Under 5 July/August

Under 5 WIN

the magazine of the early years alliance July/August 2020

a Bronze e im Teddy T hip s member 50 1 worth ÂŁ

Save the summer

Creating a festival in your setting

We need to talk about racism Responding to #BLM in the early years

After the outbreak

A guide to introducing new families

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contents 4

News round up

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

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EYFS Reforms: the government responds

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My Under 5

13

Making a language-rich environment

A summary of the government’s response to views shared in the consultation Two settings share their positive experiences from the last few months

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A free extract from new Alliance EduCare course Creating an Effective Communication and Language Environment

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We need to talk about racism

How the Alliance plans to support discussions around the Black Lives Matter movement

Managing transitions in the early years

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Advice for supporting children in these difficult times

18

Welcome to Alliance Connect!

How the Alliance embraced the challenge of remote working

20 Understanding the world

The next part of our EYFS Reforms series

22 Supporting families in lockdown and beyond

How one safeguarding team responded to the coronavirus crisis

24 Setting visits after the outbreak

Advice for showing prospective parents your setting while social distancing

26 Save the summer

Ideas for bringing a festival atmosphere to your setting

28 Finding a balance

The ITF shares ideas for making snacks and mealtimes healthier for toddlers

29 Competition

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WELCOME & CONTENTS

welcome

Welcome to Under 5 After months of lockdown and restrictions on daily life, this issue hopefully arrives at a time when providers are finally starting to get a bit of normality back. Many providers opened their doors to a wider cohort of children again last month, and many more will be getting ready to reopen in September. However your setting has responded, I hope this issue finds you in a more positive position than previous editions!

With many providers now looking ahead to welcoming new starters in September, we’ve got some ideas for showing families around your setting while still following social distancing guidelines (page 24). We’ve also got some ideas for making a language-rich environment in your setting (page 13) from the Alliance’s latest EduCare course.

These past few months have also seen conversations about race and equality come to the forefront in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With many concerned about how best to tackle racism within the early years, we have an update from Alliance press and public affairs director Shannon Pite about how the Alliance plans to support these discussions going forward (page14).

At the start of July, the government published its response to the consultation on the EYFS Reforms. As well the next part of our series on what the reforms could look like in practice (page 20), we’ve also got a summary of the government’s response and the changes they have made to the proposed changes (page eight).

As the coronavirus lockdown period starts to end, we’ve also looked back at some of the lessons learned and some of the positive changes that have emerged. The Alliance team working in Lewisham has shared its experiences of safeguarding during the lockdown (page 22). We’ve also heard from the Alliance Connect team about how they have taken their training sessions and workshops online (page 18).

With lots of events, trips and other treats sadly cancelled or postponed this summer, we’ve also got some ideas for creating a festival-style event at your setting (page 26).

However you end up spending this summer, make sure you take some time to relax and enjoy yourself. After the past few months, I know everyone in the early years deserves some well-earned recuperation before September!

As always, please do stay in touch – editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk Rachel Lawler, editor

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in brief...

FREE SCHOOL MEALS: The government has extended its voucher scheme for children who usually receive free school meals to cover the summer holidays, following a campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford.

TUC calls for childcare support

round-up Employers to get £1,000 bonus for retaining furloughed staff The government will pay employers a £1,000 bonus for each member of staff kept on for three months following the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in October 2020.

Employees will need to be paid an average of £520 a month between November 2020 and January 2021, although it is not yet clear how this will work alongside early years funding.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak commented: “If you stand by your workers, we will stand by you.”

The measure was revealed as part of a £30 billion new plan to help prevent unemployment following the coronavirus crisis in the UK. Further announcements also saw VAT on food, accommodation and attractions reduced from 20% to 5% from Wednesday 15 July onwards.

The new plans did not include any specific support for the early years sector, however, Conservative MP Steve Brine did secure a meeting with Sunak on the topic following a discussion on the topic in Parliament.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “With one in four nurseries, pre-schools and childminders fearing closure within the year, rising to one in three in the most disadvantaged areas, it is clear that inaction is not an option – and yet the government continues to ignore the fact that the childcare sector in this country is in crisis.

“The Chancellor promised that the government would ‘protect, support and

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create jobs’, but the fact is that if parents are unable to access childcare because so many early years providers have been forced into closure, this simply won’t be possible.

“With the furlough scheme confirmed as ending in October, the financial pressure on childcare settings is only going to worsen over the coming months. While the new Job Retention Bonus for unfurloughed staff kept on until at least January is a welcome policy, for those providers unsure whether or not they will survive the autumn, it will come as little comfort.

“The government needs to urgently reconsider this short-sighted approach and commit to providing the financial support that the childcare sector needs not only to survive the immediate challenges caused by the coronavirus crisis, but also to remain sustainable in the longer term.”

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for an “urgent cash injection to the childcare sector” to prevent parents from being “forced out of work”.

A new report from the union, called ‘Forced out: the cost of getting childcare wrong’, recommnded that the government takes “emergency measures” to prevent “widespread and unnecessary job loss” for working parents.

The TUC called for a version of the Job Retention Scheme to be extended beyond October.

The report calls for for emergency funding for the early years sector to “ensure providers can remain open and financially viable”.

The TUC also called for a limited version of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to be extended beyond October until schools and childcare settings are fully reopened to support parents who are currently unable to return to work due to childcare responsibilities.

The report also calls on the government to target childcare support “at those that need it most” as children from low-income backgrounds are still less likely to access early years education than their peers. It warned the government to make sure that these children do not miss out further “as the squeeze on childcare places increases”.

PPE: Early years providers in Wales have been advised to wear gloves, aprons, masks and eye protection when working with children.

SAFEGUARDING: Calls to the UK’s national domestic abuse helpline have risen 66% since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

Ofsted to start “phased return” to inspection in autumn Ofsted has announced that it will start a “phased” return to inspection, starting with an interim period of “visits” in the autumn term.

These visits will not be inspections and will not result in a judgement but inspectors will be able to use regulatory or enforcement actions if appropriate.

Inspectors will also publish a short summary to confirm what they found during the visit.

Ofsted aims to restart routine inspections from January 2020, by which time the Early Years Foundation Stage is expected to be fully reinstated.

However, the exact timing of a return to routine inspections is being kept under review.

Amanda Spielman, chief inspector at Ofsted, commented: “Visits will be made to nurseries and childminders to monitor progress and regulatory standards,

particularly looking at those where we have concerns, but including a wider sample.

She added “As in everything we do, we will be acting in the best interests of children – whether that’s helping to improve their education, or keeping them safe from harm.

“Life may not return to normal yet, but a full return to school in September offers universal benefits to every child. And as education gets back on its feet, Ofsted will play its part.”

New report reveals extent of early years crisis New data from independent analyst Ceeda shows that early years providers are facing huge financial losses in the wake of the coronavirus crisis as a result of long-term underfunding and reduced demand for places.

Parents could soon see a reduction in the number of childcare places available as many pre-schools, nurseries and childminders could be forced to close as a result.

The Alliance’s new report, The Forgotten Sector, details the impact of the outbreak and subsequent lack of government support on the early years sector in England.

The data from Ceeda shows that, as of 8 June, early years providers in England

had an average occupancy rate of just 37%, compared to 77% in spring 2019.

If this continues for the next 12 months, providers will face average losses of £3.63 per hour for funded two-year-olds and £2.52 per hour for funded three- and fouryear-olds.

If average occupancy levels increased slightly to 45% of the levels seen in spring 2019, providers would still face average losses of £3.06 per hour for funded two-year-olds and £1.96 per hour for funded three- and four-year-olds.

Even if average occupancy levels rose as high as 77% of the rate seen in spring 2019, providers would still be facing losses of £2.01 per hour for funded two-

year-olds and 90p per hour for funded three- and four-year-olds.

A previous survey conducted by the Alliance found that 69% of providers were expecting to operate at a loss over the next six months, while 25% said that it is “likely” that they will be forced to close within the next 12 months.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “The fact is that the early years sector is at a crunch point, and unless urgent action is taken, we are going to see many, many more settings forced to close their doors over the coming months. This could mean chaos for parents – and particularly mothers – trying to access childcare in order to return to work at a time when the government is desperately trying to restart the economy.

“Ministers must now commit to providing the financial support that childcare providers need to remain sustainable throughout this crisis and beyond. Anything less puts the longterm viability of the sector as a whole at risk.”

The Alliance is calling on the government to commit to urgent transitional funding to support the childcare sector through this period. It has asked for funding to cover the costs of extra cleaning, for business grants to be extended to childcare providers and for the ‘catch-up’ funding offered to schools to be extended to the early years sector as was initially announced.

A copy of The Forgotten Sector has been sent to every MP in England.

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Rules on “bubbles” to be relaxed on 20 July Early years providers will no longer need to keep children in small, consistent groups within settings from 20 July onwards, according to the latest update from the Department for Education (DfE).

The new guidance says that from 20 July onwards providers will not have to keep children in consistent ‘bubbles’ within settings.

However, providers will be encouraged to minimise mixing where possible. For example, where providers use different rooms for different age groups, these should be kept apart as much as possible.

All other protective measures should remain in place.

The DfE says that this update is due to continued progress made towards stopping the spread of coronavirus in England, which saw the UK alert level reduced from Level 4 down to Level 3.

The DfE also states that earl years settings tend to be much smaller than schools, allowing for a less restrictive approach than seen in schools.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We know that in the early years, one size doesn’t fit all and so the way a large nursery operates on a day-

to-day basis is likely to be very different to, say, a small pre-school operating from a church hall or a childminder working out of their own home.

“As such, it is positive that this guidance change will allow providers the flexibility to operate safely in a way that is most appropriate for their own provision.

“There is no doubt, however, that keeping children, parents, practitioners and other early years staff safe has to be a priority and so it is important that there is clarity on the scientific basis for this decision, and what steps providers can and should take to ensure that they are still able to minimise the risk of infection transmission without the use of ‘bubbles’.

“What’s more, with parental demand for childcare places still significantly below normal levels, we are clear that this change alone will not solve the huge financial challenges that nurseries, preschools and childminders are currently facing. It remains vital, therefore, that the government commits to an urgent financial support package for the sector to ensure that they are survive this difficult period, and provide the care and education that families across the country need.”

Coronavirus has put a strain on children under five, NCB warns The coronavirus outbreak is putting children under five under additional strain, according to new analysis from the National Children’s Bureau (NCB).

The NCB warned that the anxiety and stress caused by lockdown periods coupled with a lack of face-to-face support for families could worsen existing mental health problems.

Research published in 2018 suggests that one in every 18 children aged between two- and four-years-old has a diagnosable mental health problem and the NCB says that the effects of the pandemic could have worsened these.

The findings were published as part of a report, Nurturing Healthy Minds Together, to mark the start of Infant Mental Health Awareness Week. The report argues that parents have a vital role in improving children’s wellbeing and that secure attachments are essential for children’s

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emotional development.

It also suggests that while there is an intention to provide support for the emotional wellbeing of babies, infants and their families, provision of services is inconsistent and take-up is often low.

Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of the NCB commented: “During the COVID-19 crisis, babies are arriving into this world without the support of their wider family circle, and many parents and very young children are struggling to maintain their emotional wellbeing: supporting their mental health has never been more important.

“We’re convinced that building parents’ capacity to have rich and rewarding relationships with their children can bring mental health benefits for them both. Sharing what might traditionally have been seen as ‘specialist’ knowledge on brain development with families is an important way of enabling them to reach their full potential.”

Early years left out of “Covid catch-up” plans The government has announced a “billion pound Covid catch up plan” to support children after the coronavirus crisis. The package includes £650 million for state schools and £350 million for a tutoring scheme aimed at the most disadvantaged children in England. The package does not include any measures to support the early years sector.

The government says that the funding will help “tackle the impact of lost teaching time” and will be distributed to primary and secondary schools over the 2020/21 academic year.

Head teachers will be able to determine how the funds are spent but the government expects to see small group tutition for those that need it.

The National Tutoring Programme aims to give the most disadvantaged children access to “high quality tution” over the next academic year.

The government also announced an ambition to have all providers offering holiday clubs and activities able to open for the summer holidays, provided that “the science allows”.

Guidance for providers on how this can be safely delivered will be provided.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson commented: “I want to once again thank teachers, childcare workers and support staff for the brilliant work they have been doing throughout the pandemic. This includes providing remote education for those not in school, as well as face-to-face education for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers.

“This £1 billion catch-up package will help head teachers to provide extra support to children who have fallen behind while out of school. I am determined to do everything I can to get all children back in school from September, and we will bring forward plans on how this will happen as soon as possible.”

Education secretary Gavin Williamson added: “This package will make sure that every young person, no matter their age or where they live, gets the education, opportunities and outcomes they deserve, by spending it on measures proven to be effective, particularly for those who are most disadvantaged.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Childcare settings across the country are working hard to provide the best possible support to those children who have missed several weeks of important early education. Why is it then, that once again, schools get much-needed financial support and early years providers don’t?

“The fact that this comes on the back of months of inadequate support for the early years sector makes this decision all the more galling. With one in four childcare providers expecting to go out of business within the year, the government simply cannot keep ignoring the financial pressures facing the sector.”

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New hand hygiene teaching resource for Under 5’s Free to download Hand hygiene has never been more important, but it’s not always easy to teach younger children how to do it. A new, free Hand Hygiene teaching pack has been developed specifically for the under-5s. The pack contains everything needed to explain to young children when, why and how hands should be washed, as well as how germs are spread and where germs hide.

The aim of the teaching aid is to enable children, particularly younger ones to feel confident about hand hygiene. The materials have been designed so they can be adapted to suit a range of ages and abilities. They can be used in a group situation or for a one-to-one session.

The advice is based on the latest NHS guidance and has been written and designed by healthcare professionals with input from early years educators.

The project is supported by schülke – experts in infection prevention – and the materials are free to download at: https://www.schuelke.com/gb-en/ news-media/news/New-hand-hygieneteaching-pack-kids.php

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summer

EYFS reforms: the government responds to the consultation The Department for Education is planning to change the Early Years Foundation Stage in 2021. It held a consultation requesting views on its proposed changes between October 2019 and January 2020. Here is its response

T

he Department for Education is planning to change the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in 2021. It held a consultation requesting views on its proposed changes between October 2019 and January 2020 and last month published its response to the feedback it was given.

The consultation received a total of 2,452 responses, including 69 responses from practitioners working in the PVI early years sector and 41 childminders. 48 early years sector representative bodies, including the Alliance, also responded to the proposed changes.

Here is a summary of the government’s response:

The Communication and Language programme will remain as originally proposed.

Educational programmes

Early Learning Goals

Following the consultation, the DfE said that it would make a number of changes to the reformed education programmes.

The proposed changes to the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) will also go ahead, largely as planned, with the following changes made:

PSED will include additional information on self-care and healthy eating.

Physical Development will be strengthened to include a greater focus on development from birth to reception and on the link between gross and fine motor skills.

Literacy will include a stronger emphasis on

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pre-reception literacy learning, and the link between language comprehension and later reading and writing.

Mathematics will include a greater detail on the importance of shapes, spatial reasoning and measure as part of early maths learning, and how children can foster a love of maths.

Understanding the World will include wider experiences for children.

Expressive Arts and Design will include a wider variety of ways children can develop their creative skills.

Communication and Language will include focus on adult-child interactions, and the word ‘accurate’ has been removed from the Speaking ELG when referring to tenses.

Mathematics will include greater clarity to counting and comparing quantities in the Numerical Patterns ELG. The government

will proceed with its focus on number and numerical patterns within the mathematics ELGs as the strongest predictor for later maths outcomes. This also reflects the “government’s continued commitment to strengthen the teaching of early numeracy so that all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are able to start Year 1 with a strong and confident foundation in number. Practitioners and teachers will still be required to teach children about shape, space and measures, as part of a well-rounded curriculum, as set out in the revised mathematics educational programme.”

Understanding the World will include a change in relation to the Past and Present ELG to further clarify the expectation of children understanding the concept of ‘past’.

Expressive Arts and Design will include reference to a greater variety of use of tools, materials and techniques that children will need to demonstrate for the Creating with Materials ELG. The ELGs for Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; and Literacy will remain as proposed.

EYFS REFORMS

EYFSP moderation The proposal to remove the statutory duty for local authorities to moderate the EYFSP in 25% of schools each year will go ahead.

Schools will still be required to submit EYFSP data to their local authority and this will still be collected nationally.

Exceeding judgement The government will proceed with plans to remove the “exceeding” judgement criteria from the EYFSP and says that this will “free up teachers’ time”.

Teachers will be expected to continue to identify and stretch more able children.

Oral health A need to include oral health alongside the requirement to “promote the good health of children” will be added to the EYFS framework.

Individual settings and schools will need to determine how to meet this requirement and practitioners will not be required to assess this.

Protected characteristics The DfE says that it will work with sector experts to review the EYFSP Handbook and ensure that it is clear on how practitioners should complete the Profile for children with SEND, EAL and

who are summer-born, including signposting to additional advice and support where appropriate.

September 2020 The DfE says that its EYFS reforms will “provide a strong basis to support children who may have missed critical months of early education” and will therefore be proceeding with plans to offer schools the opportunity to adopt the reforms from September 2020 onwards.

The reforms will be implemented nationally from September 2021 onwards as planned.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We’re incredibly disappointed by the DfE’s response to the EYFS consultation released today. At every stage of the process, well-informed and constructive contributions were submitted from a variety of experts in early years development and they have almost entirely been ignored by the government.

“The government have been repeatedly warned about the risks of shifting towards a narrow and overly formal approach to early years practice. However, this response continues to ignore the widely acknowledged fact that a child’s development is best served from a broad, well-rounded and holistic approach to early years education, not by a rigid

framework which restricts the positive impact childminders, nurseries and pre-schools can have on a child’s development.

“The government’s stance on the Early Learning Goals and the early years foundation stage profile continues to be deeply problematic. Indeed, the language used in the government response is particularly revealing as to how much influence the consultation responses have had on their policy decisions.

Particularly as far as the EYFSP is concerned, where the common view was that the statutory moderation by local authorities should be retained, yet the government has chosen to remove it anyway.

“This raises a serious question as to why have a consultation process at all, if you’re not willing to listen to the views of the sector and the experts within it?

“We urge the government to re-examine the consultation submissions, listen to the expert and majority views and work with the sector to deliver EYFS reforms which truly enhance the learning and development of our young children, not constrain it.”

Find out more Find out more about the consultation, including the Alliance’s response, on our website at www. eyalliance.org.uk/changes-eyfs-2021.

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Lockdown singsong

Unsung heroes

y following ute to her local nurser ddersfield has paid trib Sweeleen Dr An NHS doctor from Hu ic. dem pan onavirus workers during the cor Nurseries nd their efforts to help key rtla Po at ff nked sta o works as a doctor, tha Tan, whose husband als . out ugh ghter thro their two-year-old dau e for supporting them and band or I could have don hus my er eith see how ms for er Sweeleen said: “I cannot oth any to e had access help. We wouldn’t hav daughter, our jobs without their who could care for our a are the in have family due to m the of childcare. We don’t h wit her e to leave wouldn’t have been abl and even if we did, we ughout lockdown. n and welcoming thro Nurseries remained ope hout wit s “The fact that Portland job our h wit on husband and I to carry my d we allo has we ic the pandem ng well looked after so knew that she was bei We er. ght dau our ut worrying abo r our patients.” our work and look afte n could in turn focus on not had the recognitio t early years staff have se Sweeleen believes tha the “In s. risk despite the efforts in the outbreak, feel they deserve for their t many nursery workers tha le dab tan be unders ea hav s ent circumstances, it would par ose wh ldren, particularly those chi our for ing car en anxious wh of our jobs.

Covid due to the nature high risk of exposure to lly are the unsung heroes Portland Nurseries rea at se tho like rs rke wo “Nursery of this pandemic.”

When one of the parents at Old London Road Preschool in St Albans shared a touching poem on their experiences in lockdown, pre-school leader Janet Charles was inspired to put the words to some music.

Written by Liz Binks, the lyrics reflect the voice of a young child asking “Can we do it again , Mum?” as they list activities they have enjoyed while spending time with their parents at home during the lockdown. The lyrics were inspired by the writer’s own experiences with her daughter, Amelie.

Janet wrote the music to accompany the poem and then recorded the song with the help of her son Tobias’ vocals and husband’s guitar. Her nephew then created a video, with the help of some photograph s shared by families from the setting.

After a fantastic initial response to the song, the pre-school is now using it to help raise money for the setting and other local charities that have had to cancel their usual fundraising activities due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Liz said: “I shared my poem on a coup le of family Facebook pages and was astounded by the response – hundreds of parents said it really reson ated with them and brought them strength at a time when they were really struggling.”

Janet added: “It was such a special time recording this with my own son, who is now a grow n-up but attended the pre-school in 1999. The video features many of the children from our pre-schoo l.”

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’.

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Early Years Alliance

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Alliance CPD-recognised online course available Creating an effective communication and language environment will benefit anyone working in a setting or supporting families in the early years.

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It explores; creating language-rich learning environments stages of language acquisition interacting with children developing relationships with parents and carers conversations with parents and carers

Available FREE to Alliance members as part of their membership package.

Non-members can buy for a special price, only £10.50

Creati n Comm g an Effecti ve unicati on a n d Lang

The ph ysical enviro nment Think ab out your own lea rning environ ment, the resour ces in it and the ph ysical layout of the room.

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ildre portuni n see by th em ties fo r play? selves Are th e reso urces words labelle and pi d with ctures ?

Are th e reso ur attract ively pr ces well orga esente ni d to th sed and Are th e child e child ren? re resour ces re n’s self-chos cognis en lear ed ning and va Are th e child lued? ren of reso urces? offered a br eadth Do the resour of tact ce ile expe s give a va riety riences ?

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EDUCARE

Making a language-rich environment In this free extract from Alliance EduCare course Creating an Effective Communication and Language Environment, we consider how practitioners can promote communication skills in their settings

I

n the early years learning environment, it is important to make the different areas and resources accessible to the children.

To create your ideal communication-friendly environment, see it from a child’s perspective.

Use these questions to help you:

What does it look like?

What does it feel like?

What are the adults doing?

What does it sound like?

Think about an area in your setting that you usually see from an adult height: What differences would you see if you viewed it from a child’s height?

Can the children see the opportunities to play by themselves?

Are your resources labelled with words and pictures?

Are the resources well organised and attractively presented to the children?

Are the children’s self-chosen learning resources recognised and valued?

Are the children offered a breadth of resources?

Do the resources give a variety of tactile experiences?

Are children able to reach the resources independently?

height to take more photos of the same spaces.

Compare the two photos and the differences in what you can see.

taking part in the children’s daily routines or playing, you are supporting and encouraging their developing vocabulary.

Routines and resources

Interacting with children

The environment plays a vital role in encouraging communication. How do you ensure that your environment, both inside and outside, supports the typical stages of language development?

Aim to create a communication-friendly environment that offers children the opportunity to play alone or with their peers. For example, within your book area consider the selection of books available to the children. Do you have a range of books which support the learning journey? Pick out a couple of books from your collection and consider how they support the language acquisition journey.

But even in the most well-organised and resourced learning environment, the most valuable resource is you and the child’s parents and carers. Interactions with adults are key to children’s language development.

Get down to the child’s level so that faces can clearly be seen. Let the child choose the toys or activities. Listen to children as much as you talk. Follow what the child wants to do within the activities. Give children time to respond, act, vocalise or talk.

Daily routines How do the stages of language acquisition sound during your typical routines?

Try this

1. naming objects – “banana” or “apple” 2. using action words – “eat”, “drink” or “bite” 3. joining words together – “more banana”, “apple please” and “all gone” 4. describing objects – “big spoon”, “soft banana” 5. grammatical words and endings – “peel/ peeling/peeled” and “drink/drinking/drank” 6. joining sentences together – “I like apples because they are shiny”

Take some photos of your room or setting. Think of your smallest child and get down to their

By modeling rich and varied language while

Find out more Creating an effective communication and language environment will benefit anyone working in a setting or supporting families in the early years. It explores: creating language-rich learning environments stages of language acquisition interacting with children developing relationships with parents and carers conversations with parents and carers It is available free to Alliance members as part of their membership package. Non-members can buy it for just £10.50 from EduCare.

Visit www.eyalliance.org.uk/educare to find out more.

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We n e e talk a d to b o racismut

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EQUALITY

Press and public affairs director Shannon Pite outlines the Alliance’s plans to support discussions around race and racism in the early years in light of the Black Lives Matters movement

O

n 25 May 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was arrested after being accused of using counterfeit money to buy cigarettes.

During his arrest, Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, despite Floyd’s protestations that he couldn’t breathe.

Floyd went into cardiac arrest shortly after and died later the same day.

George Floyd was far from the first black person killed by a police officer in recent years whose death became ‘high-profile’.

Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and Tamir Rice are the names of just a few of the many other lives lost in the past decade that have sparked both sadness and outrage.

Tamir Rice was just 12-years-old when he was shot dead by police while playing with a toy Airsoft gun in a park in 2014.

It’s fair to say, however, that the death of George Floyd has prompted a response that has been far bigger in scale and reach than ever before. Recent weeks and months have seen huge protests taking place in countries across the world, largely led by Black Lives Matter, a movement which advocates against anti-black racism and police brutality.

Many of the world’s biggest brands have also pledged support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and there have been high-profile debates about how cities and countries acknowledge their problematic histories, sparked by the toppling of a statue of Edward Colston, an English merchant who made his fortune through slave trading, during a protest in Bristol in June.

#BLM in the early years So how does the early years fit into these discussions? Over the past few weeks and months, the Alliance has been reflecting on our role as an organisation to not only continue

to promote equality and inclusion in the early years, but to help facilitate and encourage candid and honest discussions about racism, discrimination and injustice.

As an organisation, we are very conscious that discussions about race and racism can often create feelings of discomfort and anxiety.

There are some who argue that the very act of talking about race is divisive, as it highlights the differences between people rather than the similarities. And yet, these differences are very much present in society: research has shown, for example, that black people are nearly 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white people; black mothers are five times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers, and black students are half as likely to achieve three A’s at A-level than their white peers.

Equally, some people have said that discussions of race are not necessary in the early years, because children don’t see race.

However, numerous studies have shown the opposite to be the case. A 2019 study at Northwestern University (‘Bias at the intersection of race and gender: Evidence from preschool‐aged children’) which showed photos of black and white boys and girls to a group of four- and five-year-olds as part of an implicit bias test concluded that the majority of children in the study – both black and white – had a “strong and consistent pro-white bias.”

A 2009 research paper by Erin N. Winkler PhD of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (‘Children Are Not Colourblind: How Young Children Learn Race’), notes that “numerous studies show that three- to five-year-olds not only categorise people by race, but express bias based on race”, and argues that “in order to address issues of racial bias and prejudice with children and help them understand race and inequity in our society, caregivers must first be comfortable addressing these issues themselves”.

Implicit bias It’s important to note too that the impact of implicit bias in the early years isn’t just restricted to children. In 2016, more than 130 practitioners were asked to watch video clips of pre-school aged children and to note instances of challenging behaviour as part of a study by Yale University. Although the video clips were filmed using actors and didn’t actually include any instances of challenging behaviour, eyetracking software showed that practitioners

demonstrated “a tendency to more closely observe black students, and especially boys”.

“Implicit bias is like the wind,” lead researcher and Yale child psychology professor Walter S. Gilliam commented at the time. “You can’t see it, but you can sure see its effects.”

It should be noted that when the practitioners were told about the true purpose of the research and given the opportunity to remove their data from the study, only one chose to do so. The vast majority felt, rightly, that it was important to acknowledge the often-uncomfortable truths about the impact that unconscious bias, as well as overt racism and discrimination, can have on children’s experiences in the early years.

So how best can issues of racism and injustice might be approached sensitively and appropriately with young children as part of quality early years provision? How can practitioners best be supported to deal with inappropriate or offensive behaviour or comments from parents? How can we as a sector build and support a more diverse workforce? And what more can we do to reflect on how unconscious biases might impact on how provision is delivered?

There are no easy answers – but we at the Alliance feel that it is important to ask the questions. As such, we have now put together an internal advisory group to look at what more we can be doing on focusing on issues of equality, inclusion, race and discrimination, and will be seeking to work collaboratively with external experts and other interested parties to look at how best we can support the sector on these important issues.

We are clear that any next steps on this need to be meaningful, and not tokenistic or reactionary. We want to make sure that our work on this important issue genuinely does support the sector. As such, we would welcome any feedback and suggestions from practitioners and other interested parties as our work on this develops – if you have any thoughts, views or ideas that you would like to share, please get in touch with us at feedback@eyalliance.org.uk – we look forward to hearing from you.

What is Black Lives Matter?

Black Lives Matter is an anti-racism movement created in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot and killed black 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was walking back to his father’s house after going to a local convenience store.

It advocates for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of violence against black people by the police and vigilantes.

Managing transitions in the early years Children frequently experience transitions such as settling-in, daily arrival and departure, and going to different rooms for lunch or sleep, and will come to expect more significant changes such as moving to a new group, changing key person, moving on to a new setting, and the most significant will be when children leave to start reception in ‘big school’.

With the coronavirus continuing to have an impact on early years childcare, this has created even more transitions, as most children had to switch to home learning for a significant period, some of which may not have returned to finish their early years placement.

While some children have support from their families and will be more resilient to the unique

Take some time to consider the various transition points in the early years. Do you recognise the emotional impact on children and parents and how you can support them through each transition?

Returning after a long period Once you are aware that a child will be returning, refer to their most recent observations and summative assessment in their learning journey and learning records; what have parents told you about their child’s learning and development at home?

Ask parents to share photographs, examples of activities and work completed at home, so that you can share in each child’s experiences. If you were not previously their key person, talk to them, if they are available, to find out more about the child. two to three months, or even six months for children not returning until September, is a long time in a young child’s learning and development different children will have had very different experiences during lock-down children will need to re-establish an attachment with their key person so that they have a secure base to support them to adjust to a new normal there are many emotional ‘transactions’ to be carefully negotiated, these must first be recognised by the key person who then plans to meet the individual child’s needs as they settle in

New starters With September approaching, you may be looking forward to welcoming new children to your provision for the first time. The EYFS recognises this as a critical moment and places emphasis on a settling-in procedure that includes starting points, the role of

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circumstances created by the coronavirus, others may face challenges, especially children who are vulnerable or have special educational needs or disabilities. Making additional arrangements for those children who have been affected by such challenges is even more essential than ever. This requires a good deal of thought and some creative thinking for every early years practitioner.

the key person and the importance of positive relationships. What we don’t always do is give the process adequate time, often due to the pressures on parents to get back to work, or the assumption that the child will not need much time to settle, particularly if this is not the first time they have been left in the care of others.

When children have not had time to settle (or resettle) into a new environment and make the important attachments with their carers they are more likely to display separation anxiety.

They may be distressed, unwilling or unable to join in with activities and lack confidence. This will affect their ability to cope with change in their formative years. Children who have not been properly settled from the outset and display behaviours like these are most likely to struggle with other transitions.

If we start by keeping the unique child at the heart of everything we do, the role of the key person is paramount; how they manage change, ensure communication and continuity at a time of change and uncertainty for children and parents. Of course it is the key person with their special relationship with the child and their parents who is best placed to support and manage the process of change. The coherence and continuity comes from that shared and owned understanding of what each transition means for the child and their parents, so that everyone involved is moving at the same pace, towards the same ultimate goal; to meet their individual needs and create that sense of security within a safe environment that enables children to learn, grow and develop to their full potential.

A transition document template, which takes account of a child’s circumstances during lock-down, can be found in Supporting practitioners, children and families to return to your setting (Early Years Alliance, 2020), available for free to members at shop.eyalliance.org.uk

TRANSITIONS

50% OFF MOVING ON UP! Early Years Alliance (T201) Just £7.00 members, or £10.00 non-members, using the code below Managing children’s transitions successfully is often challenging for early years practitioners. It is essential to create a sense of security within a safe environment that enables children to grow and develop to their full potential.

This online resource pack provides online resources for a manager or team leader to deliver an in-house session on managing transitions. Focus is given to supporting quality transitions for children, such as settling-in, changing key person and moving to ‘big school’, whilst ensuring coherence and continuity. An understanding of school readiness is provided that supports the characteristics of effective teaching and learning.

Order by 31 August, quoting Tran20 to receive this offer

Interested in buying?

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

Welcome to Alliance Connect!

The Alliance’s Gary Croxon, Kath Duffy, Richard Knight and Tracey Hobbs explain how they have embraced the challenges of remote working during the coronavirus crisis

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ALLIANCE CONNECT

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s the country went into lockdown, many providers made the difficult decision to close their setting, while others were able to stay open for key worker families. With this in mind the Alliance quickly responded to the urgent need for support for all providers, with the launch of the virtual Alliance Connect Networking Events via the Zoom platform.

We wanted to ensure the early years sector still had the opportunity to meet up and share concerns and ideas. In the difficult circumstances, this was needed now more than ever before and we have been delighted to see almost 600 practitioners joining our online events from across the early years sector.

During the first few sessions we were quickly able to establish the key challenges the sector faced. The Alliance responded with a host of supporting resources that shaped the focus of the future Connect Networking Events moving forward.

In May we experienced unprecedented levels of interest which resulted in additional sessions being added to the schedule, with the team delivering as many as 13 sessions in one week. While each session had a focus such as ‘maintaining your provision and staying open‘ we covered a range of topics in response to need, which differed depending on each setting’s circumstances.

The launch of the Alliance’s ‘Welcome Back’ bundles in April supported conversations, and helped shape future networking events. Providers are encouraged to interact, share practice and learn from others that may be in a similar situation to them using the example of ‘same storm but different boats’ to respect and reflect provider’s individual circumstances.

Feedback from providers has suggested that attending these online events has been extremely useful for many as they remind providers that they are not alone during this ever-changing time.

One session is never the same as another, as providers from across the country join in with questions and discussions tailored to their specific circumstances.

Along with lots of positive feedback and constructive comments, the Alliance has now widened the online offer to include two

new workshops delivered through our virtual classroom model – ‘Provision Without Walls’ and ‘Let’s Talk About Change’ are the first two subjects to be explored, so watch this space for upcoming dates.

Information on forthcoming Alliance Connects can be found in your local e-newsletter or on your local website: bit. ly/3gIDeZn.

Case studies “When we were due to reopen we canvassed parents to gage response, this is when I started attending the webinars by the Alliance. These were a great help not only with information from the people running them, but by being able to ask questions to the group and others sharing experiences of reopening or remaining open throughout.

It was run in such a way that I felt happy to share my thoughts and opinions, but for people who didn’t want to speak there was also a live chat, where you could type to everyone or just the EYA staff. I also found the packs, that ran alongside the webinars, and were available to download from the EYA web page very helpful with lots of templates to use and power points for staff.

We reopened this week with 7 children, this is increasing to 12 next weeks, and will be working in two ‘bubbles’ and it all went brilliantly – the children and staff were so happy to be back.”

Tina Miller, Manager Stowey Bears Preschool

“Along with many other settings, we were forced to close our doors on Friday 20 March. We would have loved to continue to offer a service and the realisation that we would be unable to do so as none of our parents qualified as key workers left us feeling guilty, worried and concerned. How would we continue to support our families through these challenging times? How could we support our own families? How could I, as manager, support the well-being of my staff?

It is very hard to know how to navigate a situation that is unprecedented and it is even

more challenging if it feels as if the situation is never ending, you receive little to no support from your local authority and the government guidance you are expected to navigate is complicated and frequently changing.

However, there has been one constant throughout the crisis: the Alliance. Their advice was frequent, up-to-date and user friendly and the offer of Alliance Connect support through virtual meetings seemed impossible to turn down. Being able to discuss concerns and worries and receive impartial and informed advice from likeminded individuals has been amazing! As a setting, we are working towards re-opening in September due to circumstances beyond our control, yet hearing the positivity from others around the country has been incredible and has lessened the niggling worries and concerns around re-opening that remain. I cannot thank the Alliance enough for their support and for enabling us to talk and connect with those who are facing the same challenges as we are; what a great idea.”

Sally Heath, Stepping Stones, Canterbury

“During what has been a very stressful and uncertain time, the Alliance has offered lots of support and encouragement. I attended the networking meetings every two weeks, and it was reassuring to engage with other settings across the country. Listening to their ideas/ queries regarding the current situation and how we can move forward, which we were then able to use or adapt to suit our staff and children in nursery.

As a result of the useful Connect meetings, our company decided to become members of the Alliance which gave us access to many more resources which supported the planning of our reopening. We reopened all our settings as of 1 June 2020 and it is running smoothly.

We will continue to use the resources provided through the members’ area on the website and from social media to support our setting moving forward, as and when the guidance changes.”

Lois Less, Kaleidoscope Nursery, Leeds

Find out more Find out more and sign up to upcoming Alliance Connect events online at bit. ly/3gIDeZn.

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er you st r e an du di cati ng ona th l pro e gr wo am rld me

Co ns Un ideri d ng

Understanding the world

Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher takes a look at the new educational programme for ‘understanding the world’ and how it could look in practice

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s one of the four specific areas of learning, ‘understanding the world’ has often been an area where there are examples of Ofsted recommending a setting could either ‘improve, strengthen, or enhance their educational programme’. There are also references to be found in published Ofsted reports as to how settings should seek to improve outdoor learning experiences to enhance children’s understanding of the world.

It will therefore be interesting to see how the revised educational programme and early learning goals drive improvement in this category.

The proposed early learning goals for this area of learning and development aim to support language and wider vocabulary, an aim that appears to be generic to the other revised early learning goals and is repeated in the criteria for each category with phrases such as: “what has been read in class”, “drawing on knowledge gained from stories non-fiction texts,” and “listening to stories, non-fiction rhymes and poems”.

Unarguably, reading books and listening to stories is one way of opening up the world to children, but it is the real experiences that children have that allow them to build new knowledge onto existing knowledge in the first place. While books and stories have their place in all areas of learning and development, they are only one aspect of how children gain an understanding of their world.

Defining the curriculum The educational programme talks about the frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increasing their knowledge and

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sense of the world around them. We can make direct links to cultural capital when we consider our learning intentions in this area.

Ofsted describe cultural capital as “the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success”. It says that some children arrive at an early years setting with different experiences from others. What a setting does, through the EYFS curriculum and interactions with practitioners, potentially makes all the difference to children.

Ofsted says: “It is the role of the setting to help the children experience the awe and wonder of the world in which they live, through the seven areas of learning.”

The starting point will be to consider the experiences and opportunities that children currently have in their lives, in other words to consider the cultural capital they bring to your setting and how you can build on these as you support their understanding of the world.

Consider what is important to their family, their interests, what they like doing together and whether they have the opportunity to travel and take full advantage of the amenities in their local community.

This important awareness will help you to build on children’s experience of the world around them so that the activities and learning opportunities you provide give a firm foundation for future learning.

Breadth and balance Acknowledging that early years practitioners already understand the importance of books and storytelling and how they should be used to extend learning experiences,

we are then left with limited guidance in the ‘understanding the world’ educational programme, where it is suggested that personal experiences such as visiting parks, libraries and museums and meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters, will increase children’s knowledge and sense of the world around them. These people are of course positive role models in our society, but there may be more positive role models for the children in your local community with more relevance to their cultural background that will have more significance to them.

As with the other areas of learning and development, practitioners must not restrict themselves to the limited focus of the educational programmes and must be prepared to reflect on how the age appropriate activities and experiences they provide to children now contribute towards the early learning goals at the end of the foundation stage.

Early Learning Goals Taking a broader look at the three revised early learning goals for understanding the world gives perspective to the age appropriate experiences that you provide as you support children towards them. For example, “talking about the lives of people around them” begins as you get to know new starters in your settings at the very beginning of their learning journey.

You may have photographs of their family for an “all about me” activity, you will share news during your circle time activities about

EYFS

what children have done at home and, of course, you will talk to children about their family as you care for them throughout the day. Your observations and the experiences that you plan will further enhance their knowledge of the lives of people around them but it begins with their main carers and immediate family from the earliest age.

The early learning goal for the natural world is another example of the disparity between what the suggested educational programme states and the reality of how young children learn and develop. The focus on formal provision does not adequately reflect how children learn. Children need plenty of opportunities to be fully immersed in activities that enable the characteristics of effective learning. They must be able to

use all of their senses and be outdoors when possible, in an environment that entices them to explore the natural world. It is the real-life experiences that you give them now that will get them there.

Your educational programme for understanding the world must encapsulate the broad experiences that children have within their homes and communities, and the time they spend with their families in their local community or further afield. It must reflect the different ways that children experience their world and broaden their experiences in ways that are meaningful.

Practitioners must look beyond the limited scope of the programme to reach their own understanding of what this area of learning and development looks like.

Proposed educational programme “The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters.

In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially and ecologically diverse world.

As well as building important knowledge this extends their familiarity with words that support their understanding across domains.

And enriching and widening their vocabulary will support later reading comprehension.”

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Supporting families in lockdown and beyond Val Pope, service manager at the Alliance, explains how the Alliance’s team in Lewisham has been helping families in the current coronavirus crisis

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aising a family can be demanding even at the best times. Difficult circumstances, poverty and adversity can make this even more challenging and sometimes parents need additional support.

Working in Lewisham in south east London, a borough with high levels of deprivation, the Alliance offers that support to families in their own homes, at children’s centres and within the community. We aim to provide the right help at the right time and at the earliest point we can to prevent problems escalating to more specialist services.

Referrals to our service come from early years settings, health visitors, children’s social care and early help teams, schools and

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community organisations. Many come directly from the parents themselves.

In March 2020, we had to completely rethink our usual approach to supporting families due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown period. We had to adapt very quickly to ensure that our vulnerable families continued to receive the support they needed.

Our initial response was to create a list of families who were either currently receiving a targeted service from us or were on a waiting list for one. We had a total of more than 200 families. Each one received a screening call from a member of our team to check that they had sufficient food, medicine and money. We

supported them to access the services they required and helped identify any other support needs they had.

After these initial calls, many families continued to receive regular telephone support to ensure that we could monitor their safety and welfare and respond to any evolving needs. Others that had their immediate needs met were offered occasional check-in calls.

One mother told us that the telephone support offered her an opportunity to talk through her worries and reflect in a safe way.

She reported that she felt as though she was listened to and this provided her with a great deal of reassurance, particularly at

SAFEGUARDING

a strange time when a lot of other services had stopped. She also said that she felt understood, despite not being able to meet face to face.

After extensive safety planning to ensure site security and parental privacy issues were addressed, we have now also been able to offer parenting and domestic abuse programmes over the Zoom platform. We’ve had excellent feedback from parents on this.

One parent told us: “It’s good to be part of a group and hear other people talk about similar issues. I like the fact that we could have the session via Zoom. With being in lockdown and the children not at nursery or school and thinking about the long summer holidays, us parents are struggling and would not have the help available. It is so helpful having it now with the children at home, having them here all day gives us more opportunity to practice the skills being learnt on this course.”

Lou, a senior member of our family support team and the children’s lead for our domestic abuse work, has seen the positive side of this lockdown period for some families. He sees that, despite its challenges, lockdown has been unifying for many people as they learn to connect with each other in new ways.

He sees that organisations like the Alliance are adapting their approaches in order to maximise the number of people they reach.

He says: “This is the glimmer of hope that has prevailed and I have no doubt that this will extend far beyond lockdown. Connecting digitally with children and families was the inevitable next step for many organisations like ours, enabling us to really connect with those hard-to-reach families.”

Going forward, we will continue to deliver our support to families as we have always done but it will now include a digital offer alongside our face-to-face support. We will offer a blended mix of the two after initial face-to-face meetings with families.

Whatever the support route, we have not lost sight of our child-centered focus and will continue to work collaboratively with parents/carers to help them navigate their way through the ever evolving challenges of these unprecedented times.

The world has changed and so have we, but we will always have children’s wellbeing at the heart of everything we do as an organisation.

“The excellent team at the Alliance has proven time and time again that they are specialists in early intervention and preventative work with children aged 0-5 and their families.

“The range of evidence-based interventions offered by the team, the breadth of understanding and the genuine impact and difference that this makes to so many of our families and children is clear.

“In a world that is constantly changing, the ability to work flexibly is key and again this year the Alliance has demonstrated remarkable flexibility in responding to the changing needs of the borough, leading on and developing a range of innovative support offers for families across the spectrum of need.”

Commissioner, early intervention, Lewisham Council

“Lewisham Council has adopted an early help approach in response to this aimed at providing the right support at the right time. The Alliance family support offer is integral to this, engaging families when they are needed the most.

“The range of skills that the Alliance team possess means that they are incredibly wellplaced to support a wide range of families with diverse needs across the borough, from access to parenting programmes through to specialist and innovative domestic abuse recovery support.

“The proof of success is in the feedback at the Alliance team receives from the families they work with and there is an increasing body of evidence to demonstrate the outcome and impact of the important work that the Alliance does.”

Commissioner, early intervention, Lewisham Council

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Setting visits after the outbreak T

he pressure on providers to boost occupancy is greater than ever.

But how can settings welcome and connect with prospective parents in these times of social distancing, staggered start times and strict guidance?

Everything is changing rapidly for nurseries and childminders during the coronavirus pandemic. We are all developing new ways of working, looking at how we can best communicate and deliver our services during these difficult times. While adjusting to the ‘new normal’ practitioners, managers and families all have lots of questions – from practical ones about children starting in September to being unsure about visiting a potential new setting.

More emotional questions might come next where providers and parents have concerns about how children will settle into new surroundings, make friends and bond with their key person.

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How best to show parents around?

Starting at nursery, pre-school or with a childminder is a big deal and often where formal education starts. But how can parents choose a childcare setting without being able to have a good look round at local providers first?

Live video tours With a steep rise in the use of IT during lockdown, many of us are relying heavily on technology both socially and professionally to keep connected. And it is technology that can help get providers and families together ahead of the new academic year.

Video tours are being used by lots of providers to really good effect. You’ll need to provide parents with a ‘booking system’ where they can arrange a time to have a live virtual show round.

Often simply filmed on mobile phones

Richard Knight, from the Alliance’s North of England Service Hub, shares tips for showing prospective parents around your provision in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis using a video conferencing platform, it is a really easy way to showcase the setting.

It is a good idea to show the set-up both inside and outdoors, just like what would happen if a family came to have a look.

The video call can be saved and shared with interested parents and carers.

This can be an effective way of doing things because the parents’ questions can be asked and answered as you go round during the video call.

Virtual tour Alternatively you could record and post a virtual tour of your setting on your websites or social media home pages. Again it can work really well to help give the parent a sense of the atmosphere of a setting which is what so many families go on – that initial gut feeling.

Wherever you post the virtual tour, post it with a message with contact details so parents can get in touch with you after the viewing to talk about things further.

COVID-19

You can suggest arranging a video meeting with families to discuss new children starting.

Scheduling one-to-ones with parents to discuss further will also provide a nice personal touch.

After-hours tours Many settings are offering a visit for parents and children after hours, one family at a time of course. This can be reasonably straight forward, especially if you are operating across reduced hours at the moment. Parents need to understand not to touch anything before they enter the setting. If their child happens to pick up toys, it’s not such an issue to clean them immediately afterwards. Lots of providers are doing this, some even on a Saturday morning!

Meeting outside Meeting in the garden is an option, out of hours even better. Meetings and discussions can happen on site and at a safe distance. Using outside space for this means families can ask all

the important questions they have and have an opportunity to meet some of the staff team.

Be inspired by estate agents Another top tip is to look at how estate agents are overcoming the problems with house viewings. Many are spacing appointments out much further than usual to allow more time for social distancing and to clean down where needed between viewings. Similar strategies could be used by providers when families want to visit.

And don’t forget...

It’s easy to forget how effective a simple phone call can be. Once a parent has visited in person or via video, don’t forget to let them know that you are available over the phone to talk through concerns, outline your usual routines and explain new ways of working. Knowing that they can speak to someone and get answers to their questions will provide reassurance to any parents who are worried.

Case study “We are offering visits after operational hours – so starting at 6pm – asking only one parent to attend if possible. Doors are propped open so they don’t need to touch handles.

They are also asked to sanitise their hands on their entry and then not touch anything as we walk round.

“We have had children attend after hours with their parents and obviously they love to touch new things so we’ve just cleaned anything they’ve touched after. It’s working well for us but we have a good open setting for it, our other sites are having to do it a little different and be creative!

“Therefore we are also offering virtual show rounds by sending a video of our setting to perspective parents.”

Kaleidoscope Nursery in Leeds.

Find out more For the latest guidance and updates on operating in the coronavirus crisis and beyond, visit the Alliance website at www.eyalliance. org.uk/coronavirus.

Save the summer Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, share ideas for hosting a mini summer festival for the children at your setting

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ACTIVITY CORNER

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ith so many outdoor events, including Glastonbury and the Notting Hill Carnival, cancelled this Summer, many families could do with a treat. So why not put together an event of your own?

A summer festival-style event at your setting could really help brighten up an otherwise fairly quiet few weeks. With just a little thought and imagination, you can bring that festival feel to your setting at a time when we could all really do with a celebration.

The different cultural practices that you can weave into your very own celebration will help to foster an openness to diverse and exciting new experiences and will of course support children’s understanding of the world.

Your outdoor festival can have any focus, maybe celebrating a specific cultural event, or perhaps you could recreate a local event on a smaller scale. With so many functions having been cancelled there are sure to be some resources that could be borrowed from the organisers, flags and bunting or even stalls, that are often kept in storage from one year to the next. Get in touch with local community groups and see what you can source.

If you are short on inspiration, celebrating Caribbean culture or Rio’s flamboyant Mardi Gras offers opportunities to explore different music, food, dance, and costumes. All of which are the main ingredients of any festival enjoyed by families all over the world during the summer.

There is definitely something extra special about outdoor events, the crowds of people, the heady mix of sights, sounds and smells that all combine to create a unique experience that brings people together. With social distancing in place you will not be able to open up your event to parents and friends but with a little thought and planning, you can still capture the essence of a summer festival and make it a valuable learning experience that has meaning for everyone involved.

Start planning now Understandably it cannot be an ‘open event’ where parents and carers are invited along and when you would normally take the opportunity to do some fundraising. Start by having a clear focus for your festival. Choose a theme, where it will take place and how each cohort of children can be involved in a way that maintains necessary distancing but still feels inclusive.

If you have limited space you can organise your festival to take place over a week, with groups of children having their own day to enjoy the activities while bringing all the children together where you can do so.

Think of the key elements that most festivals share, music, food, dance, a parade, activities and games.

Draw a plan of your garden and plot each activity or area as a ‘station’, a bit like circuit training, that way each pod can take part in an activity before moving on to the next station. If you are short on space, incorporate some of your indoor space too.

Allocate tasks to groups of children, maybe one group can make posters: one can make bunting, another can create a party game such as pin the tail or hook a duck. Find ways that you can involve parents too, especially if they are still furloughed, why not ask them to help you make costumes or fancy dress, give them the materials and the instructions, if they need a little help.

Start with a parade Many festivals start with a street parade and although you are not going to be able to close the nearest street outside your setting, you can still do your own parade.

Every parade should have a leader, so make yourself a tall hat, carry a baton and your brightest shirt or jacket. Prepare to lead the way and announce the children so that everyone gets to cheer them. If you have babies they can be at the front with a procession of prams decorated in any way you choose, accompanied by music that they will enjoy.

Next come your toddlers, they might have made their own animal masks or flags and will enjoy marching in time to their favourite music. Your pre-schoolers could bring up the rear, with each group maintaining any requisite social distancing measures you have in place.

Your pre-schoolers could perform a song or chant as they march: maybe you could make one up about social distancing?

This leads you into all sorts of learning opportunities for maths as you make up your own song and measure out your metres together.

Activity stations Take inspiration from festivals and outdoor events that you have attended over the years: Face painting could be a challenge but is not impossible. Print off a photograph of each child’s face (A4 would work well) and paint the picture instead. The children can choose what animal or character they would like to be and will have the fun of seeing you paint them and how the picture builds, instead of trying to sit still for 10 minutes as you transform them.

Set up one area for circus skills with balance beams, hula hoops, plate spinning and anything else that is easily cleaned between children. Another station could involve learning new dance moves or trying out some limbo dancing.

Have a mindfulness area where children can spend time relaxing in a tented area or under a tree. Play relaxing music or sounds of the ocean and encourage them to look at the clouds.

Games like kicking the ball into a target area, involve no hand-contact and are achievable for all age groups.

Set up a food stall and offer pots or skewers with exotic fruit. Be inspired by some of the wonderful street food that is available in so many town centres now.

Keep children moving, allowing 10-15 minutes at each station. Sound a horn or klaxon when it is time to move on, this way you can keep children in separate groups if needed but still create some sense of a whole setting event.

Involve parents and carers Most parents relish the chance to take part in events that mark their child’s progress through the early years. They will no doubt feel the loss of many missed opportunities that are milestones in their child’s time in your setting, but it does not have to be so. Why not live stream your festival – with all the necessary parental permissions in place of course?

At the very least you can take plenty of photographs and compile a montage set to music that you can send via WhatsApp or other platform.

We are all lamenting the loss of so many activities at the moment, so now is your chance to give something back – don’t forget to have fun!

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NUTRITION

Finding a balance The Infant and Toddler Forum shares information on healthier snacking for toddlers as well as some ideas for dinners

A

varied and nutritious diet, alongside good eating habits, is essential for toddlers’ health, growth and development. It can be hard to keep track of what comprises a nutritious and balanced diet for toddlers, especially when their nutritional requirements are very different to those of older children and adults.

However, it is worth taking the time to focus on toddler mealtimes as both early years’ professionals and parents have a vital role in establishing and encouraging positive habits and behaviours. There are often some simple steps for consideration which ensure toddlers are eating healthy, balanced meals and snacks.

In the most recent analysis of data collected from its Tot It Up toddler food tracker, the Infant & Toddler Forum found that the most popular snack foods currently on toddlers’ plates are fruits such as bananas, apples, grapes and berries whereas dough-based items including scones, bagels and buns are surprisingly served much less often.

The most popular toddler dinners include spaghetti bolognese and shepherd’s pie, showing the preference for traditional ‘winter warmers’ throughout the year.

The unique Tot It Up tool was created in response to feedback requesting guidance and clarity on what to serve toddlers and acts as a barometer for exactly what and how much is on toddlers’ plates

Help vegetables catch up with snack popularity While it’s wonderful news that fruit is currently the most popular toddler snack,

28

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many describe a struggle with vegetable acceptance. Snack times present a wonderful opportunity for little ones to be exposed to vegetables in lots of different ways.

To incorporate vegetables as well as fruits into snacks, early years’ professionals can try: offering preferred fruits such as banana or apple alongside vegetables as skewers, dippers e.g. with plain yoghurt or to build fruit and vegetable faces or games using cookie cutters to cut veggie into shapes that can be added to crackers, rice cakes, or toast, alongside cream cheese, hummus or plain yoghurt making a fruit and vegetable trail mix or ‘pick and mix’ but putting small bowls of fruit and vegetables out alongside paper cups and let little ones take their pick Don’t forget that repeated exposure is so important for new food acceptance with toddlers. It is important for early years professionals to acknowledge their steps towards eating something new – which are likely to include looking, smelling, interaction, touch and play before it gets to their mouth.

Changing up popular toddler dinners With traditional dishes like spaghetti bolognese and shepherd’s pie still firm favourites for toddlers, making small changes to these recipes can help to encourage exposure or acceptance

to different foods or flavours – while supporting a varied nutrient intake.

Try adapting these recipes in settings with easy tweaks such as: mashing root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, swede or celeriac with potato for pie topping adding tinned lentils into mince mixtures for some plant-based protein, extra fibre and different textures adding grated vegetables such as courgette, carrot or roasted vegetables such as aubergine, peppers or tomatoes in with mince to boost vegetable intake adding spices to meat to support acceptance of a wide variety of flavours and family-based dishes mixing in some cream cheese or quark to tomato-based sauces to create a mild and creamy sauce, while boosting calcium intake

Portion size perfection “How much should they be eating?” is one of the most common questions when it comes to toddlers. Tot It Up has revealed that 48% of meals or snacks served to toddlers are not served in the recommended portion size range, either being too large or too small.

While most children are actually very good at regulating their own appetite and intake, it’s important that early years professionals offer appropriate portion sizes for meals and snacks to support healthy growth and happy mealtimes.

More information For more information and advice on portion sizes, view the Infant & Toddler Forum’s practical and visual Portion Sizes Table at www.infantandtoddlerforum.org.

UNDER 5

COMPETITION

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For your chance to win the Bronze Teddy Time membership, simply send your answer to the following question, along with your name and contact details to: under5.competitions@ eyalliance.org.uk with the subject line: “Teddy Time”.

What is the name of the Alliance’s new communication and language course? (hint: see page 13) A) Creating an effective communication and language environment B) Making an effective communication and language environment C) Effective communication and language environments

The views expressed in Under 5 are not necessarily those of the Early Years Alliance. The editor reserves the right to shorten submitted material and to reprint copy from newsletters.

No responsibility can be accepted for loss of MSS, photographs or artwork. Unused material will be returned if submitted with a stamped, addressed envelope. The editor is unable to enter into correspondence about unsolicited copy.

Unless copyright is indicated, material from Under 5 may be reproduced without charge, for non-commercial purposes only, on condition that the source is acknowledged.

Acceptance of advertisements for Under 5 does not constitute endorsement by the charity of the advertisers’ products.

UNDER 5 MAGAZINE ISSN 0969-9481 EDITOR: Rachel Lawler DESIGN: room111.co.uk

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