wellbeing of every child. Let’s resolve to give children the knowledge and tools they will need to contribute to a sustainable future – this is one resolution we cannot afford to break. Children’s voices are increasingly being heard globally as they call policy makers to account for the damage we are doing to our planet. Earlier this year, the Children’s Commissioner’s Office undertook the largest ever survey of children called The Big Ask. The aim of which was to ask children across England to set out their priorities for improving childhood post-Covid-19. In the foreword to the subsequent report The Big Answer, Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza DBE wrote: “If adults are to learn one thing from this report, it should be as follows. This is not a ‘snowflake generation.’ It is a heroic generation.” More than half a million children aged between six and 17 years old responded about a range of issues, including their passion for the environment. 39% said that the environment was one of their main worries about the future. Tom Bride, director of evidence at the Early Intervention Foundation, referenced the response of children to the ‘Big Ask’ in his blog Within Scope: why climate change is an issue for children and families policy, right now: “Those of us who grew up before climate change became such a defining geopolitical issue owe more to these children than to dismiss or undermine their legitimate concerns about the future of the planet.”

The role of early years What we do in the early years makes a difference and we have a vital role to play as educators. It’s not about creating additional work that goes over and above the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage either. The non-statutory guidance Birth to 5

Matters describes how “wider contexts that involve principles of common worlds, shared living spaces, and climate change can inspire settings to become actively involved in local as well as broader groups and networks focused on sustainability and environmental restoration”. Birth to 5 Matters also explains how “every early years setting is a community in itself, with its own values and living practices. But it also connects and communicates with multiple other communities”. With this in mind, here are some ideas explaining how our educational programmes can empower children with a sense of respect and care for their communities and the natural and material world they will inherit…

Considering curriculum

adults invite children to share their ideas about what can be recycled. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, as described in the educational programme, children are then introduced to other ideas, in an age appropriate way – Elizabeth Beresford’s Wombles are a great starting point.

Personal, social and emotional development As educators support children to learn to look after their bodies and to make healthy choices, including eating healthily and managing their personal needs, they are helping children to develop an awareness that what is good for them personally is also good for the planet. In a world where it seems that we can have fresh fruit and vegetables in our shops all year round, it is vital that children are helped to understand where their food comes from out of season and the resulting ‘carbon footprint’ it leaves. Growing fruit and vegetables together, tending to plants and waiting for them to grow to maturity gives children a sense of satisfaction that is good for their mental health and wellbeing. Remember that sustainability must not be a judgmental approach, some families will make choices that are not always environmentally sound but are the best they can manage for their families. No child should ever feel undermined by circumstances they have no control over.

What we do in the early years makes a difference and we have a vital role to play as educators.

A good starting point is to determine your curriculum’s ‘intent’ with a sustainability focus. The activities and experiences that you provide under each of the seven areas of learning and development will foster a holistic approach to environmental awareness. The characteristics of effective learning can then develop further as children are intrinsically motivated to understand, explore and care for the world around them.

Communication and Language As children develop their communication and language skills, educators introduce them to the language of sustainability. When children are then given the opportunity to embed new vocabulary in a range of contexts, they are given meaning. For example, recycling as a concept has little relevance to a child but seeing and hearing the word in context when there are recycling bins being used in the setting, will secure the learning that is happening. Recycling is also communicated through symbols and logos that are another important element of communication. Language skills are further supported as

Physical development There is no better place to be physically active than outdoors, and outdoors is where we find the flora and fauna of our local community. Children have an innate ability to immerse themselves in nature with little need for additional resources. When we give children the time and space to play and explore outside, they use all of their senses to foster a love of the natural world because they value what it gives back to them. Immersion in nature from the earliest age instils a lifelong

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that grown-ups often place in the way of common sense, means that their voices matter. The responses from children as young as six years old to The Big Ask, make a lot of sense and are achievable right now, here are just some of the things they said they wanted to achieve: “I will change the world to have no litter.” Girl, six

urge to protect that which we value most. Children also develop their “core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness coordination and agility” (EYFS 1.6 Physical Development) without the need for special equipment. This underlines the important message that nature provides for our mental and physical needs. Furthermore, sustainability requires us all to be more resourceful, when you observe children playing in a natural environment you will clearly see resourcefulness in action.

Literacy The educational programme for literacy describes how it is essential for children to develop a ‘life-long’ love of reading. There are two dimensions to reading, one of which is comprehension which starts from birth and develops further as adults talk to children about the world around them. This is where educators can explain and describe the actions we all take every day to reduce our carbon footprint. For example, walking to the setting (if possible), shopping for fresh fruit and produce that is grown locally, switching off a light when we leave the room and taking care of our belongings so that they last longer. Sharing books helps to further extend children’s understanding of trickier concepts such as where our rubbish ends up, or where fuel and energy comes from. Remember to be realistic, it’s no good showing children pictures of polar bears on melting ice caps if a child has never seen a polar bear, has never explored the properties of ice and does not understand how ice melts.

Mathematics Children can be helped to develop a “positive attitude and interests in mathematics” by utilising key maths skills to consider how to

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re-use, reduce and recycle everyday items they come across in the setting. For example, opening out a used envelope makes a bigger square or oblong piece of paper that can then be used for drawing or collage. Counting how many plastic milk containers are used in a day and then visualising the space they take up in the bin gives children a sense of number and capacity. Older children can then problem solve by working out how to save space in the bin. For example, do three 2 litre milk containers take up more or less space than three 1 pint containers? When children are able to ‘play and explore’ with maths, they are gaining confidence as they learn that maths is useful in many ways.

Understanding the world If you were being asked to consider where we find sustainability referenced in the EYFS – the answer would have to be that it is not directly referenced, but it is implied in the educational programme for understanding the world. There is reference to children “understanding our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world” and “guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community”. It is clear that children’s physical world is under threat but it is also clear that children’s ability to get straight to the root of a problem, without being burdened by the constraints

“To lead campaigns to stop global warming!” Girl, seven “Be more kind to nature and look after our environment that we live in.” Girl, eight “Being healthy, being kind and help the environment (don’t throw plastic and rubbish on the road).” Boy, eight

Expressive arts and design The ancient Greek philosopher Plato once famously wrote: “Our need will be the mother of creation”. Over time this has been adapted to become: “necessity is the mother of invention”. The need for creativity and invention is now paramount as we think differently about our impact on the planet. The educational programme for expressive arts and design describes the ways in which ‘the development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. Through our curriculum we can provide opportunities to expand children’s cultural awareness to include an appreciation for the beauty of the natural world and all it has to offer. “Understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and the ability to communicates through the arts,” (EYFS, 2021), is yet another means by which children will get their voices heard on matters that directly affect their future.

ACTIVITY

The big birdwatch The RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place this January – here’s how your early years provision can join in

he RSPB’s Big Schools Birdwatch takes place again this year, running from 5-21 January. Early years providers, including childminders and baby and toddler groups as well as pre-schools and nurseries, are invited to take part and help gather data for the charity. To join in children simply need to watch and count the birds that visit their outdoor space and share the results with the RSPB. This will help give an annual snapshot of how birdlife is doing across the country. Over the past 50 years, the number of birds in the UK has fallen by 38 million, so it’s vitally important that the RSPB is able to collect this data. The Birdwatch is completely free to join in with. Providers who sign up will be able to download a pack with all the information needed to take part, including: bird fact files, survey sheets and further activity ideas. You can then pick any day during the first half of the spring term to take part. It can be a one-off event or embedded into wider themes that you are exploring with the children. Taking part simply involves spending an hour outside with the children, looking out for any birds and carefully counting up how many you see. If you are struggling to identify any birds, the RSPB’s website has a handy guide as well as a quick

questionnaire to help. You can use your setting’s garden or a nearby park if you don’t have space of your own. Once you’ve counted, you can then simply log the information with the RSPB online. If you have access to your own outdoor space, you could prepare for the Birdwatch by putting up birdfeeders to help encourage more birds into your space. Just be mindful of any allergies that children may have as many bird feed mixes contain nuts. Thinking longer term, you could try making some changes to your outdoor space, planting more wildlife-friendly plants or adding nest boxes, to encourage more birds into the space and see if you spot any changes when you count again next January. Families are also welcomed to join in themselves at home with the Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place between 28-30 January. They simply need to spend an hour counting the birds they see in their garden, balcony or local park. Since the project launched in 2002, more than a million children have taken part, counting a total of 70 different species of birds. Last year, the woodpigeon was the most commonly spotted bird, with children seeing an average of nine during their birdwatch. This took the top spot from the blackbird, which is now in second place, followed by the house sparrow – which ones will you see this January?

Rank Species 2021

Average % of settings count per species setting recorded in

Woodpigeon

9.3

80.0

Blackbird

8.1

84.7

House sparrow

7.1

65.9

Starling

6.0

48.8

Magpie

5.1

69.3

Carrion crow

4.6

51.5

Robin

4.6

79.6

Blue tit

4.3

65.2

Black-headed gull 3.5

32.0

Feral pigeon

3.4

33.8

Great tit

2.0

39.5

Herring gull

1.8

21.1

Chaffinch

1.5

27.6

Common gull

1.4

13.4

Jackdaw

1.1

17.6

Coal tit

0.8

16.9

Goldfinch

0.7

13.8

Collared dove

0.6

18.3

Long-tailed tit

0.5

11.6

Dunnock

0.4

15.0

Find out more To download you free Big Schools Birdwatch pack visit rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

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BEST PRACTICE

How to be head injury aware We hear from the Child Brain Injury Trust about why you should be aware of the possible impact of head injuries on children in the early years

n acquired brain injury, also known as a head or brain injury is brain damage caused by an event such as an accident or illness. Even if children appear to be fine after a brain injury, there may still be some lasting damage. While most children will not have any long-term effects after such an incident, a minority of children may experience longer-term problems as a result. Louise Wilkinson, head of information and learning at the Child Brain Injury Trust explains: “There is a linear scale – each year 35,000 children will acquire a brain injury and about 2,000 of them will have a severe, life-limiting injury and maybe 3,000 would have a moderate injury. 30,000 have a mild injury – these are the ones that get lost.” Damaged brain cells cannot be repaired so any brain injury can have long-term consequences but the full impact of the damage in milder cases of acquired brain injury may not be apparent until a child starts to miss developmental milestones. With children in the early years still developing physically and learning to judge risks appropriately, many children under five will experience a head injury. A recent report from the Department for Health and Social Care found that children under five account for 50% of all hospital admissions for head injuries in children aged 15 and under. Almost half of these injuries were caused by falls. Other brain injuries may be caused by illnesses, such as meningitis, or accidents such as poisoning or choking. For many children under five with a brain injury most of their symptoms are cognitive rather than physical so it can be harder to spot these cases. “They will look the same as every other child in the nursery, but the difference is in their abilities,” Louise explains. Common symptoms of an acquired brain injury can often be mistaken

for other disabilities. Louise says: “The most common difficulties that children have due an acquired brain injury is with social skills. But it may also be really subtle things like lacking the motor control to pick up a piece of fruit or having difficulty remembering that an apple is red.” Another common symptom is of general unwellness, which can often be mistaken for a cold or just a child simply having a bad day. Other symptoms include more serious developmental concerns. Louise says: “They may have perceptual difficulties – they may reach out for something but not quite be able to grab it. They may have difficulty concentrating, so if someone is reading a book for example, the child might switch off or appear to switch off and not be interested.” Extreme fatigue can also be a symptom of a brain injury. Louise says: “Children who have an acquired brain injury, because they have to find different ways of doing things, become overwhelmingly fatigued. So, it could simply be a child that seems to sleep more than they should do.” Missing speech and language milestones can also be a key sign. Some children with acquired brain injuries will not present symptoms until later on when they are developing ‘executive skills’ or should be starting to develop empathy for others yet are struggling. “Toddlers do tend to present with some challenging behaviours,” Louise explains. “But these tend to be born out of frustration because they can see that their peers can do things and they can’t.” With many children in the early years being unable to express themselves, it’s vitally important that providers are able to spot these small but significant symptoms of acquired brain injuries. Any concerns about a child who may have an acquired brain injury should be passed

on to their parents, who may wish to follow up with their GP. “At the end of the day, it’s about asking the questions – has a child who is struggling ever been hospitalised with a serious illness?” Louise says. While most children will not experience these symptoms, it’s important that parents are made aware of the potential longer-term impact of a brain injury. You might want to consider asking families to share information about any potential brain injuries when a new child joins the setting as part of your registration process. Another key area that early years practitioners can help in is by preventing accidents in the setting itself. Louise says that your usual risk assessments should cover the potential areas where children may slip or fall. “Make sure gaps in railings are too small for children put their head through or big enough that they won’t get stuck, as well,” she says. Her main advice for practitioners is to be “head injury aware” when dealing with children with possible symptoms for acquired brain injury.

Remember If a child has been experiencing symptoms for more than two weeks after a head injury, their parents/carers should contact their GP. If you have concerns about a child immediately after a head injury, you should seek urgent medical advice.

Find out more The Child Brain Injury Trust is offering training on acquired brain injuries for early years providers. Please visit childbraininjurytrust.org.uk or email learning@cbituk.org to find out more.

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Recovering outstanding fees and charges The team at Law-Call, a 24 hour legal helpline available to Alliance members, explains the legal process to recover unpaid fees and charges

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LAW-CALL

onies that remain unpaid are always a difficult topic to broach with parents and this is not made any easier by the understandable reluctance to deny a child a place at your setting. You may find it helpful to adopt a systematic approach to debt collection as it will enable you to be objective and treat all parents equally. If you don’t already have a formal written procedure in place for debt management and recovery it would be a good idea create one or review any existing policies. You may wish to set out a clear financial limit beyond which your provision is not prepared to allow parents to continue to run up a debt.

First steps In the first instance, you could have a polite reminder chat followed up by a couple of reminder emails. If this doesn’t lead to the debt being settled, then the first formal step is to send a letter. This should outline the terms of the contract and formally request payment of the amount due. You should describe what action needs to be taken to resolve matters for example, payment in full or whether you are prepared to accept instalments. If the debt still remains unpaid then your provision may feel obliged to take the matter to court. Please be aware that there is a process that needs to be followed to the letter before any court action can get underway. These rules, called the ‘Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims’, set out what needs to be included in any letter demanding payment of the outstanding amount. This means the letter must detail what the agreement or terms of the contract were and how the other party is in breach of those

terms. It should set out what their liabilities are and give an up-to-date statement setting out the current debt including any interest due and reasonable administrative charges. The Information Sheet and Reply Form found at Annex A of the protocol should accompany the letter. Crucially, the debtor must be given 30 days to reply, (as opposed to the usual 14 days). The court protocol can be found on the following link: bit.ly/3Iv5ayA. If you don’t get a reply within 30 days, or if you are not informed that the debtor has applied for some ‘breathing space’, you will need to send a further final letter giving them another 14 days to settle before you can start court proceedings.

Breathing space If a representative of the debtor advises you that they have submitted an application for breathing space under the new Debt Respite Scheme, then you must stop all enforcement action against the debtor for the set period of 60 days. If court action has already been started, then you will need to let the court know and they will adjourn proceedings for the requisite period. The Debt Respite Scheme regulations also require any business to refrain from charging interest, fees, penalties on that debt during those 60 days. Contact with the debtor should also cease. There are some nuances to the ‘breathing space’ rules that are fact specific and some debts continue regardless, so it is important to take legal advice from our helpline if you are uncertain of your position. If ultimately you have to go to court, and the stringent protocol has already been followed in full, legal proceedings can be commenced using the money claim online

service found at moneyclaim.gov.uk. Court fees have to be paid initially to get the case started but these are modest, commensurate with the sum owed and are recoverable in addition to the debt itself.

Going to court The claim should be issued in the names of the owner/s or management – whether that is a director or an officer of the committee – and must be taken against whoever has entered into the contract with your provision. While the initial application is online, a member of the management must be prepared to attend court and present the case at a hearing if the other party decides to defend the claim. Don’t be put off though, as any hearing is an informal affair designed for the lay person as long as the debt is below £10,000. Prior to making any claim you should also make sure that you have examined your standard agreements with parents and ensured that they comply with consumer law. Parents affected by unfair practices may defend any claims you make or counter claim and/or pursue their rights through the courts for breach of contract, the applicability of allegedly unfair terms, or certain infringements of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. If you are not compliant you may also risk separate action by the Competition and Market Authority under consumer protection law.

Find out more If there are complications or if you want to clarify anything in this article, please contact Law-Call for more detailed advice. You can find their contact details in the members area of our website at portal.eyalliance.org.uk.

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Supporting staff thro A

recent study shows that 99% of perimenopausal and menopausal women reported that their symptoms had negatively impacted their work, with 59% taking time off work, and 50% of those women resigning or taking early retirement (Newson Health Research and Education, 2021). With the childcare sector workforce being 96% female, it is critical for early years providers to commit to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment for employees experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Understanding the impact of menopause on employees at work Menopausal symptoms can have a significant impact on an employee’s attendance and performance at work. For example, an early years practitioner may find it difficult to concentrate if they are experiencing hot flushes and profuse sweating but are unable to leave the children in their care. What will be helpful for individual staff members will depend on their symptoms and their individual circumstances. The type and severity of symptoms can vary significantly between women. Therefore, where a staff member is experiencing adverse menopausal symptoms, their line manager should discuss with them what practical support would be helpful and avoid making

assumptions. Managers should encourage staff to let them know if any absence is menopause related and the manager should record it as such. This will assist managers to make any appropriate adjustments (see below). If a staff member records a series of unrelated reasons for absence, such as fatigue or headache, it is more difficult for line managers to know if there is an underlying condition, such as menopause. It will also make it more difficult to know what measures may be appropriate to take to assist the staff member on their return to work. If there are performance issues that are known to be caused by menopauserelated symptoms, managers should consider adjustments to the role or working conditions that could help the staff member. It may be appropriate to obtain a medical report. Managers are required to approach performance conversations supportively and positively and take any health issues fully into account where there is underperformance on the part of an individual.

“Managers should consider adjustments to the role or working conditions.”

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Supporting individuals with their symptoms

Symptoms can manifest both physically and psychologically, including, but not exhaustively or exclusively: Hot flushes and/or headaches The working environment can make menopausal symptoms more difficult for employees where the room temperature

cannot be controlled. Managers should consider what practical steps they could take to address this. For example, it may be possible to work nearer to a window, which may be cooler, and/or to provide a fan for use to regulate temperature. In addition, staff should have: easy access to fresh drinking water access to a rest room for breaks if their work involves long periods of standing or sitting, or a quiet area if they need to manage a severe hot flush time out to take medication, if needed Low mood Symptoms of menopause can include depression, low mood and/or anxiety. Where a staff member has such symptoms, managers should encourage individuals to consider counselling/cognitive behavioural therapy and/or mindfulness as these may be beneficial. If necessary, managers should direct individuals to speak to a Mental Health First Aider (if available) who can signpost employees to access these themselves. agree time out from others, when required, without needing to ask for permission identify a ‘buddy’ for the colleague to talk to – outside of the work area identify a ‘time out space’ to be able to go to ‘clear their head’ Anxiety and/or panic attacks An altered work pattern could also benefit someone who is suffering from anxiety or

WELLBEING

ough the menopause depression related to menopause. Managers could also aim to accommodate occasional requests to come in late or go home early. In addition: promote the Metal Health First Aider identify a ‘buddy’ for the colleague to talk to – outside of work their area be able to have time away from their work to undertake relaxation techniques undertake mindfulness activities such as breathing exercises, or going for a walk agree time out from others, when required, without needing to ask for permission Poor concentration If a staff member’s symptoms include difficulty concentrating, a manager could consider making temporary changes to work allocation, in consultation with the staff member, to ensure that the type and volume of work is appropriate. Discuss if there are times of the day when concentration is better or worse and adjust working pattern/practice accordingly. Review task allocation and workload. Provide pads for lists, action boards, or other memory-assisting equipment. Offer quiet space to work, where possible. Reduce interruptions.

Have agreed protected time to catch up with work. Difficulty sleeping For staff experiencing adverse menopausal symptoms, a temporary change to working arrangements may be more appropriate. For example, agreeing to a later start time on a temporary basis if a staff member is suffering from sleepless nights and thinks that this could help them feel less tired at work. Heavy/light periods A staff member who is experiencing menopause might need to take frequent and/or urgent toilet breaks, for example if they have a heavy or unexpected periods or have continence issues. This can be a challenge when staff work, for example, in teams, where there is little flexibility. However, a discussion should take place with the staff member to identify how to support in this situation. Staff should: have permanent access to washroom facilities access to a spare uniform, if appropriate ensure storage space is available for a change of clothing Loss of confidence Provide support through regular supervision meetings. Have regular protected time with their manager to discuss any issues. Have agreed protected time to catch up with work.

Workplace discussions Every woman is different and it is, therefore, not feasible to set out a structured set of specific guidelines. If a staff member wishes to speak about their symptoms, or just to talk about how they are feeling (they may not recognise themselves that they are symptomatic), or if a male employee wishes to speak about a family member, please ensure: adequate time to have the conversation an appropriate room to preserve confidentiality t hat they are encouraged to speak openly and honestly they are provided with supportive measures, such as listed above discuss whether the individual has visited their GP. Depending on the discussion, this may be the next step suggested. If they have visited their GP, and are being supported by them, it may be helpful at this point to make a medical referral to give specific advice regarding the workplace. agree if other members of the team should be informed, and by whom ensure that designated time is allowed for a follow up meeting. Do not rely on quick queries during chance encounters in the corridor or break room

Find out more The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists offer further information at www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/ menopause.

Our forces families Juliette Moran, business manager at the Alliance, shares guidance for supporting armed forces families at your early years provision

t’s a common misconception that armed forces children are only vulnerable while a parent is deployed overseas. There is so much more to the forces lifestyle than this, often differing from force to force. Recent research (Kin and Country – Growing up as an armed forces child, 2018) has shown that naval families experience fewer moves than those

UNDER 5

in the Army or RAF. Yet even naval families experience at least one house/school/ country move every five years. But frequent moving and overseas deployment are not the only factors which can affect the personal, social and emotional development (PSED) of children. There are many different types of deployment that those in civilian life may not

be aware of. These all involve the emotional cycles of deployment. This emotional cycle is characterised by five distinct stages: pre-deployment deployment adjustment pre-reunion reunion

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Each of these must be navigated by families and the serving personnel themselves. In planned deployments these have a very specific timeframe and the whole family will have a chance to plan for and prepare each other for the absence. However, the very nature of the military and the fact that more and more families are remaining in one place for longer, particularly in the navy, means that this cycle can be harder to navigate but it is no less prevalent.

Weekending Forces personnel recognise the unsettling effect that continually moving can have on a family as they need to move house, schools and possibly even job. This means that ‘weekending’ deployments are becoming more common. But this can provide less stability emotionally as families must adjust and readjust very quickly to the changes of routine. The return and departure of the ‘fun parent’, while the spouse that is left behind deals with the daily grind of home and school life, becoming the disciplinarian, can foster feelings of resentment and inadequacy. This can have a huge impact on home life and on the relationships between parents that will inevitably filter down to their children.

No contact deployment While weekending is more common, there are still sometimes when a serving member will be called away on short notice, overseas or on training and exercises, often into high-risk situations that put added stress on the whole process. There are also those times that a parent is deployed on ‘no contact’ deployments, when neither the serving personnel nor their families can speak to each other for months on end. This is of note as children may reject the returning parent much more vociferously than in the other patterns. There are families that have experienced all of these in the time that their family member is serving. While adults can put coping mechanisms in place and become very adept at ‘sectioning off’ their life, our younger

children are still learning and developing their emotional literacy and have not yet mastered that ability. The Naval Families Federation has produced a resource, applicable to all forces, that may help you as an early years educator. It outlines some of the behaviour you may see in children under five. The Naval Families Federation calls the period just after deployment, including weekending, “emotional disorganisation”. This perfectly sums up what we know about PSED. Children can’t always organise their thoughts and these feelings of abandonment, loneliness and a sense that something beyond their control has affected their homelife are hard to navigate. It says that young children will display behaviours such as: “clinging to people or favourite toy or blanket, unexplained crying or tearfulness, hitting, biting people or things, shrinking away from people or becoming very quiet, sleep difficulties or disturbances (waking, bad dreams) eating difficulties or changes in eating patterns, fear of new people or situations…” – to name but a few!

A serving member of the Army, as illustrated in Kin and Country, reiterated these concerns: “Not only was [there] concern about the difficulty in moving children between specialist schools, [there is an] identified struggle in getting Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) successfully transferred to new local authorities for service children with identified needs.” In the National Audit Office’s 2013 study into the education of service children, 73% of respondents who had children with SEND reported difficulties related to their children’s special educational needs. The very real struggles that early years settings experience in even getting an EHCP can only be further exacerbated by the potential struggles illustrated by those in mainstream schools or specialist provision. Our forces children are very vulnerable for most of their young lives and, as job postings generally only last for 18–24 months at a time, the likelihood that at least one of your service families are at one of the stages of the emotional cycle is very high. Just because both parents are at home, doesn’t mean that family life has reverted to ‘normal life’, whatever that may be. These children are not entitled to Service Pupil Premium, as they are in primary and secondary schools, but as our pupil premium can be used in an inclusive way for the whole setting it may well be worth your while to use some of it to support your forces children and their families and investing some time in understanding the particular challenges these children and their families may face.

Children can’t always organise their thoughts and feelings of abandonment.

Children with SEND For our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) children these deployments are even harder to navigate. Children with additional needs face specific problems, particularly those that have complex needs. Moving pre-school/nursery/school can be an even greater challenge and finding a suitable setting means that one parent can be at the opposite end of the country while the family remains where suitable SEND provision can be provided.

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FAMILY CORNER

The art of decluttering How decluttering can help improve your children’s concentration and behaviour at home

he amount of toys and things we can acquire after having children can sometimes feel overwhelming. And guess what? It’s not only stressful for you – it can be for your children too. Several research projects over the last 15 years have helped us to understand that many children experience high levels of stress when attending nurseries and early years settings, and studies have shown that sometimes changing the play environment at nursery or pre-school can have a calming effect on children and improve their play.

A positive by-product of the pandemic Val Aspinall, children’s services manager at the Alliance, says some early years settings have been adapting their spaces to help reduce children’s stress levels post-lockdown. Val’s team saw as they cleared and de-cluttered the setting to create more space and improve infection control during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a secondary effect – children’s stress levels went down and there was a visible positive effect on their behaviour and engagement. Val says: “This, together with a move away from brightly coloured plastic resources, is having a hugely beneficial impact in some settings...and our understanding of the effect of bright colours, clutter and noisy environments on children has improved. We know that sensory overload can increase children’s stress levels and with that their behaviour may change.”

One simple change that many early years providers made was reducing the amount of ‘stuff’ in their settings. This not only makes cleaning easier but helps open up more space for children. Lianne, from Red Lion Childcare in Nottingham, noted that since staff have decluttered, children are more engaged, keener to talk and tend to spend less time running up and down. The team also painted the setting in more neutral colours and took down their brightly-coloured displays. They have also observed how much more focus the children have when they are given more choice. For example, the children are now spending more time on activities such as play dough now that they have a new station for the activity than when it was laid out for them on a table. Fiona, from Lightcliffe Pre-school in Halifax, has noticed that even simple things, such as taking down hanging displays and removing large pieces of equipment, can have a calming effect on children. Her setting removed their indoor climbing frame and noticed a big difference. Giving children a reduced number of items to choose can also have an impact. Kayleigh and Dawn, practitioners at West Bassetlaw Childcare in Nottinghamshire, have taken a ‘less is more’ approach since the Covid-19 pandemic. They have reduced the large numbers of items in storage boxes and removed some storage altogether. This means that all of the resources can easily be seen and accessed by the children.

Share t his guidan ce with parent s and carers

The team have also noticed that this means that they spend much less time on tidying up each day, which means there is less interruption to children’s play. This also makes the children more willing to cooperate and share resources with each other. Emma, a nursery worker who works with twoyear olds at Redhill Nursery in Stockon-on-Tees, says that minimising harsh lighting and noisy toys has had a noticeably calming effect in her setting. She explains that while it is sometimes harder to achieve when the dark winter nights come in, she often turns off all the overhead lights in the setting. This leaves just the lamps and fairy lights on, for a softer atmosphere.

Mindful changes Whatever changes you decide to make, it’s important to keep the children’s needs and wants in mind as well any ideas you may have. Mariam, manager at Lydgate Pre-school in Batley, stresses that wherever possible, changes to rooms and spaces should be done with the children as this helps to maintain feelings of security and familiarity. She says: “While we may feel excited about the changes we have made, for some children an overnight change can be confusing.” Mariam’s team changed their approach when they saw a child getting upset because the shelf that he usually always made a beeline for had been moved overnight. Mariam is also keen to ensure children can still make independent choices, so in changing the environment she considers how accessible toys are and displays and items are placed at children’s eye level.

Find out more This article originally appeared on Family Corner – for more advice and tips aimed at families please visit familycorner.org.uk or follow us at facebook.com/FamilyCornerAlliance.

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