October 2023 Parenta magazine
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Issue 107<br />
OCTOBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
Early screening &<br />
intervention for<br />
dyslexic children<br />
Can vegan diets<br />
support early years<br />
development?<br />
Creating a positive<br />
leadership culture<br />
+ lots more<br />
EYFS activities<br />
inside!<br />
This month…<br />
Communication<br />
and language<br />
Unlocking the power of<br />
‘early years outdoors’<br />
Transforming early years operations with <strong>Parenta</strong> - The Favours Day Nursery Story<br />
Discover positive outcomes for your setting through investing in skilled staff
24<br />
6<br />
26<br />
20<br />
12<br />
Hello<br />
Welcome to our family<br />
Welcome to the <strong>October</strong> issue of <strong>Parenta</strong> <strong>magazine</strong>!<br />
We’re thrilled to present a content-packed issue this month, featuring a wide array of topics discussed by our esteemed early<br />
years industry experts. From sensory-scaping to safeguarding, from nurturing a leadership culture to understanding dyslexia,<br />
and from discovering your inner musician to achieving a harmonious work-life balance, we’ve covered it all!<br />
This month, our focus turns to nutrition and how we can provide the children in our care with the best possible start in life<br />
while offering parents valuable advice for making healthy choices. Turn to page 18, where Louise Mercieca explores the<br />
question of whether vegan diets can support early childhood development. On page 24, we’re excited to introduce our new<br />
guest author, Lee Connelly, the UK’s leading children’s gardening educator – he shares with us insights on unlocking the<br />
potential of outdoor learning in early years education. Following Lee’s article, we delve into the critical issue of malnutrition<br />
and its implications for children’s development.<br />
Don’t miss out on our upcoming free webinar this month, where both Lee and Louise will delve into the topic of ‘Growing<br />
Healthy Children & Cultivating Nutrition through Childhood Gardening.’ Register now at www.parenta.com/webinars!<br />
Please spread the <strong>magazine</strong> magic with your friends, colleagues and parents. They can receive their own copy, either in<br />
digital or now in printed format by signing up at www.parenta.com/<strong>magazine</strong>.<br />
Allan<br />
Regulars<br />
10 Write for us<br />
36 EYFS Activities: Communication and language<br />
News<br />
4 Congratulations to our <strong>Parenta</strong> Learners<br />
6 Transforming early years operations with <strong>Parenta</strong> -<br />
The Favours Day Nursery Story<br />
8 Childcare news and views<br />
Advice<br />
14 Safeguarding and gambling awareness<br />
22 National Work Life Week<br />
26 Malnutrition Awareness Week<br />
32 Helping parents manage screen time<br />
Industry Experts<br />
30<br />
12 Sensory scaping to provide for a neurodiverse<br />
community<br />
18 Can vegan diets support early years development? -<br />
Part One<br />
20 Seven top tips for a nurturing childhood - What does<br />
it mean to be a nurturing parent?<br />
24 Unlocking the power of ‘early years outdoors’<br />
28 Creating a positive leadership culture - Resisting<br />
‘executive subculture’ in your nursery<br />
30 Early screening & intervention for dyslexic children -<br />
Breaking myths & ensuring success<br />
34 “Thank you for the music” - Musical drawing in the<br />
early years<br />
38 Body talk!<br />
2 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 3
What do our customers<br />
say this month?<br />
“Having English as an additional language, I felt very<br />
supported by my tutor, Laxmi. I’ve always had answers<br />
to all my questions. I would recommend <strong>Parenta</strong> to<br />
everyone!”<br />
Justine Bonnier<br />
“I would like to leave a testimonial for Sarah Odwyer,<br />
who has been amazing at supporting me as a new<br />
tutor! Sarah, although a new tutor herself, has a lot of<br />
experience within assessing and has been absolutely<br />
amazing whenever I have reached out for support!”<br />
Kaye Newbury<br />
“I have had a very good experience with <strong>Parenta</strong> so<br />
far. I have been learning new things everyday which<br />
“Denise is a great support to me during my training.<br />
“The service was great. My tutor Mel was brilliant and<br />
helped me throughout my course. The course suited<br />
me as I could do it all in my own time online. The<br />
teaching and learning lessons also helped, as this was<br />
suited to when I was free and I gained more insight<br />
into the modules. All tutors were kind and supportive<br />
throughout. I recommend <strong>Parenta</strong> to everyone I know!”<br />
“Emma Dury, my tutor, has been very helpful and<br />
friendly throughout with good communication. I<br />
found the course very informative and easy to upload<br />
assignments with the OneFile system.”<br />
Naomi Goode<br />
Selsdon Baptist Church Preschool<br />
will help me achieve my goal. At first when I started<br />
my journey doing a Level 2 apprenticeship I found it<br />
difficult, but my tutor Nicky Newport helped me every<br />
step of the way. Without her support I don’t think I<br />
could have achieved what I have done so far.”<br />
Aliya Yusuf<br />
Denise always checks in regularly with me, making<br />
sure I am on track and to see if I need any additional<br />
support or guidance. Denise has been so patient,<br />
kind and helpful throughout my time with her as my<br />
assessor. Thank you Denise!”<br />
Daniella du Preez<br />
Khadeejah Kaneez<br />
The Northern Lights Preschool<br />
“Lauren Daniels is an excellent tutor, and we are very<br />
grateful as a setting that we have her. She is always<br />
very supportive of all our apprentices and thoroughly<br />
explains all the information, giving our practitioners<br />
confidence to achieve good results. We know she is<br />
always there for us and responds quickly to help when<br />
needed. Thank you Lauren.”<br />
Nicola Daniel<br />
Johnson Garden Day Nursery Limited<br />
“Shauna has been incredible and has supported me in<br />
each session to ensure things run smoothly.<br />
I have also had 2 sessions with Rosie and she has also<br />
been incredible. ”<br />
Little Robins<br />
“I would just like to say a huge thank you to Karley,<br />
who has supported me since day 1 with queries,<br />
getting them sorted and boosting my confidence when<br />
it’s needed (often).<br />
Karley goes above and beyond to support, is always<br />
friendly and helpful, and keeps me smiling<br />
most days!”<br />
Jayne Curtis<br />
“Whilst only recently starting my studies with <strong>Parenta</strong>.<br />
My tutor Emma was absolutely brilliant. Emma was<br />
able to provide myself and others within my workplace<br />
with an untold amount of support and was always<br />
a phone call/email away. Emma is a flexible tutor,<br />
with any problems or need of change regarding<br />
lessons, she was always open, supporting and quickly<br />
rescheduled me onto another lesson.<br />
Thank you for being so supportive.”<br />
Amy smith<br />
Congratulations<br />
to all our <strong>Parenta</strong> learners!<br />
Massive CONGRATULATIONS to all our <strong>Parenta</strong> learners<br />
who have completed their apprenticeships and gained<br />
their qualifications!<br />
A special shout-out this month goes to Ewa who<br />
has successfully passed her Level 2<br />
Childcare EYP – what a fantastic start to<br />
a long and rewarding career in childcare!<br />
4 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 5
Transforming early years<br />
operations with <strong>Parenta</strong> -<br />
The Favours Day Nursery<br />
Favours Day Nursery is a prominent childcare provider<br />
with two nurseries located in Northamptonshire. The<br />
first nursery has a daily capacity for 51 children, while<br />
the second can accommodate up to 60 children. With a<br />
commitment to delivering high-quality childcare, Favours<br />
serves approximately 200 families and employs a<br />
dedicated team of 35 staff members.<br />
Measurable improvements and<br />
outcomes<br />
Since implementing <strong>Parenta</strong>’s<br />
solutions, Favours Day Nursery has<br />
experienced a range of tangible<br />
benefits, including:
Childcare news<br />
and views<br />
A shocking rise in speech and<br />
language challenges<br />
A new report, published by Speech<br />
and Language UK, has revealed<br />
that children’s communication and<br />
language skills are worse now than<br />
they have ever been.<br />
Key points from the survey show:<br />
• Teachers now estimate that 1.9<br />
million children are behind with<br />
their talking and/or understanding<br />
of words, the highest number ever<br />
recorded. This equates to 1 in 5<br />
children who are struggling with<br />
talking and/or understanding of<br />
words<br />
a wide-ranging survey described by<br />
the Children’s Commissioner as both<br />
“ambitious and comprehensive”. The<br />
survey is aimed at children and young<br />
people aged six to 18, though parents<br />
of children under six years old or with<br />
additional needs are encouraged to<br />
complete the survey on behalf of their<br />
child to ensure the full spectrum of<br />
children’s experiences is included.<br />
The survey findings will be put to<br />
policymakers to facilitate deeper<br />
consideration of the needs of children<br />
and young people, as well as of the<br />
issues and concerns affecting them –<br />
both now and in the future.<br />
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO<br />
of the Early Years Alliance, said:<br />
“We welcome the Children’s<br />
Commissioner’s efforts to ensure that<br />
the views of children and young people<br />
are captured ahead of the next general<br />
election, and in particular, her efforts to<br />
ensure that the views of young children<br />
are included in this.<br />
“While we know that the early years<br />
of a child’s life are key for their future<br />
development, when it comes to policy,<br />
all too often their perspectives and<br />
experiences are sidelined. Now, with<br />
the election on the horizon, there has<br />
never been a more important time<br />
for the voices of children and young<br />
people to be heard.<br />
“We look forward to keeping up<br />
to date with the progress of the<br />
campaign and its findings.”<br />
This article can be found on the EY<br />
Alliance website at www.eyalliance.<br />
org.uk/news<br />
A round-up of some news stories that<br />
have caught our eye over the month<br />
Do you have an early years news story you’d like to see featured in the <strong>Parenta</strong> Magazine?<br />
Send one in today to marketing@parenta.com to be featured in next month’s edition!<br />
We can’t wait to read all about it!<br />
• 80% of teachers surveyed think<br />
children in their classroom are<br />
behind with their talk and/or<br />
understanding of words<br />
• 73% of teachers surveyed think<br />
that children’s speech and<br />
language are not prioritised by the<br />
Government<br />
• An increasing number of teachers<br />
believe they don’t have sufficient<br />
training to support pupils’ speech<br />
and language in the classroom,<br />
at 53%<br />
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive<br />
of the National Day Nurseries<br />
Association (NDNA) said: “We know<br />
that children’s development, and<br />
particularly communication skills, have<br />
been badly impacted by the COVID<br />
pandemic restrictions, and this report<br />
highlights these important concerns.<br />
“Nurseries already do wonderful<br />
work in supporting our children’s<br />
early language and vocabulary.<br />
Their practitioners are in an ideal<br />
position to spot those children who<br />
need additional support with their<br />
communication skills.<br />
“But due to the early years staffing<br />
crisis, it’s becoming increasingly<br />
difficult to give these children the extra<br />
professional help that they need. Early<br />
identification and support can make<br />
all the difference to these children’s<br />
lives and yet the local authority funding<br />
doesn’t even cover the costs of early<br />
education and childcare, let alone pay<br />
for one-to-one sessions with skilled<br />
staff.<br />
“The Government must increase the<br />
Early Years Pupil Premium to the same<br />
level as that of schoolchildren. Support<br />
given to children in their first few<br />
years makes much more impact than<br />
waiting until they start school.”<br />
The full report can be found on the<br />
Speech and Language UK website at<br />
www.speechandlanguage.org.uk<br />
New campaign launched to<br />
amplify children’s voices<br />
Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s<br />
Commissioner for England, has<br />
launched a new campaign which aims<br />
to empower the voices of children and<br />
young people in political arenas.<br />
The Big Ambition hopes to capture<br />
children and young people’s opinions<br />
and questions for the Government<br />
ahead of the next general election in<br />
Charity’s 5 year strategy aims<br />
to help all children with speech<br />
& language challenges<br />
A 5 year strategy has been launched<br />
to place children’s speech & language<br />
higher on the political agenda.<br />
Read the full story on:<br />
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news<br />
New nutritional support<br />
programme developed for early<br />
years settings<br />
A new nutritional support programme<br />
offering early years settings tailored<br />
advice and support from dieticians...<br />
Read the full story on:<br />
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news<br />
Water safety charity develops<br />
new initiative for schools<br />
A new initiative for schools to help<br />
children develop water safety skills for life<br />
has been launched.<br />
Read the full story on:<br />
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news<br />
8 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 9
We continuously seek new<br />
authors who would like to<br />
provide thought-provoking<br />
articles for our monthly<br />
<strong>magazine</strong>.<br />
Write for us!<br />
If you have a subject you’re eager to explore<br />
in writing, why not submit an article to us for a<br />
chance to win?<br />
Every month, we’ll be awarding Amazon<br />
vouchers to our “Guest Author of the Month.”<br />
You can access all the information here:<br />
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Congratulations<br />
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Congratulations to Joanna Grace, our guest author<br />
of the month! Her article, “Why engage your senses<br />
for mental health?” explores how connecting with<br />
your senses can be good for your mental health.<br />
Well done, Joanna!<br />
A massive thank you to all of our guest authors for<br />
writing for us. You can find all of the past articles<br />
from our guest authors on our website:<br />
www.parenta.com/parentablog/guest-authors<br />
10 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 11
Joanna Grace<br />
I’m Jo Grace: a Sensory Engagement and Inclusion Specialist and Founder of The Sensory Projects. In this series of 10 articles, I am going<br />
to share some of my passion for understanding the sensory world with you.<br />
In my last article, I talked about how<br />
classroom and nursery environments<br />
have gone through something of a<br />
‘sensory 180’, beginning as barren,<br />
boring environments and now potentially<br />
sometimes being so stimulating as to be<br />
overwhelming. In recognising that children<br />
(and adults) experience the sensory world<br />
in different ways, we recognise that there<br />
is no one right environment. But you may<br />
very well just have one room, so what<br />
can you do? You want it to be right for<br />
everyone, how can you achieve this?<br />
First up, in the title of this article I<br />
referred to our neurodiverse community,<br />
sometimes this is taken as meaning<br />
children and adults with neurodivergent<br />
conditions such as autism and ADHD, and<br />
whilst autistics and people with ADHD<br />
certainly are a part of the neurodiverse<br />
community, they are people with what<br />
would be considered ‘typical’ brains.<br />
Neurodiverse refers to the diversity of ways<br />
the brain can be wired, in the same way<br />
that biodiversity refers to the great array of<br />
plants and animals there are. Sometimes<br />
reflections of this kind are prompted by the<br />
presence of a particular child in a setting<br />
who just cannot cope with the sensory<br />
landscape as it is, and so it can feel like<br />
the changes are done for that child.<br />
Recognising that these adaptations benefit<br />
everyone can increase the motivation of<br />
staff implementing them.<br />
Sensory scaping<br />
to provide for a<br />
neurodiverse<br />
community<br />
You can think of that child as the tip of the<br />
iceberg, they signal the needs of a great<br />
many more children who go unnoticed<br />
beneath the surface. And it is not just<br />
the children, you want your space to be<br />
somewhere the adults can feel at home at<br />
a sensory level within too.<br />
In this article, I am going to consider two<br />
approaches to doing this, the ‘broadbrush,<br />
best bet’ approach and ‘sensory<br />
scaping’.<br />
Broad-brush, best bet<br />
If you want to go for a broad-brush, best<br />
bet approach to the sensory landscape in<br />
your space, my advice would be to design<br />
along natural themes, use natural tone<br />
colours like browns, beiges and greens<br />
- create natural textures: the roughness<br />
of bark and hessian, the softness of<br />
earth and grass, and deploy natural<br />
background tracks such as the lapping<br />
of waves against the seashore or the<br />
movement of grasses in the wind. Avoid<br />
the loud primary colours. Choose toys<br />
made of natural materials that will fit with<br />
the design. Keep displays to particular<br />
locations and avoid the urge to cover every<br />
inch of space.<br />
Instagram and social media, in general,<br />
will give you oodles of inspiration for such<br />
an approach. The best thing to Google if<br />
looking for inspiration along these lines,<br />
is the Danish concept of Hygge. If I had<br />
charge of an early years setting and a<br />
designer at my disposal, this is what I<br />
would charge them with creating. This<br />
would not be me imposing a preferred<br />
personal aesthetic, it would be me<br />
responding to what I know about the<br />
sensory world and deploying a broadbrush,<br />
best bet approach.<br />
Often when I am talking to people about<br />
the sensory responses of others, I am<br />
talking about being a detective, about<br />
recognising that not everyone’s sensory<br />
perceptions are the same as our own, and<br />
encouraging people to try and figure out<br />
what sensation is like through that other<br />
person’s eyes, ears, mouth, body etc. We<br />
are wired differently, we are unique…<br />
but… we also have things in common,<br />
we are the same type of animal, we<br />
come from a shared history, and whilst<br />
some aspects of our experience are<br />
exceptionally unique, there are things<br />
deep wired in us that come from that<br />
shared history.<br />
As a species, we are used to living in<br />
nature. Through our shared history, we<br />
have dwelt outside, beneath the sky, in the<br />
elements, sheltering in trees and caves.<br />
Nature has been our home and in nature,<br />
our senses will tell us we are at home. We<br />
have, in terms of our history as an animal,<br />
been living in these concrete boxes for<br />
the blink of an eye. I noticed it especially<br />
during the first lockdown of the pandemic<br />
in 2020 - when people were given an hour<br />
to leave their homes they went to nature,<br />
they were feeling anxious, rightly so, and<br />
they felt safer in nature.<br />
Creating an environment that resonates<br />
with natural experiences can support<br />
children in feeling safe at a sensory level,<br />
and children who feel safe can connect,<br />
engage, and focus. (Children on alert<br />
cannot do those things and will be flighty,<br />
reactive, and volatile).<br />
Sensory scaping<br />
Some children need more stimulation,<br />
feel disconnected and need a big jolt of<br />
jumping off a box to realise where their<br />
bodies are. Their vision craves stimulation,<br />
bright colours, and flashing spinning<br />
things, they are still learning to modulate<br />
their voices and benefit from things being<br />
loud and quiet, from crashing and “woowooing”.<br />
Not every child benefits from the<br />
peace of a Hygge-style environment.<br />
If you are considering how best to provide<br />
for a diverse range of sensory needs in<br />
your setting and you have space to do so,<br />
you might think about sensory scaping<br />
different zones. Could you have one<br />
zone that was Hygge style as described<br />
above, could you keep all the bright loud<br />
stimulating stuff in another zone? And<br />
perhaps if you still had room, you could<br />
have another space that had stimulation<br />
for children’s subconscious senses of<br />
proprioception and stipulation – this space<br />
might have a hammock, or a chair swing<br />
that wraps around a child, it might have<br />
bungees that the children could pull and<br />
ping, it could have a swathe of stretchy<br />
cloth tied between two trees or two<br />
firm pillars that the children could press<br />
against. It could be resourced with body<br />
socks and massage brushes and rollers,<br />
vibrating pillows and weighted shoulder<br />
wraps or lap blankets.<br />
The added benefit of a zoned sensory<br />
space like this is it gives children the ability<br />
to not only meet their sensory needs, but<br />
to communicate them to you through<br />
their choice of where to spend time. I<br />
mentioned in a previous article that little<br />
children cannot always tell you what is<br />
bothering them at a sensory level. This is<br />
true if you are only able to listen to words,<br />
but if you listen to movements, if you listen<br />
by observing, by watching the children, if<br />
you listen to their actions, noticing where<br />
it is that they are still, where it is that their<br />
bodies appear more agitated, then you<br />
will find they communicate loud and clear<br />
and respond wholeheartedly to the adults<br />
who listen and understand.<br />
This is article five of this series. The<br />
first three articles were about how the<br />
sensory world can be used to support<br />
learning and mental health and how to go<br />
about utilising its potential. The previous<br />
article looked at how our environments<br />
can sometimes be too stimulating, and<br />
this one has considered how we can<br />
modulate the stimulation we offer. In my<br />
next article, I will explore the popular<br />
topic of multisensory rooms and look at<br />
whether you need one and how you can<br />
provide the benefits of one on a shoestring<br />
budget! Do feel free to connect with me on<br />
social media to watch my current sensory<br />
adventures unfold. All the connection<br />
links can be found on my website www.<br />
TheSensoryProjects.co.uk.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Joanna:<br />
12 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 13
Many things in life can be viewed as a<br />
double-edged sword. They can bring us<br />
pleasure and pain, and gambling and<br />
gaming are two such things that are<br />
emerging as increasing problems in the<br />
21st century.<br />
According to Wikipedia:<br />
“Gambling dates back at least to the<br />
Palaeolithic period, before written history.<br />
In Mesopotamia the earliest six-sided<br />
dice date to about 3000 BCE. However,<br />
they were based on astragali dating back<br />
thousands of years earlier.”<br />
Gambling and gaming have been<br />
common entertainment in the UK for many<br />
centuries: Queen Elizabeth I commissioned<br />
the first national lottery drawn in 1569 to<br />
raise money for shipbuilding - but it’s time<br />
to raise awareness of the problems they<br />
can sometimes cause.<br />
Definition of gambling<br />
Under the Gambling Act 2005, betting is<br />
defined as:<br />
Making or accepting a bet on:
T<br />
V<br />
E<br />
R N M<br />
E N<br />
G O<br />
F<br />
U<br />
N<br />
D<br />
D<br />
E<br />
Instant notifications<br />
with real-time updates<br />
Billing and receipts at<br />
parents’ fingertips<br />
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home and setting<br />
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gives me an insight into a part of<br />
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unparalleled excellence in childcare training!<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’Magazine’<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’Magazine’
Louise Mercieca<br />
There has been a rise in the number of<br />
families switching to a vegan diet.<br />
There are certainly plenty of reasons<br />
why this seems a good idea for both the<br />
environment and our health but, what<br />
impact does a restrictive diet have on<br />
very young children? When making any<br />
decision about a diet or lifestyle choice it<br />
must be entered into with all the facts and<br />
considerations. Choosing a vegan diet<br />
isn’t a decision to take lightly, especially if<br />
making that decision on behalf of a child.<br />
Louise Mercieca’s two-part article delves<br />
into the world of veganism and answers<br />
this question.<br />
Can vegan<br />
diets support<br />
early years<br />
development?<br />
Firstly, what foods are<br />
removed from a vegan diet?
Seven top tips<br />
for a nurturing<br />
childhood<br />
needs. Only then can we look to offer<br />
a nurturing childhood that fosters their<br />
physical, emotional and social well-being.<br />
But at times, that can seem easier said<br />
than done. You can of course turn to the<br />
Nurturing Childhoods Academy for lots of<br />
courses, guidance and advice, but let us<br />
begin with seven top tips for a nurturing<br />
childhood that you can share with your<br />
families.<br />
Dr. Kathryn Peckham<br />
Working with the very young, we are<br />
continuously aware of the nurturing<br />
impact we have on our children’s lives<br />
through every environment we facilitate,<br />
every experience we offer and every<br />
interaction we share. But these effects<br />
are just as profound in the home where<br />
understanding is perhaps more limited.<br />
But what does it mean to be a nurturing<br />
parent, (regardless of whatever the actual<br />
relationship may be) and how do we<br />
support our families when questionable<br />
advice and guidance may be all too readily<br />
available?<br />
Parenting is a remarkable journey<br />
that comes with joys, challenges and<br />
immense responsibility, though its nature<br />
is dependent on a million decisions and<br />
actions taken in the moment, every day.<br />
So how can you begin supporting parents<br />
with this when you are not around, when<br />
What does it mean to be a<br />
nurturing parent?<br />
they may be struggling with some difficult<br />
conditions or when their deeply influential<br />
experiences of childhood are not what we<br />
would like to offer to this generation?<br />
Regardless of who you are, where you<br />
live or the childhood influencing you, we<br />
know that what really matters to a child<br />
– and the adult they become – are the<br />
experiences you are offering and how<br />
you engage. You don’t need the latest toy,<br />
but you do need to play. You don’t need<br />
to plan lavish outings, but you do need to<br />
share experiences. And you don’t need<br />
any money to share every book... just a<br />
library card!<br />
But for some, these simple foundations of<br />
a nurturing childhood can be monumental.<br />
In my experience, change is always<br />
most impactful when the person making<br />
it understands why it is necessary. Not<br />
because someone else has told them<br />
to, but because they know what these<br />
changes mean and the difference they<br />
are having on their child’s growth and<br />
development.<br />
Nurturing parenting is then an approach<br />
that recognises the crucial role of positive<br />
and supportive parenting in a child’s<br />
development. It focuses on offering<br />
knowledge and understanding along with<br />
practical strategies that are accessible to<br />
all families. It looks to nurture development<br />
during these pivotal years while helping to<br />
cultivate a strong parent-child bond.<br />
We know that children thrive when<br />
they are provided with care, warmth,<br />
understanding and guidance. As<br />
parents, carers and educators, it is then<br />
so important that we work together,<br />
sharing this understanding, both of<br />
best practice and each child’s individual<br />
Seven top tips for a<br />
nurturing childhood<br />
Nurture secure attachments: At the root<br />
of any nurtured childhood are the secure<br />
bonds surrounding a child and all their<br />
primary caregivers. Help your families to<br />
see the importance of these bonds and<br />
how they lay the foundations for healthy<br />
emotional development, self-esteem and<br />
the ability to form positive relationships<br />
later in life.<br />
Nurture emotional well-being: When<br />
children receive consistent love and<br />
support, they develop a strong sense of<br />
self-worth, emotional resilience and the<br />
ability to regulate their emotions effectively.<br />
Every time they are responded to with<br />
kindness and understanding, their wellbeing<br />
flourishes, even when we may be<br />
feeling exhausted.<br />
Show unconditional love: Express your<br />
love for your children regularly. Offer a<br />
warm smile and affectionate physical<br />
touch, praise their efforts and show<br />
appreciation for their unique qualities. Let<br />
them know that your love is not based on<br />
achievements but on their inherent worth<br />
as individuals.<br />
Nurture communication and trust:<br />
Open and respectful communication<br />
is central to nurturing parenting. When<br />
children feel heard, understood and<br />
valued, they develop trust and feel<br />
comfortable sharing their thoughts,<br />
concerns and experiences with their<br />
parents. So start now and have a far<br />
easier time when you reach the teenage<br />
years!<br />
Practice active listening: Take the<br />
time to truly listen to your child and show<br />
genuine interest without judgment or<br />
interruption. This begins when all they<br />
can do is babble. Show empathy with<br />
their emotions, validate their feelings and<br />
respond in a supportive manner. This<br />
fosters trust, builds their self-esteem and<br />
strengthens your parent-child bond.<br />
Create a nurturing environment:<br />
Provide a safe and stimulating physical<br />
environment that encourages your child<br />
to explore, create and engage. Ensure<br />
that your home and the places your child<br />
spends time are filled with love, warmth<br />
and positive energy. And spend quality<br />
time together, engaging in activities that<br />
they enjoy as you create lasting memories<br />
and strengthen your connection.<br />
Foster independence: Encourage your<br />
child to develop independence by allowing<br />
them to make age-appropriate decisions,<br />
take on responsibilities and solve problems<br />
on their own. Even if this simply means<br />
reaching for the toy that is slightly out of<br />
their grasp. If we can help our little ones<br />
face their little challenges, our big ones will<br />
be more than ready to navigate the bigger<br />
challenges that will come their way.<br />
Nurturing parenting is an invaluable<br />
approach that lays the foundation for a<br />
child’s healthy development. By providing<br />
love, support, guidance and a nurturing<br />
environment, you can foster emotional<br />
well-being, positive self-esteem and strong<br />
relationships. But it is a continuous journey<br />
that requires patience, understanding<br />
and a commitment to learning and<br />
growing together. And even as adults that<br />
is not always easy. If we are to create a<br />
nurturing environment for our children, we<br />
also need to create one for ourselves.<br />
So ask yourself, where are your secure<br />
attachments? Who is looking after your<br />
emotional well-being? Do you feel listened<br />
to within an environment that allows you to<br />
flourish? Don’t forget, there is a reason<br />
they tell you to get your life jacket on<br />
before helping others with theirs!<br />
So whether you are a parent,<br />
practitioner or family worker, join me<br />
at the Nurturing Childhoods Academy<br />
where you can listen to talks and<br />
access lots more tips and suggestions.<br />
There are also materials for you to<br />
print out and keep handy, giving you<br />
all the key bits of learning at your<br />
fingertips.<br />
If you become a member of the Nurturing<br />
Childhoods Community, you can come<br />
and talk with other parents and carers<br />
about the experiences you are having. You<br />
might like to swap a funny story or ask<br />
for some advice. You can also read all the<br />
new blogs or have a go with a Childhood<br />
Challenge!<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Kathryn:<br />
20 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 21
Are you struggling with your recruitment<br />
like many early years settings and other<br />
businesses?<br />
Would you love to know how to recruit<br />
more and better-trained employees into<br />
your business?<br />
Did you know…<br />
National Work Life<br />
Week<br />
⚙ 8 in 10 parents would apply for a job<br />
with flexible working options listed<br />
in the advert but only 3 in 10 parents<br />
would apply if the job did NOT have<br />
flexible working options?<br />
⚙ 30% of working parents in the UK are<br />
working in jobs below their skill level<br />
simply because they offer greater job<br />
flexibility?<br />
⚙ About National Work Life Week?<br />
National Work Life Week (NWLW) is an<br />
annual campaign set up by Working<br />
Families, a national UK charity for working<br />
parents and carers. Their mission is<br />
to “remove the barriers that people<br />
with caring responsibilities face in the<br />
workplace”, and they aim to “achieve a<br />
society in which everyone can fully meet<br />
their work and caring responsibilities,<br />
where all parents and carers have an<br />
equal opportunity to find and progress in<br />
secure, paid work.”<br />
The organisers understand what being<br />
a working parent really means and<br />
some of the barriers that people face<br />
when returning to work after having a<br />
family, and are working actively with UK<br />
employers to bring about change. The<br />
event is run in partnership with another<br />
work and family charity called Bright<br />
Horizons which is sponsoring the week.<br />
They say that this year’s campaign is<br />
designed “to help your employees to<br />
combine work and family better. It’s<br />
good for people and good for business.<br />
Everybody wins.”<br />
Our changing working<br />
lives<br />
Our working patterns underwent a<br />
massive transformation during the recent<br />
COVID-19 pandemic. People were in<br />
lockdown, unable to go to work by order<br />
of the Government, and yet, we needed<br />
our economy and business sector to keep<br />
working in whatever way it could. People<br />
began working from home, and offices<br />
that were once filled with employees stood<br />
empty, but the businesses continued<br />
under a new model. Most of us remember<br />
learning how to use Zoom for the first time<br />
to talk to colleagues and family members<br />
across the country, and indeed the world.<br />
Since the end of the pandemic, working in<br />
Britain has far from returned to ‘normal’.<br />
Many companies chose to stop paying<br />
high rents and have set-up remote offices.<br />
More of us work from home permanently,<br />
and those companies who have insisted<br />
their employees return to the office have<br />
struggled with recruitment and retention.<br />
A study in 2022 showed how working<br />
parents are rethinking their work-life<br />
balance after the pandemic. Working in<br />
an organisation that has access to flexible<br />
working can help retain staff according to<br />
the survey, as 55% of those questioned<br />
said they would likely consider leaving<br />
their job if they found another one that<br />
offered more flexible options. Change has<br />
already happened, and UK employers<br />
need to catch up.<br />
For all UK parents, flexibility (66%) was<br />
second only to pay (73%) in terms of<br />
priorities when people were looking for a<br />
new job. However, for mothers, flexibility<br />
and pay are tied as the top priority.<br />
What are the issues<br />
families face?<br />
Some of the issues that families face when<br />
seeking or deciding whether to stay in<br />
work include:<br />
⚙ Opportunities for flexible hours<br />
⚙ Childcare issues such as drop-off and<br />
pick-up times<br />
⚙ High cost for childcare compared to<br />
the high cost-of-living<br />
⚙ Time off to accompany children to<br />
medical or other appointments<br />
⚙ Trying to manage work with other<br />
caring responsibilities (e.g. parents/<br />
family members)<br />
⚙ Stress caused by trying to maintain a<br />
work/life balance<br />
What is flexible<br />
working?<br />
According to the Gov.uk website, flexible<br />
working is “a way of working that suits an<br />
employee’s needs, for example having<br />
flexible start and finish times, or working<br />
from home.”<br />
Flexible working practices may include:<br />
⚙ Job sharing: two or more people fill<br />
the full-time role by each working<br />
part-time hours<br />
⚙ Part-time working<br />
⚙ Term-time working: a worker remains<br />
on a permanent contract but takes<br />
leave during school holidays<br />
⚙ Flexitime: this is where employees can<br />
choose, within reasonable set limits,<br />
when to begin and end their working<br />
day but need to fulfil an agreed<br />
number of hours per week<br />
⚙ Working from home/remote working<br />
⚙ Compressed hours: where people<br />
work full-time hours but over fewer<br />
days, e.g. 35 hours/week over 4 days<br />
⚙ Annual hours: employees are<br />
contracted to work a set number<br />
of hours over the year but this can<br />
be split out differently to allow for<br />
variation in the business<br />
⚙ Career breaks: extended periods of<br />
leave which can be paid or unpaid of<br />
up to five years or more<br />
⚙ Staggered hours: where employees<br />
may have different start/end times to<br />
cover shifts/opening hours<br />
What is the legal<br />
position?<br />
All employees in most parts of the UK have<br />
the legal right to request flexible working -<br />
not just parents and carers. Rules differ in<br />
Northern Ireland. This is known as “making<br />
a statutory application” - however,<br />
employees must have worked for the<br />
same employer for at least 26 weeks to be<br />
eligible.<br />
If an employee requests flexible working,<br />
the employers must deal with requests in<br />
a ‘reasonable manner’ which includes:<br />
⚙ Assessing the advantages and<br />
disadvantages of the application<br />
⚙ Holding a meeting to discuss the<br />
request with the employee<br />
⚙ Offering an appeal process<br />
If the employee feels their request has<br />
not been handled reasonably, they can<br />
request an employment tribunal. However,<br />
an employer can refuse an application<br />
if they have a good business reason for<br />
doing so.<br />
Things to do in your<br />
setting to mark the<br />
NWLW<br />
⚙ Have open discussions with your<br />
team about flexible working if you<br />
have not got this as a policy already<br />
⚙ Visit the NWLW website and check<br />
out their resources and ideas which<br />
include a free toolkit, webinars and<br />
training<br />
⚙ Sign up for regular updates by email<br />
⚙ Drop in on their ‘Lunch and Learn’<br />
session<br />
⚙ Use the ‘Happy to Talk Flexible<br />
Working’ logo and strapline on job<br />
vacancies<br />
⚙ Run a questionnaire among your staff<br />
to canvas their opinions<br />
⚙ Introduce a pilot scheme to see what<br />
the take up would be in your setting<br />
for offering more flexible working<br />
⚙ Review and reconsider your policies<br />
affecting training and recruitment as<br />
well as parental leave<br />
More information<br />
⚙ workingfamilies.org.uk/<br />
nationalworklifeweek<br />
⚙ www.gov.uk/flexible-working<br />
⚙ solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
22 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 23
Unlocking the<br />
power of ‘early<br />
years outdoors’<br />
Lee Connelly<br />
In recent years, the importance of<br />
early childhood education has gained<br />
widespread recognition. As educators and<br />
parents alike seek to provide the best start<br />
in life for young children, one approach<br />
that has gained significant traction (and<br />
that I believe wholeheartedly in) is the<br />
incorporation of outdoor experiences into<br />
early years learning. This approach has<br />
proven to be far more than just a fun way<br />
to spend time; it’s a holistic strategy that<br />
nurtures physical, emotional, social, and<br />
cognitive development. Being the UK’s<br />
Leading Gardening Educator, I wanted to<br />
look at the many benefits of early years<br />
outdoors, exploring why it’s not just<br />
beneficial, but essential.<br />
For me, one of the most apparent<br />
advantages of outdoor play is the<br />
promotion of physical fitness. When<br />
children engage in outdoor activities, they<br />
naturally develop their gross and fine<br />
motor skills. Running, jumping, climbing,<br />
and playing with natural materials all<br />
contribute to improved coordination,<br />
balance, and strength. Furthermore,<br />
exposure to natural elements like sunshine<br />
and fresh air is crucial for healthy physical<br />
development, helping to prevent childhood<br />
obesity and teaching an appreciation for<br />
an active lifestyle from an early age.<br />
Outdoor play provides an ideal setting<br />
for cognitive development; nature is a<br />
boundless source of sensory stimuli<br />
and children can explore various<br />
textures, shapes, colours, and sounds,<br />
stimulating their sensory perception.<br />
Additionally, the natural world sparks<br />
curiosity and encourages exploration. As<br />
children observe and interact with their<br />
environment, young minds are engaged<br />
in problem-solving, critical thinking, and<br />
creativity, which are all foundational skills<br />
for future academic success.<br />
Even from my own experience as a child,<br />
the outdoors also offers opportunities for<br />
children to develop essential social skills.<br />
Group activities, whether it’s growing<br />
vegetables with friends or working<br />
together on a nature-inspired project,<br />
promote cooperation, communication, and<br />
teamwork. Outdoor play often teaches<br />
empathy and emotional intelligence<br />
as children learn to understand and<br />
respect the needs and feelings of their<br />
peers. These early experiences lay the<br />
groundwork for healthy relationships<br />
throughout life.<br />
Encouraging children to grow their own<br />
vegetables is, in my opinion, the top<br />
strategy for promoting healthy eating<br />
habits. Witnessing the growth process<br />
instils confidence in children and makes<br />
them more inclined to incorporate these<br />
vegetables onto their plates. It’s a handson<br />
approach that not only teaches them<br />
about the origins of their food but also<br />
empowers them to make healthier<br />
choices.<br />
Nature has a remarkable calming effect<br />
on children. It’s a sanctuary where they<br />
can relax, unwind, and manage stress.<br />
Nature’s beauty and tranquillity inspire<br />
a sense of wonder and awe, nurturing<br />
emotional well-being. Moreover, outdoor<br />
play allows children to take measured<br />
risks, building their self-esteem and<br />
resilience as they overcome challenges<br />
and learn from mistakes. With this early<br />
exposure to the outdoors, children learn<br />
and have a lifelong connection to nature.<br />
When children are immersed in natural<br />
settings, they develop an appreciation for<br />
the environment and an understanding<br />
of the importance of conservation. This<br />
connection to nature can lead to a<br />
more environmentally-conscious and<br />
responsible generation.<br />
An easy and effective approach to<br />
encourage outdoor exploration among<br />
children in early years settings involves<br />
playing a game in which they collect<br />
various items to populate a bug hotel.<br />
By prompting them to search for specific<br />
items, such as “something bumpy” like a<br />
stick or “something small” like a pebble,<br />
you can stimulate their curiosity and<br />
engage them in hands-on interactions<br />
with the natural environment in your<br />
garden space.<br />
The outdoor environment stimulates<br />
language development. Children engage<br />
in conversations about what they see,<br />
hear, and do. They describe the world<br />
around them, expanding their vocabulary<br />
and language skills. Additionally,<br />
storytelling and imaginative play often take<br />
centre stage in outdoor scenarios, further<br />
enhancing language and communication<br />
abilities.<br />
This outdoor play, in turn, encourages<br />
independence as children learn to<br />
explore, make choices, and take risks<br />
on their own. As they master new skills,<br />
their self-confidence grows. This sense of<br />
competence is invaluable for their future<br />
endeavours.<br />
Perhaps one of the most significant<br />
advantages of early years outdoors is<br />
its ability to facilitate holistic learning. It<br />
seamlessly integrates various aspects<br />
of development, creating well-rounded<br />
individuals. This well-roundedness extends<br />
beyond childhood and serves as a solid<br />
foundation for lifelong learning and<br />
personal growth.<br />
Overall, as we look at the strengths of<br />
just learning outdoors, early years is not<br />
merely an optional extra; it’s an essential<br />
component of early childhood education.<br />
It enriches physical, emotional, social,<br />
and cognitive development, teaching<br />
well-rounded individuals with a lifelong<br />
love for nature and learning. Parents and<br />
educators should embrace the outdoors as<br />
a valuable classroom that offers limitless<br />
opportunities for growth and discovery.<br />
By doing so, we nurture a generation of<br />
children who are not only academically<br />
prepared but also emotionally resilient,<br />
socially adept, and deeply connected to<br />
the natural world.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Lee:<br />
24 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 25
Malnutrition<br />
Awareness<br />
Week<br />
We need food to live, and eating a<br />
nutritious diet that is varied and balanced;<br />
including the major food groups as well<br />
as vitamins and minerals in appropriate<br />
proportions is important for our health and<br />
well-being. Even in the womb, we must<br />
have access to the correct nutrients from<br />
our mothers if we are to develop optimally.<br />
There are points in life where we may<br />
become malnourished either through<br />
illness, mental health issues, age, infirmity,<br />
reliance on others to provide adequate<br />
nutrition or our own actions. At these<br />
times, it is important to seek help and<br />
advice so that the problem does not<br />
become a longer-term one, with all the<br />
associated secondary challenges that<br />
could result.<br />
Definitions, facts and<br />
figures<br />
According to the World Health<br />
Organisation (WHO), malnutrition includes:
Dr. Mona Sakr<br />
Nursery leaders typically have wonderful<br />
intentions when it comes to creating a<br />
positive team culture. Some pitfalls must<br />
be avoided to make this a reality. One<br />
such pitfall is the ‘executive subculture’<br />
when leaders’ behaviours stand in the<br />
way of a positive team culture. In this<br />
article, we’ll talk about what the executive<br />
subculture is, how it negatively affects a<br />
positive team culture in organisations and<br />
how to avoid it.<br />
What is the ‘executive<br />
subculture’?<br />
Edgar Schein, the leading researcher in<br />
organisational culture and leadership,<br />
came up with the term ‘executive<br />
Creating a positive<br />
leadership culture<br />
Resisting ‘executive subculture’<br />
subculture’ to explain how leaders in<br />
organisations can sometimes end up<br />
trapped in a set of beliefs and behaviours<br />
that get in the way of a positive workplace.<br />
In this kind of executive subculture, leaders<br />
tend to do these four things:<br />
1. Over-emphasise the financial situation<br />
of the organisation. In a nursery<br />
context, this might be an owner or<br />
manager who focuses almost entirely<br />
on whether the nursery is profitable<br />
and financially sustainable, rather<br />
than concerning themselves with<br />
the pedagogical work of the nursery<br />
and the day-to-day interactions that<br />
matter for children, families and<br />
educators.<br />
in your nursery<br />
2. Believe and act as if the organisation<br />
is operating in a hostile environment.<br />
A nursery manager with this belief<br />
might see other nurseries in the local<br />
area only as competition, rather than<br />
seeing the potential to partner up and<br />
learn from one another.<br />
3. Behave as though they alone want<br />
the organisation to succeed. Nursery<br />
owners and/or managers can start<br />
to (wrongly) think that only they are<br />
invested in the success of the nursery.<br />
In their mind, they start to feel like<br />
‘the lone hero’ rather than seeing<br />
themselves as part of a team. They<br />
underestimate the contribution that<br />
other staff make.<br />
4. Create and strengthen hierarchies<br />
in the organisation. A nursery with a<br />
strong executive subculture is likely<br />
to have a rigid hierarchy in place and<br />
this hierarchy will affect the day-today<br />
conversations and interactions<br />
that happen in the nursery. A baby<br />
room educator might not feel that<br />
they can offer suggestions to the preschool<br />
room leader. The pre-school<br />
room leader will feel that they cannot<br />
disagree with the deputy manager.<br />
The deputy manager will refrain from<br />
challenging the manager or owner,<br />
and so on. When relationships are<br />
hierarchical in this way, it is hard to<br />
have honest conversations about<br />
what needs to change.<br />
Why is the executive<br />
subculture negative for<br />
the team culture across<br />
the whole organisation?<br />
A strong executive subculture has negative<br />
implications for the overall workplace<br />
culture. It degrades the positive team ethos<br />
and ultimately gets in the way of a thriving<br />
nursery.<br />
When there’s a strong executive<br />
subculture, employees in the nursery feel<br />
a lot of distrust for the owner or manager<br />
of the nursery. An owner or manager who<br />
seems overly competitive, hierarchical,<br />
and focused on making money won’t be<br />
someone that employees trust and feel<br />
that they can talk to openly. Therefore,<br />
the leader ends up feeling cut off from<br />
their staff and they are relying only on<br />
their perceptions and information to make<br />
decisions. These decisions are less likely<br />
to be good for the organisation because<br />
they are not based on full knowledge<br />
and understanding – they are based on<br />
hearing only what others think you want<br />
to hear.<br />
How can you avoid<br />
executive subculture as<br />
a leader?<br />
Understanding the characteristics of an<br />
executive subculture translates into a<br />
useful guide for knowing how best to<br />
avoid creating one. As a leader, you can:<br />
1. Recognise that leadership in nurseries<br />
is about far more than finances.<br />
The financial backdrop of nursery<br />
education is far from easy, and it is<br />
easy for a leader to become bogged<br />
down in making ends meet. While<br />
this is still a necessary part of the<br />
job, owners and managers must<br />
also always think about the nursery<br />
first and foremost as an educational<br />
institution and a support system<br />
for children and families. Leaders<br />
need to have a full presence in the<br />
pedagogical dialogues that take<br />
place in the nursery; these can’t be<br />
delegated to others.<br />
2. Make partnership and collaboration<br />
the priority and avoid thinking in terms<br />
of competition. Look around the local<br />
neighbourhood and think about the<br />
different nurseries close to where you<br />
are. How do you think and talk about<br />
these settings? How do you speak<br />
to staff about these settings? Do you<br />
promote a competitive way of thinking<br />
or do you look for opportunities<br />
to partner with local settings? The<br />
answers to these questions are<br />
radically different across settings.<br />
Some nurseries proactively seek<br />
conversations with nearby settings<br />
so that they can share resources and<br />
work together on local issues. Other<br />
nurseries are worried that nearby<br />
settings will steal ideas or staff,<br />
and this is a barrier to any kind of<br />
collaboration. By choosing competition<br />
over collaboration, you are not just<br />
preventing partnership working<br />
but also feeding into an executive<br />
subculture that can negatively impact<br />
your team in the long run.<br />
3. Always speak in the language of the<br />
team. Catch yourself when you start<br />
to think about yourself as ‘the lone<br />
hero’ having to do everything yourself<br />
and alone. Replace your ‘I’ thoughts<br />
with ‘we’ thoughts. If you find yourself<br />
thinking something like “I must sort<br />
out this staffing crisis”, challenge<br />
yourself to shift the narrative: “We are<br />
struggling with staffing at the moment<br />
and it’s a problem we need to solve<br />
together”.<br />
4. Dismantle rather than reinforce<br />
hierarchies. Put an explicit emphasis<br />
on honesty and productive challenge,<br />
encouraging everyone – regardless<br />
of roles or qualifications – to speak<br />
their mind and share what they think.<br />
You can make this way of working<br />
part of the induction and training in<br />
your nursery, but you also need to<br />
walk the walk every day. When honest<br />
feedback is given, avoid closing it<br />
down or becoming defensive: lean<br />
into the feedback and open it up for<br />
further discussion.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Mona:<br />
28 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 29
Early screening &<br />
intervention for<br />
Paloma Forde<br />
dyslexic children<br />
Breaking myths & ensuring<br />
success<br />
Dyslexia, a specific learning difficulty,<br />
impacts around 10% of the population,<br />
according to the British Dyslexia<br />
Association. While many associate<br />
dyslexia solely with difficulties in reading,<br />
writing, and spelling, it extends to<br />
affect other areas such as organisation,<br />
memory, and processing. Consider this:<br />
statistically, approximately three children<br />
in every classroom will have some form<br />
of specific learning difficulty. With over<br />
25 years of experience in the education<br />
sector across all key stages, I’ve witnessed<br />
significant progress in education. However,<br />
one challenge that persists is the early<br />
screening process for dyslexia. In this<br />
article, I emphasise the critical role of early<br />
screening and early intervention, debunk<br />
myths surrounding the screening process,<br />
and provide insights into how these<br />
practices can support children in today’s<br />
schooling system.<br />
Parents often hear the discouraging myth<br />
that dyslexia can only be identified when<br />
a child reaches Year 3 or turns 8 years old.<br />
This is simply not true. Children who are<br />
showing signs of dyslexia can be detected<br />
as early as nursery age. You just need<br />
to know what to look out for. Early signs<br />
vary from child to child, but there are a<br />
few signs that will continually show up<br />
with younger students such as; difficulty in<br />
remembering nursery rhymes, showing<br />
a preference for pictures in books over<br />
letters and words and reversing words.<br />
(e.g., “flutterby” instead of “butterfly”).<br />
Many reading this article will be thinking<br />
“But surely many children show these<br />
signs in the early years?” This is correct,<br />
however, the key difference is for how long<br />
these children continue to show these<br />
signs. Keeping a very close eye on these<br />
difficulties and keeping a record is vital<br />
in the journey of early detection. Also,<br />
ensuring that conversations are being<br />
held closely with the child’s parents, for<br />
example, finding out if dyslexia runs in the<br />
family. A child is 50% more likely to have<br />
dyslexia if either parent has it.<br />
Once these initial concerns begin to grow,<br />
the next step is simple. This is the time to<br />
screen a child for dyslexia. Again, there’s<br />
a prevalent misconception that dyslexia<br />
screenings can only take place when a<br />
child is 8 years old. This confusion often<br />
arises from the distinction between a full<br />
diagnostic assessment and a screening.<br />
A full diagnostic assessment, which is<br />
administered by qualified assessors<br />
or educational psychologists, relies on<br />
standardised scores and is typically offered<br />
around age 8. This is due to the tests<br />
being given where there is a supposed<br />
expectation that the child has already<br />
been exposed to reading, writing and<br />
spelling skills in schools. Therefore, many<br />
of the standardised scores are measured<br />
against 8-year-olds. Dyslexia screenings<br />
can be given by SENCOs, teachers, or<br />
even parents in just 30-45 minutes with<br />
immediate results being offered showing<br />
a child’s strengths, weaknesses and<br />
whether there is a likelihood of dyslexia.<br />
Following a dyslexia screening and of<br />
course, the outcome of the profile if<br />
a child is showing ‘at risk’ signs, then<br />
it is imperative for schools to provide<br />
appropriate interventions and adjustments<br />
to the learning environment. Interventions<br />
are tailored programmes designed<br />
to address the child’s specific needs,<br />
recognising that they require additional<br />
support to catch up with their peers.<br />
Consistency is paramount in the success<br />
of these interventions, with most students<br />
showing progress within just 10 weeks.<br />
One highly effective type of intervention<br />
is multi-sensory learning, rooted in the<br />
systematic and structured learning<br />
system. This approach incorporates<br />
visual aids, auditory elements, and<br />
tactile or kinaesthetic activities, creating<br />
a more engaging and interactive<br />
learning experience. Many interventions<br />
are computerised and adapted to the<br />
student’s needs through algorithms. Noncomputerised<br />
programmes offer clear<br />
instructions for practitioners and parents<br />
to follow.<br />
Alongside an intervention, schools<br />
need to adhere to providing reasonable<br />
adjustments, where teaching staff<br />
are expected to look at the learning<br />
environment and make changes to<br />
help support learning, e.g., providing<br />
photocopiable sheets, reading rulers,<br />
coloured overlays, word banks and writing<br />
frames. This list is endless.<br />
To illustrate the profound impact of<br />
consistent intervention, consider the case<br />
of child R, a child in Year 4, who I taught<br />
several years ago. He arrived at my school<br />
with a diagnosis of severe dyslexia. When<br />
we tested his reading age using the Burt<br />
Reading Test, he had a standard score<br />
of 70, significantly below the average<br />
range of 90-115. We provided child R<br />
with a regular multi-sensory intervention,<br />
aiming for around 15 minutes per day. We<br />
consulted with the parents and worked<br />
out a timetable to be able to offer the<br />
intervention. Within just six months of<br />
regular intervention, we noticed that child<br />
R was making very good and steady<br />
progress. When re-tested, he had indeed<br />
raised his standard score from 70 to 90,<br />
thus just heading into the average range.<br />
All involved were delighted with the<br />
achievements! But why was this possible?<br />
In a world abundant with resources and<br />
tools, anything is possible.<br />
The key is to ensure that we offer the<br />
right interventions and, most importantly,<br />
commit to supporting the children who<br />
require our help. With early screening and<br />
intervention, dyslexic children can conquer<br />
challenges and achieve their full potential<br />
not only in school but also in all aspects<br />
of life. By dispelling myths surrounding<br />
dyslexia detection and recognising the<br />
value of early interventions, we can ensure<br />
that every child receives the support they<br />
need to succeed in their educational<br />
journey. Dyslexia doesn’t define a child’s<br />
abilities but rather highlights their unique<br />
strengths and potential. As parents,<br />
educators, and advocates, it’s our<br />
responsibility to nurture these abilities and<br />
empower dyslexic children to flourish.<br />
Scan here to<br />
learn more<br />
about Paloma:<br />
30 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 31
Helping children learn to become<br />
independent is an important role for any<br />
parent. We all want our children to grow<br />
up healthy and happy and not be slaves to<br />
their electronic devices. Yet the pull of the<br />
latest game or social media chat between<br />
friends can sometimes be too much for<br />
any young person and before you know it,<br />
they are spending what parents consider<br />
to be too much time online or on devices.<br />
So, how do you manage screen time as<br />
a parent? And what can be done to help<br />
manage screen time, especially if there<br />
are either older or younger siblings?<br />
Top tips for managing<br />
screen time<br />
Set a good example -<br />
children need to be dealt<br />
with fairly<br />
If you want your children to grow up to<br />
respect the rules that you have made,<br />
and not resent them, then it is important<br />
Helping parents<br />
manage screen time<br />
that your rules are fair and that children<br />
can see that they are. Most children have<br />
a very good sense of fairness and justice<br />
and will kick off if you set a rule that says<br />
that there should be no devices at the<br />
dinner table, then proceed to use your<br />
mobile phone throughout dinner!<br />
It is not just children whom we should be<br />
concerned with when it comes to screen<br />
time, we should also look at our behaviour<br />
too. Are you annoyed at your children for<br />
what you believe to be too much time on<br />
a device, only to find you are addicted to<br />
your device?<br />
Negotiate for the best<br />
results<br />
Depending on the age of the child,<br />
you would do well to negotiate screen<br />
time instead of imposing blanket rules.<br />
Negotiation is not the same as having<br />
no boundaries, but a negotiation about<br />
screen time will help children take<br />
ownership of the decisions, feel part of the<br />
solution and appreciate that they have a<br />
voice. No one wants to grow up under an<br />
authoritarian dictator and if you want them<br />
to comply, then it will be better if they feel<br />
that they have had a hand in making the<br />
rules.<br />
When negotiating with children, you may<br />
find some of the following questions<br />
useful:
Frances Turnbull<br />
“Thank you<br />
for the music”<br />
Musical drawing in the<br />
early years<br />
This current 6-part series of early years music articles features a new activity each month from a number of arts activities trialled for 1-<br />
and 2-year-old children, along with musical suggestions, with recordings on YouTube.<br />
medical conditions. So, if it helps people<br />
with chronic conditions, it must have a<br />
powerful effect on everyone else, too.<br />
Current research suggests that the brain<br />
considers the act of creating as a positive<br />
event, which helps to refocus the mind<br />
positively. As music has been shown to<br />
access all parts of the brain, this type of<br />
active musical experience is a perfect<br />
warm-up activity before more mentally<br />
demanding exercises, particularly<br />
theoretical subjects like numbers (maths)<br />
or nature (science). The following songs<br />
include musical activities for children to<br />
draw to music – whether patterns or<br />
existing objects.<br />
No one in the house<br />
No one in the house but Dinah, Dinah<br />
No one in the house but me I know<br />
No one in the house but Dinah, Dinah<br />
Strumming on the old banjo<br />
This old American song is a lovely example<br />
of pentatonic music. Pentatonic music uses<br />
only 5 notes that are quite close together.<br />
This makes it easy for new singers to sing<br />
successfully so they sound good, singing<br />
in tune without it feeling like hard work.<br />
The repeated name call “Dinah, Dinah”<br />
adds a fun, siren effect at the end of the<br />
lines. Drawing along to this is sure to be<br />
energising and produce some colourful<br />
pictures!<br />
Oranges and lemons<br />
My Bonnie<br />
My Bonnie lies over the ocean<br />
My Bonnie lies over the sea<br />
My Bonnie lies over the ocean<br />
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me<br />
Bring back, oh bring back<br />
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me<br />
Bring back, oh bring back<br />
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me<br />
Oh blow ye waves over the ocean<br />
Oh blow ye waves over the sea<br />
Oh blow ye waves over the ocean<br />
And bring back my Bonnie to me<br />
This traditional sea shanty is also written<br />
in 6/8 “lullaby” timing, and much like<br />
“Rock A Bye Baby”, has a calming and<br />
relaxing effect. The repetition in the verses<br />
and chorus makes it easy to learn and<br />
sing along to, and the imagery of a boat<br />
sailing across the ocean provides many<br />
inspirational ideas that can be used to<br />
draw or paint.<br />
Thank you for the music<br />
I’m nothing special, in fact, I’m a bit of a<br />
bore<br />
If I tell a joke, you’ve probably heard it<br />
before<br />
But I have a talent, a wonderful thing<br />
‘Cause everyone listens when I start to sing<br />
I’m so grateful and proud<br />
All I want is to sing it out loud<br />
These types of songs are wonderful as<br />
listening pieces with the option to sing<br />
along – recognising that not everyone<br />
will be able to sing it successfully to start.<br />
Increasing opportunities to learn different<br />
styles of music, different types of songs,<br />
and different note combinations, is a gift<br />
that opens the mind to new experiences,<br />
building confidence and resilience in<br />
tackling new situations.<br />
Early years music ideas like drawing to<br />
music can be a rewarding experience<br />
for both adults and children alike. It can<br />
provide a respite from demanding or<br />
challenging situations, while also freeing<br />
the mind to be in the moment, not<br />
anticipating the next steps.<br />
We would love to know how your group<br />
uses this activity! Send in your stories and<br />
photos to marketing@parenta.com!<br />
Oranges and lemons say the bells of St<br />
Clements<br />
I owe you two farthing, say the bells of St<br />
Martins<br />
When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old<br />
Bailey<br />
When I grow rich, say the bells of<br />
Shoreditch<br />
When will that be? Say the bells of Stepney<br />
I do not know, says the Great Bell of Bow<br />
So I say, thank you for the music<br />
The songs I’m singing<br />
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing<br />
Who can live without it?<br />
I ask in all honesty<br />
What would life be?<br />
Without a song, or a dance<br />
What are we?<br />
So I say, thank you for the music<br />
For giving it to me<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Frances:<br />
A Finnish study, (Lehikoinen, <strong>2023</strong>)<br />
considered 6 different ways to explore<br />
creativity with 1- and 2-year-olds with a<br />
focus on successful engagement. This<br />
age is known to be tricky, as there is often<br />
limited pedagogical content for under 3s<br />
in the arts. Like many countries, visual and<br />
musical arts in Finnish nurseries were not<br />
usually accessed daily, with most settings<br />
bringing in specialists once a month<br />
or less. So, 6 activities were devised,<br />
specifically for this age group to increase<br />
daily engagement in the arts:
EYFS activities:<br />
Communication<br />
& language<br />
Effective communication and language development plays a pivotal role in the EYFS. Both form the cornerstone<br />
of a child’s ability to engage with the world around them. By nurturing strong communication and language<br />
skills, early years educators empower children to express themselves, understand others, and make sense of<br />
their experiences. These skills are not only essential for building meaningful relationships but also for future<br />
academic success. Language development is a key indicator of a child’s overall cognitive development and serves<br />
as a foundation for literacy and numeracy skills. Moreover, effective communication and language proficiency<br />
boost children’s self-esteem, self-confidence, and social competence. Therefore, as early years educators, your<br />
dedication to fostering rich communication environments will have a lasting impact on the holistic development of<br />
the children in your care, setting them on a path toward a lifetime of learning and effective communication.<br />
What’s missing?<br />
Guess the object<br />
Children love simple guessing games - here<br />
is a quick and easy one for you to play in your<br />
setting.<br />
• You will need some tin foil and a few<br />
objects (familiar to the child and unique in<br />
shape)<br />
• Try to mould the tin foil to really emphasise<br />
the shape of each object<br />
• Then encourage the children to guess what<br />
each item is<br />
• This simple activity provides toddlers with<br />
a lesson in recognising 3D shapes and<br />
objects, based on their prior knowledge of<br />
an object (a ball is round). They don’t have<br />
to physically see the ball with its colours<br />
and markings, but use what they already<br />
know and have an understanding that its<br />
shape is round and therefore it’s most likely<br />
a ball<br />
• Another option is to present the objects<br />
and then ask the children a question, for<br />
example - “Which object do you think is the<br />
pear?”<br />
• Once the children have guessed the item,<br />
let them check their answers by tearing<br />
off the tin foil and revealing the object<br />
Regardless of whether they guessed it<br />
correctly, the children will learn from the<br />
activity.<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: laughingkidslearn.com/guess-theobjects-covered-in-tin-foil/<br />
A simple yet fun game that everyone enjoys!<br />
• Gather a few objects, such as toys, blocks,<br />
and some numbers - anything you have to<br />
hand will do<br />
• Lay the objects out on the floor, or on a<br />
table and talk through each object with the<br />
children, so they know what is there<br />
• Encourage the children to cover their eyes<br />
or turn around, whilst you remove one of<br />
the objects. Now ask them to guess which<br />
item is missing<br />
• For an extra fun twist, take turns in the<br />
game, so the child takes away one of the<br />
objects and you try to guess which one they<br />
took<br />
• To make it more challenging, try moving the<br />
objects around when they cover their eyes<br />
or take away two in one go<br />
• This fun game is a great way to get the<br />
children thinking and communicating!<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: handsonaswegrow.com/whats-missingmemory-activity-kids/<br />
Puppet time<br />
Playing with puppets is a great way to<br />
encourage language development, as children<br />
love to have conversations with them, and can<br />
even let the puppet be their voice.<br />
• Encourage the children to tell one of their<br />
favourite stories, or free play and use the<br />
puppets to create their own world<br />
• If you want to create your own puppets<br />
rather than purchase them, you can easily<br />
put together sock puppets, glove puppets or<br />
even string puppets<br />
• Playing with puppets also helps with<br />
children’s social development, listening<br />
skills, motor skills and creativity!<br />
More on this activity and others can be<br />
found here: empoweredparents.co/playingwith-puppets/<br />
36 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 37
Gina Bale<br />
Ever wondered how much your body says,<br />
without uttering a word? Brace yourself,<br />
because here’s a jaw-dropping fact:<br />
your body is a chatterbox, broadcasting<br />
messages to the world around you, even<br />
when you’re not aware of it. Prepare to be<br />
shocked - studies suggest that 80-90% of<br />
our communication is non-verbal! That’s<br />
right, your body really TALKS!<br />
Let’s dive into the world of our body<br />
language and go back in time (this is not<br />
a new science) and discover ‘the 3Cs’,<br />
also known as the ‘Communication Rule<br />
Theory’, created by Professor Mehrabian<br />
and Morton Wiener in 1967. This theory<br />
helps us to understand how our body<br />
talks!<br />
Communication Rule<br />
Theory 7-38-55:<br />
Did you know that “Research even<br />
suggests that we make judgements about<br />
people’s intelligence based upon their<br />
faces and expressions?”<br />
Source: www.verywellmind.com<br />
Do take a peek at their “Understand body<br />
language and facial expressions” section,<br />
as they even have a game you can play to<br />
help you understand the importance of it.<br />
Diving into the<br />
world of non-verbal<br />
communication!<br />
Eyes that connect: The gateway to<br />
genuine connections lies in the eyes.<br />
Picture this… a balanced dose of eye<br />
contact can forge profound bonds.<br />
But here’s the kicker - too much direct<br />
Spoken word<br />
7%<br />
Body talk!<br />
eye contact might send shockwaves<br />
of intensity, and discomfort to your<br />
colleagues, and also to the little ones. Sit<br />
side by side when engaging with children.<br />
This helps to create a comfortable and<br />
non-threatening atmosphere helping them<br />
feel at ease with you.<br />
Power of your posture: Are you<br />
broadcasting interest with your body?<br />
Crossed arms and legs, build a “keep out”<br />
force field and suggest you are just not<br />
interested. Create a posture of openness<br />
that shows everyone that you are “all<br />
ears”. Your posture sets the stage and<br />
tone of the conversation.<br />
Express yourself (facially!): Your face is<br />
a canvas of emotions. From a mega-watt<br />
smile to a split-second micro-expression,<br />
every twitch communicates volumes. We<br />
all need a superpower. Flash a contagious<br />
grin as it is infectious and promotes wellbeing.<br />
Tone titan: Your voice isn’t just a collection<br />
of words; it’s an orchestra of emotions.<br />
Tune into your tone. Lowering it a notch<br />
can help add an instant infusion of warmth<br />
and interest.<br />
practice, you will find that practising<br />
confident body language can help you<br />
feel more confident in social situations.”<br />
Newman R, Furnham A, Weis L, et al.<br />
Non-verbal presence: How changing your<br />
behaviour can increase your ratings for<br />
persuasion, leadership and confidence.<br />
Psych. 2016;07(04):488-499. doi:10.4236/<br />
psych.2016.74050<br />
Just add a dash of<br />
empathy!<br />
We’ve dived into the magical realm of<br />
‘body talk’, but there’s an extra sprinkling<br />
of magic we mustn’t miss – empathy,<br />
the ultimate ‘secret sauce’ for truly<br />
understanding our little ones and fellow<br />
grown-ups.<br />
In my search for the best way of explaining<br />
the ‘secret sauce’ I came across this<br />
explanation… “Empathy refers to the<br />
ability to understand the feelings the<br />
client is trying to express and the ability<br />
to communicate this understanding to the<br />
client. The therapist must adopt the client’s<br />
frame of reference and must strive to see<br />
the problems as the client sees them.”<br />
“Introduction to Psychology”, Atkinson,<br />
Atkinson, Smith, and Ben. Chapter 17,<br />
Methods of Therapy, page 687.<br />
Don’t forget that when working with<br />
children and adults, being genuine and<br />
understanding their situation is the key to<br />
success. Remember, children are genuine<br />
detectives, even better than Sherlock<br />
Holmes, as nothing gets past them!<br />
Empathy unleashed (literally!): Imagine<br />
this: a chorus of babies in a nursery, all<br />
wailing in sync. Why? It’s like emotional<br />
telepathy as they sense each other’s<br />
feelings but can’t tell the difference<br />
between their own emotions and those of<br />
others. Babies, still tuning their emotional<br />
radio, can’t help but join the symphony.<br />
That’s empathy, a superpower that lets<br />
you tap into others’ feelings.<br />
Unlocking their little hearts: When your<br />
little ones are keeping their cards close,<br />
not mingling with the gang, or simply<br />
having a tough day, it’s time to put your<br />
empathy superhero cape on. The key?<br />
Cracking the code of their feelings, both<br />
spoken and silent. To ace this game, you<br />
need to hop into their world and see it<br />
through their eyes and feelings.<br />
More than just words: When you are<br />
in someone’s shoes it’s like a Vulcan<br />
mind-meld from “Star Trek”. When you<br />
communicate, you are not just using “I<br />
understand” statements, you are painting<br />
with their emotions.<br />
Empathic language: To master this, you<br />
need to see their view and translate their<br />
feelings into words they would use. This<br />
is not a chat, it’s a tapestry of connections<br />
between you and your little ones and<br />
grown-ups.<br />
Following on from the “Star Trek”<br />
reference… (Yes, I am a fan!)<br />
It’s all about catching feelings from your<br />
little ones or those in the ‘grown-up<br />
galaxy’. Flip on that empathy switch (or<br />
Vulcan mind-meld), raise the emotion<br />
antennae and get ready to enter a whole<br />
world of understanding!<br />
Remember, forging connections with<br />
your colleagues and little ones goes way<br />
beyond words. Navigating non-verbal<br />
communication is not easy and it’s a skill<br />
that needs to be constantly nurtured. Forge<br />
connections that go beyond words, so the<br />
next time someone asks how well you<br />
communicate, you can confidently say: “My<br />
body does the talking!”.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Gina:<br />
Body<br />
language<br />
55%<br />
Tone of<br />
voice<br />
38%<br />
Move like you mean it: Put your hands<br />
up if you’ve ever spoken without words.<br />
We all do it, and it’s a goldmine of<br />
unspoken feelings. Tune into these hand<br />
gestures, because decoding them will<br />
unveil a treasure trove of emotions in<br />
children and your fellow grown-ups.<br />
Remember, even if you don’t feel confident,<br />
or you have difficulty interacting with others<br />
due to social anxiety disorder (SAD) or<br />
other reasons, did you know you can…<br />
“Practice these gestures and movements<br />
to project an air of confidence? As you<br />
38 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 39
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