November 2023 Parenta Early Years Magazine
FREE Early Years Magazine Out Now! We’re delighted to introduce this month’s jam-packed edition, which includes a diverse range of articles written by our esteemed professionals in the early years industry. From superpowers to safety and from multisensory to mathematics, we have it covered! International sensory expert Jo Grace continues with her popular series and questions whether you really do need a sensory room, nutrition guru Louise Mercieca concludes her article exploring whether vegan diets can support early years development, Dr Kathryn Peckham helps us to manage emotions without losing our cool and Lee Connelly continues his gardening adventures!
FREE Early Years Magazine Out Now!
We’re delighted to introduce this month’s jam-packed edition, which includes a diverse range of articles written by our
esteemed professionals in the early years industry. From superpowers to safety and from multisensory to mathematics, we
have it covered!
International sensory expert Jo Grace continues with her popular series and questions whether you really do need a
sensory room, nutrition guru Louise Mercieca concludes her article exploring whether vegan diets can support early years
development, Dr Kathryn Peckham helps us to manage emotions without losing our cool and Lee Connelly continues his
gardening adventures!
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Issue 108<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
Do you need a<br />
multisensory room?<br />
COVER<br />
KCSIE latest updates<br />
Engaging with families<br />
around behaviour<br />
+ lots more<br />
EYFS activities<br />
inside!<br />
This month…<br />
Mathematics<br />
What is your early years<br />
superpower?<br />
Is your childcare business facing uncertainty? Take the quiz & get an instant report<br />
Top tips for picking the perfect nursery management software
6<br />
26<br />
12 18<br />
Hello<br />
Welcome to our family<br />
Welcome to the <strong>November</strong> issue of <strong>Parenta</strong> magazine!<br />
We’re delighted to introduce this month’s jam-packed edition, which includes a diverse range of articles written by our<br />
esteemed professionals in the early years industry. From superpowers to safety and from multisensory to mathematics, we<br />
have it covered!<br />
International sensory expert Jo Grace continues with her popular series and questions whether you really do need a<br />
sensory room, nutrition guru Louise Mercieca concludes her article exploring whether vegan diets can support early years<br />
development, Dr Kathryn Peckham helps us to manage emotions without losing our cool and Lee Connelly continues his<br />
gardening adventures!<br />
Safeguarding Consultant Yvonne Sinclair takes us through the updated version of Keeping Children Safe in Education, Frances<br />
Turnbull shows us how to be creative with balloon painting, and Gina Bale teaches us how to tap into our creative selves! We<br />
also have a new expert on board - Jonathan Newport – his valuable advice helps us engage with families around children’s<br />
behaviour.<br />
Don’t miss out on our free webinar this month, as we focus on, ‘Financial Solutions for <strong>Early</strong> <strong>Years</strong> Settings’. Join fellow<br />
educators as we uncover some of the ingenious strategies and innovations that are allowing us to not only make ends meet<br />
but also to stretch our resources further and ensure the lasting success of our businesses.<br />
Register now at www.parenta.com/webinars!<br />
Don’t forget to share the magic of our magazine with your friends, colleagues, and parents alike. They can receive their own<br />
copy in digital or printed format by signing up at www.parenta.com/magazine.<br />
Allan<br />
2 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
Regulars<br />
10 Write for us<br />
36 EYFS Activities: Mathematics<br />
News<br />
Advice<br />
14 Reporting accidents and incidents<br />
22 Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday<br />
26 Anti-Bullying Week<br />
32 Safeguarding: self-harm<br />
24<br />
4 Congratulations to our <strong>Parenta</strong> Learners<br />
6 Picking the perfect nursery management software<br />
for your early years setting<br />
8 Childcare news and views<br />
Industry Experts<br />
30<br />
12 Do you need a multisensory room?<br />
18 Can vegan diets support early years development? -<br />
Part two<br />
20 Managing emotions without losing your cool<br />
24 Gardening adventures with your toddler<br />
28 KCSIE updates<br />
30 How can we effectively engage with families around<br />
children’s behaviour?<br />
34 “99 Red Balloons” - Creative balloon painting in<br />
the early years<br />
38 What is your early years superpower?<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 3
What do our customers<br />
say this month?<br />
“Kaye Newbury is my assigned tutor and I have been<br />
so impressed with the support I have received from her<br />
throughout my course so far. She’s always at the other<br />
end of the phone, and always there to help.”<br />
Rose Russell<br />
“I have completed my Functional skills English Level<br />
2 recently with <strong>Parenta</strong>. My tutor was Ryan Green,<br />
who was very helpful during my course. He was very<br />
supportive, helpful and provided all the resources that<br />
I needed for my course. I am really happy to have Ryan<br />
as my English tutor. Thank you so much.”<br />
Sadia Jafrin<br />
“Very clear in explaining the targets and how to<br />
“<strong>Parenta</strong> is a great training provider and I’m glad my<br />
employer has chosen <strong>Parenta</strong>. I have been matched<br />
with a really good tutor who understands my past of<br />
learning. I would definitely recommend to anyone.”<br />
Travis Bruce<br />
“I was lucky to have 2 tutors during my qualification<br />
and both of them were incredibly supportive and<br />
helped me achieve my level 3 qualification.<br />
Thank you so much.”<br />
Ana Dita<br />
complete them. Sarah has guided me very well and<br />
explained everything in detail to help me achieve<br />
my goals.”<br />
Faryal Malik<br />
“I would like to say that the services are fantastic.<br />
Providing resources to help support with learning,<br />
understanding how <strong>Parenta</strong> works and knowing how<br />
to access documents you may need.”<br />
Krista Jenkins<br />
“Ayse Drew is so lovely. Meeting her for the first time<br />
to start my course, she listened to my questions and<br />
helped me with explaining what I needed to do. Ayse<br />
made me feel very comfortable in knowing that if I<br />
needed help with anything she will be able to help. I’m<br />
excited for my journey with <strong>Parenta</strong>.”<br />
Carrie<br />
“My tutor Sarah is amazing! She’s really enthusiastic<br />
about her students. She puts in the extra time and<br />
energy to make sure we always have work and a clear<br />
plan forward to completing the course. She’s super<br />
friendly and easy to communicate with.”<br />
Kayleigh Elaine<br />
“We are very happy with the excellent service provided<br />
by Anita. She is always supportive with our learners.<br />
She is always confident and knowledgeable with the<br />
information that she provides our learners. Anita is<br />
always positive and always has a smile on her face.”<br />
Mihaela Fulga<br />
“BIG shout out to Kaye! Kaye is so helpful and kind.<br />
A fabulous addition to the <strong>Parenta</strong> family - she has<br />
helped me feel my greatest potential already, I look<br />
forward to working with her more and more to achieve<br />
my qualification."<br />
Monica Callan<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 Daisy 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 />
“All services are excellent.”<br />
Sully Flores<br />
4 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 5
Picking the perfect nursery<br />
management software for<br />
your early years setting<br />
M O N E Y<br />
B A C K<br />
GUARANTEE<br />
M O N E Y<br />
B A C K<br />
Your time is extremely valuable and the<br />
realisation that nursery management<br />
software can liberate you and your<br />
dedicated staff from the burdensome<br />
paperwork that’s integral to running a<br />
successful nursery is a great feeling!<br />
We’ve compiled our top tips to help you<br />
make the right software selection.<br />
Why should you consider nursery<br />
management software for your setting?<br />
The benefits are vast. It’s all about<br />
reclaiming your time and gaining instant<br />
insight into every part of your childcare<br />
business. If you’re currently snowed under<br />
in traditional data admin methods and<br />
manually sifting through reports, going<br />
digital will change your life.<br />
Affordability vs long-term gain<br />
While purchasing software might come<br />
with an upfront cost, the time and money<br />
you’ll save in the long run make it a sound<br />
financial decision you won’t regret! Nursery<br />
management systems excel in managing<br />
every aspect of your setting, from invoicing<br />
and staff schedules to tracking children’s<br />
progress and safeguarding sensitive data.<br />
By eliminating arduous administrative<br />
tasks, you and your team can channel<br />
your resources into what truly matters - the<br />
well-being of the children in your care.<br />
Research!<br />
While numerous software providers may<br />
seem indistinguishable at first glance,<br />
investing time in exploring various options<br />
pays off. Look into their customer base,<br />
experience, reputation, and credit rating.<br />
Customer feedback on their website and<br />
on platforms like Google and Trustpilot<br />
will show a company’s commitment to<br />
customer experience and are telltale signs<br />
of a provider’s reliability.<br />
Data protection and storage<br />
Data protection and storage policies<br />
are paramount, especially when taking<br />
GDPR into consideration. A reputable<br />
company should stay current with<br />
these requirements and demonstrate a<br />
commitment to data security. Remember<br />
to ask where and how your data will<br />
be stored, backup frequency, and<br />
the presence of ISO accreditation for<br />
information security.<br />
Capability<br />
Compliance with Ofsted requirements<br />
is a must, necessitating a system that<br />
streamlines the recording of children’s<br />
development and safeguards sensitive<br />
information. It’s also incredibly important<br />
to be able to see at a glance two<br />
important variables within your business<br />
- gaps in staffing and capacity within your<br />
setting. Look out for software that allows<br />
you to quickly identify these elements of<br />
your business – this can help you make<br />
important decisions at the touch of a few<br />
buttons.<br />
Embrace the change!<br />
While the initial data migration might<br />
seem daunting, focusing on the longterm<br />
benefits keep you on track. Reliable<br />
providers offer dedicated support during<br />
the transition.<br />
Look for companies which can migrate<br />
your data and have your system up and<br />
running in a matter of days, with software<br />
hosted online and tailored to your needs,<br />
and money-back guarantees for your<br />
peace of mind.<br />
Software demonstrations provide a crucial<br />
opportunity for evaluation. Assess the<br />
demo’s helpfulness, and the quality of<br />
customer service, and don’t forget to ask<br />
questions!<br />
Training<br />
Training is the secret to harnessing<br />
the software’s full potential. Seek<br />
comprehensive training packages, ideally<br />
with unlimited, free-of-charge options.<br />
Ongoing training should be part of the<br />
deal, ensuring you stay up to speed with<br />
the system.<br />
Reporting<br />
Reporting often emerges as a timeconsuming<br />
and exasperating task, but<br />
choosing a system that delivers seamless<br />
reports at the touch of a button, is<br />
essential.<br />
Your time is valuable which is why quick<br />
insights into room capacity, staff ratios,<br />
registers, and dietary requirements are<br />
as vital as detailed reports on specific<br />
data like outstanding payments, funded<br />
entitlement allocation, registers, milk, or<br />
occupancy.<br />
Every setting must periodically assess<br />
its financial health. Reports like ‘agedbalance<br />
reports’ and ‘future fee<br />
predictions’ provide insights into your<br />
nursery’s financial efficiency. You need<br />
to be able to project revenue over a year<br />
based on current occupancy, equipping<br />
you for future childcare management<br />
decisions.<br />
Upgrades<br />
The digital world is moving at a fast pace<br />
and most of the software on the market<br />
can become out of date in time. When it<br />
comes to upgrades, select a provider with<br />
an in-house development team dedicated<br />
to keeping the software current at no extra<br />
cost.<br />
With our software, you<br />
are GUARANTEED to:<br />
Save time<br />
Increase efficiency<br />
Boost productivity<br />
Enjoy speedy invoicing<br />
Ensure compliance<br />
Gain full staff training<br />
and support with<br />
learning the new system<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’<strong>Magazine</strong>’<br />
6 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com
Childcare news<br />
and views<br />
Recruitment and retention crisis<br />
has increased skills gap: NCFE<br />
NCFE's latest report delves into the current<br />
and forthcoming obstacles faced by the<br />
early years sector, encompassing both<br />
skill deficits and demand patterns, and<br />
considering expert opinions. Among its<br />
significant discoveries is the observation<br />
that job advertisements for the early<br />
years and childcare industry in 2022 rose<br />
by more than 4,000 compared to 2017,<br />
owing to newly established positions as<br />
well as workforce turnover. Moreover, the<br />
report outlines that the early years skills<br />
gap increased by over 2% in the past<br />
five years, leading to immense pressure<br />
on the workload and stress levels of<br />
setting managers. The data is taken from<br />
the Office for National Statistics Labour<br />
Demand Volumes.<br />
Janet King, sector manager for<br />
education and childcare at NCFE, said “A<br />
recruitment and retention crisis leads to<br />
an inevitable skills gap in the workforce.<br />
With any large turnover of staff, there are<br />
implications for stability, and this may<br />
equate to vulnerabilities in leadership and<br />
management.<br />
“Put bluntly, staff joining are not staying.<br />
Where they are staying, they are taking<br />
up management and leadership positions<br />
with little post-qualification practice, whilst<br />
more experienced staff are the ones that<br />
leave.”<br />
In its report, NCFE identifies a total of three<br />
areas of focus, which are ‘qualifications<br />
and training’, ‘career progression’ and<br />
‘changing the narrative’.
Write for us!<br />
We continuously seek new<br />
authors who would like to<br />
provide thought-provoking<br />
articles for our monthly<br />
magazine.<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 />
https://www.parenta.com/sponsored-content/<br />
Congratulations<br />
to our guest author competition winner, Pam McFarlane!<br />
Congratulations to Pam McFarlane, our guest<br />
author of the month! Her article, “Coaching in <strong>Early</strong><br />
<strong>Years</strong>” explores how practicing active listening and<br />
effective questioning is a good start to developing<br />
a coaching approach as a leader.<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 />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’<strong>Magazine</strong>’<br />
10 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com
Do you need a<br />
still do harm, is not to be found in the<br />
equipment or the activities. In truth, you do<br />
not need any of the equipment to have a<br />
profound impact on the people sharing the<br />
space with you.<br />
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 this article, we are going to consider<br />
sensory rooms. In 2018-2019, I conducted<br />
a piece of research which looked at the<br />
use of multisensory rooms in the UK.<br />
What I found was published by Routledge<br />
in the book “Multiple Multisensory<br />
Rooms: Myth Busting the Magic” and<br />
in the peer-reviewed journal The Tizard<br />
Review as “Multisensory Rooms: Essential<br />
Characteristics and Barriers to Effective<br />
Practice”. Multisensory rooms are<br />
something I have considered a lot!<br />
multisensory<br />
First up: they can be amazing spaces,<br />
transformative, in fact. In my last two<br />
articles we have been thinking about how<br />
changing the sensory environment can<br />
be supportive of children’s mental health<br />
and their ability to engage with activities<br />
and people around them; also, how a<br />
multisensory room can provide a fantastic<br />
adaptable sensory environment. So, it is<br />
no wonder that you hear testimony from<br />
people who have experienced the rooms<br />
saying what an amazing impact they<br />
have had.<br />
room?<br />
Multisensory rooms also pack a<br />
significant wow factor: if people are<br />
going around your setting to look at what<br />
you provide, they’re going to be seriously<br />
impressed if you have an “all singing,<br />
all dancing” sensory room there. Having<br />
a sensory room acts like a badge of<br />
honour, signalling your willingness and<br />
intent to provide for a diverse range of<br />
needs (It was funny when I was doing my<br />
research, I asked people why they had<br />
had their sensory room installed and many<br />
answered it was because they wanted<br />
to impress people! The fact that this was<br />
their first answer, not, to meet the needs<br />
of these people, tells you a lot about what<br />
the rooms are for!).<br />
I used to work in a school for children<br />
classed as having severe and profound<br />
special educational needs and disabilities<br />
and I have memories from moments<br />
shared in the sensory room that will last<br />
me a lifetime. So, I am not against the<br />
rooms in any way, but did you notice how I<br />
said they “can” be amazing spaces?<br />
This is the thing: most multisensory<br />
rooms in the UK are not having an<br />
amazing transformative effect on the<br />
people who they’re intended for - some<br />
are even harming. When people are<br />
thinking about getting a multisensory<br />
room, they often ask me what equipment<br />
they should buy, or what activities I<br />
recommend they do inside of the rooms.<br />
The difference between the rooms that<br />
have amazing life-changing effects and<br />
those that are purely decorative, or worse<br />
When I did my research, I asked lots and<br />
lots of people who use multisensory rooms<br />
about their experience of those rooms. I<br />
asked them what was essential to effective<br />
practice in the rooms. I asked them what<br />
barriers they encountered for effective<br />
practice. I have hundreds and hundreds<br />
of pages of interview transcripts, and<br />
hours upon hours were spent discussing<br />
the rooms with people. I found eleven<br />
positive characteristics of the rooms, two<br />
negative ones, and ten barriers to effective<br />
practice. But I can summarise it all for you<br />
in one sentence: the magic to be found in<br />
multisensory rooms is found in the people<br />
within them, not in the equipment they are<br />
built from.<br />
People entering a sensory room with<br />
someone who “gets them”, who<br />
understands their sensory needs and<br />
abilities, who is willing to engage with<br />
them in a manner that best suits them,<br />
have a magical time in the rooms. If<br />
someone is in the room with someone<br />
who does not get them, it doesn’t matter<br />
how expensive the room was, how well<br />
designed, or how impressive, very little<br />
of any impact is likely to occur. If you<br />
understand the children you support in<br />
your settings and you have the thousands<br />
of pounds needed to install a sensory<br />
room, by all means, go ahead, as I said,<br />
they’re amazing spaces. But, if you do not<br />
have that kind of money kicking around<br />
in your pocket, have a look at the three<br />
most significant positive characteristics I<br />
discovered for sensory rooms and think<br />
about how you could improvise them.<br />
The three most significant positive<br />
characteristics of effective sensory rooms<br />
that I identified in my research were that<br />
they were dark, activity-associated, and<br />
uninterrupted spaces. Let’s take them one<br />
by one:<br />
Dark: Can you create a dark space in<br />
your setting? It could be a pop-up dark<br />
tent (I have a fab one from TTS), it could be<br />
dark fabric thrown over a table, or it could<br />
be a huge cardboard box (did you know<br />
motorbikes get delivered to dealerships<br />
inside big cardboard boxes?) You could<br />
buy some blackout blinds to cover your<br />
windows, or just cut cards to shape and<br />
attach Velcro dots to your window frames<br />
to allow you to pop them up and down.<br />
Activity-associated: People found<br />
response levels were high in the rooms<br />
because the people entering them knew<br />
what they were going to do there. A bit like<br />
how people know they’re going swimming<br />
when they smell the swimming pool,<br />
or they know they will be cooking in the<br />
kitchen. This effect is powerful, and it does<br />
not have to be about a sensory room,<br />
creating a sensory orientation to activities<br />
(like with the sensory scaping we talked<br />
about in my previous article) helps people<br />
to tap into their understanding from the<br />
last time they were in that space and<br />
engage more quickly.<br />
Uninterrupted: This one speaks for itself,<br />
doesn’t it? If you are going to try and<br />
connect with someone, engaging deeply<br />
in an activity together, but one of you gets<br />
called away by the phone or distracted<br />
by someone else, then the magic that<br />
builds up around that shared experience<br />
will burst like a bubble. Again, this is a<br />
characteristic that is not just valuable<br />
about a sensory room, think about how<br />
you could protect key activities – is there a<br />
sign you can put on the door to ensure no<br />
one walks in during storytime? Is there an<br />
area of the room that is occupied just by<br />
an invited group and everyone else knows<br />
not to go in until it is their turn?<br />
The magic of multisensory rooms is not<br />
found in bubble tubes or fibre optics, it is<br />
in the humans within them and in their<br />
willingness to listen to one another with all<br />
their senses. Connecting in a moment of<br />
shared sensory understanding.<br />
My first three articles were about why<br />
and how to offer engaging sensory<br />
experiences within your setting; these<br />
three have been about considering the<br />
sensory landscape of your setting, and the<br />
next two are going to be about providing<br />
for individual children who have particular<br />
sensory needs, and later in this series,<br />
we will look at eating. Please feel free to<br />
connect with me on social media to watch<br />
my current sensory adventures unfurl, all<br />
the connection links can be found on my<br />
website www.TheSensoryProjects.co.uk<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Joanna:<br />
12 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 13
Reporting accidents<br />
In early years, the aim is always to prevent<br />
accidents and incidents through careful<br />
planning, effective use of risk assessments<br />
and adequate and up-to-date training.<br />
However, there are occasions when - even<br />
with the best and most careful planning<br />
- accidents and incidents can occur. If<br />
these accidents involve children, then<br />
there is a statutory requirement to tell the<br />
relevant authorities because as well as<br />
following RIDDOR regulations, childcare<br />
settings should adhere to the <strong>Early</strong> <strong>Years</strong><br />
Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements for<br />
reporting incidents.<br />
Settings should write and maintain<br />
proper records to ensure that lessons<br />
are learnt, protocols are followed, the<br />
correct people are informed promptly,<br />
and everyone understands their role in<br />
preventing these incidents from occurring<br />
again. Mismanagement of incidents<br />
and events by childcare settings and/<br />
or childminders can result in prosecution<br />
and de-registration, so all settings must<br />
understand their legal duty to report any<br />
accidents and incidents.<br />
The Government publishes information<br />
about the events and serious incidents that<br />
must be recorded and reported, and more<br />
information can be gained from:
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 />
Generate Instant Enquiries, Connect Locally, and Boost<br />
Occupancy Levels with Our Ofsted-Compliant Websites.<br />
Act Now for Rapid Results!<br />
Courses available now with<br />
achievements of up to 96%<br />
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Level 2 Childcare (EYP)<br />
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Level 5 EYLP<br />
Did you know...<br />
An impressive 75% of employers consistently choose <strong>Parenta</strong>, reaffirming our<br />
unparalleled excellence in childcare training!<br />
"A very easy website process. Love the end results, and that is coming from<br />
someone who did not have a clue where to start!"<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’<strong>Magazine</strong>’<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’<strong>Magazine</strong>’
Louise Mercieca<br />
Can vegan<br />
diets support<br />
early years<br />
development?<br />
Part two<br />
There has been a rise in the number of families switching to a vegan diet. There are certainly plenty of reasons why this seems a good<br />
idea for both the environment and our health, but what impact does a restrictive diet have on very young children? When making any<br />
decision about a diet or lifestyle choice, it must be entered into with all the facts and considerations. Choosing a vegan diet isn’t a decision<br />
to take lightly, especially if making that decision on behalf of a child. The second and final part of this article looks at what deficiencies<br />
could be caused by adopting a vegan diet in the early years, what supplements are needed, and many other considerations to be taken<br />
into account.<br />
Nutrient<br />
Deficiency impact<br />
Vitamin B3<br />
Vitamin B12<br />
Vitamin D<br />
Calcium<br />
Iodine<br />
Selenium<br />
Iron<br />
Zinc<br />
Lysine<br />
Tryptophan<br />
Methionine<br />
Omega 3 fatty acids<br />
Extreme deficiencies can lead to the serious condition, Pellagra, which is classified as the 3 Ds; Dementia, Diarrhoea, and<br />
Dermatitis – this is extremely rare but does occur in the UK.<br />
Low levels can lead to anaemia (lack of red blood cells) which makes people tired and weak.<br />
More seriously, B12 deficiencies in the early years can reduce the function of the central nervous system and even a mild<br />
deficiency can cause neurological deterioration.<br />
A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children (this does still exist).<br />
Weakened immune system.<br />
Low mood which can lead to depression.<br />
As with vitamin D, a lack of calcium can lead to rickets in children. Calcium not only supports bones but muscles such as the<br />
heart and a deficiency can lead to heart failure in extreme circumstances.<br />
Iodine deficiency is the main cause of brain damage in early childhood resulting in impaired cognitive and motor development.<br />
Additionally, iodine deficiency can cause the development of a condition called Goitre (enlarged thyroid gland).<br />
Low levels or deficiency can cause confusion (brain fog) and general fatigue, more serious and prolonged deficiencies can<br />
lead to infertility and compromised immunity in response to certain viruses.<br />
Iron deficiencies can lead to iron deficiency anaemia.<br />
Reduced growth & development, impaired immunity, low memory, impaired motor skills.<br />
When coupled with low serotonin (linked to vitamin D deficiency) this deficiency can increase violence, depression, and anxiety.<br />
Deficiencies affect growth and development (slow growth) and can cause general fatigue, dizziness, anaemia, and impact on<br />
mood.<br />
Low levels of this can lead to anxiety, tension, feeling on edge and disrupted sleep. Prolonged deficiencies can lead to<br />
aggressive tendencies.<br />
Involved in the antioxidant defence system so deficiencies can cause an increase in oxidative stress.<br />
Deficiencies can have a negative impact on mood, IQ and behaviour, more serious deficiencies can have adverse effects on<br />
brain development and neurodevelopmental outcomes.<br />
Omega 3 supplements are used to treat symptoms of ADHD and in young offenders’ institutions, such is the significant impact<br />
it has on mood, behaviour and emotions.<br />
Supplementing a diet may be easier said<br />
than done! Some children can’t chew<br />
a chewy supplement (if they are very<br />
young), there may be issues over the<br />
coating of the supplements and goodquality<br />
ones can be very expensive. It<br />
is necessary to supplement though as<br />
nutritional deficiencies can have life-long<br />
consequences, so supplement research is<br />
essential.<br />
Other considerations<br />
If you are considering an alternative diet<br />
or must restrict certain elements due<br />
to allergies, then this may be possible<br />
without going entirely vegan, this would<br />
certainly ease some of the restrictions.<br />
There’s no reason why we all can’t enjoy<br />
plant-based meals several times a week,<br />
indeed this would be preferable for our<br />
health and our environment.<br />
There has been a rise in vegan produce,<br />
making it a lot easier to shop for ‘meatfree’<br />
alternatives but please shop with<br />
caution as just because a product<br />
is vegetarian, or vegan, it does not<br />
necessarily mean it is ‘healthy’.<br />
Ultra-processed foods<br />
(UPFs)<br />
The vegan and vegetarian market is no<br />
different to the rest of the food landscape.<br />
There is now a wide variety of products<br />
aimed at convenience. Vegans can opt<br />
for processed burgers, sausages, pies<br />
etc. that may be marginally healthier than<br />
their meat alternatives but are still ‘overprocessed’<br />
and likely to contain artificial<br />
ingredients and ‘fillers’ that make a<br />
product convenient but not healthy. To get<br />
the most out of a vegan diet it is necessary<br />
to plan, prepare and cook properly and<br />
not rely on ready-made options.<br />
Vegan children<br />
Is it possible? Technically yes, with careful<br />
planning, consideration of all nutrients<br />
needed and supplementation. But is it<br />
easy? No.<br />
You will spend a large percentage of your<br />
time scanning labels and menus until you<br />
are confident with your own shopping<br />
choices. For fully developed adults, it<br />
can be a healthy lifestyle choice. For<br />
developing children, it can be incredibly<br />
detrimental if not implemented effectively.<br />
If you are embarking on a vegan lifestyle<br />
for your family, please embrace the full<br />
variety of natural plant-based options<br />
available, seek professional guidance and<br />
remember that many essential nutrients<br />
will need to be supplemented.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more information<br />
& resources<br />
from Louise:<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 19
Dr. Kathryn Peckham<br />
Managing<br />
emotions without<br />
losing your cool<br />
support your child in recognising their<br />
emotions:<br />
Emotional labelling: Teach your children<br />
the names of different emotions by using<br />
simple, age-appropriate language.<br />
Encourage them to express how they feel<br />
by saying phrases like, “I can see that<br />
you’re feeling sad right now.”<br />
Visual cues: Use visual aids, such as<br />
picture books or emotion cards to help<br />
them associate specific facial expressions<br />
with different emotions. This can enhance<br />
your children’s understanding and make it<br />
easier for them to express themselves.<br />
We all have them, and we all need to<br />
manage them; yet sometimes, they can<br />
get the better of all of us. So, what exactly<br />
are our emotions all about? And how do<br />
we begin managing emotions in the early<br />
years?<br />
As children grow and navigate their<br />
way through life, they encounter a wide<br />
range of emotions, from happiness and<br />
excitement to sadness and frustration.<br />
Emotions will also play a significant role<br />
in their development and well-being and<br />
helping them to understand and manage<br />
their emotions is an essential skill that will<br />
contribute to a child’s social and emotional<br />
growth in many ways. In this article, we<br />
will then explore what emotions are,<br />
why they are important and how young<br />
children can learn to recognise and handle<br />
their emotions effectively.<br />
What are emotions?<br />
Emotions are powerful feelings that<br />
everyone experiences. They are natural<br />
reactions to situations and events, and<br />
they can change and evolve throughout<br />
the day. Some common emotions children<br />
may experience include joy, anger, fear,<br />
sadness, surprise, and disgust. Each<br />
emotion has its unique characteristics<br />
that you can come to recognise such as<br />
facial expressions, physical reactions, and<br />
behavioural responses.<br />
Why are emotions<br />
important?<br />
While we might be nervous about some<br />
of the more extreme emotions, they<br />
shouldn’t be avoided or hidden away.<br />
Emotions serve as signals that provide us<br />
with valuable information about how we<br />
are feeling, and how we perceive what<br />
is going on around us and indicate how<br />
we will respond. Emotions help children<br />
to make sense of their experiences and<br />
tell them how to communicate their needs<br />
and desires. So, by recognising and<br />
understanding their emotions, children can<br />
then develop an emotional intelligence<br />
that is rooted in empathy, they can build<br />
healthy relationships and feel capable of<br />
facing challenging situations effectively.<br />
Recognising emotions<br />
For young children, learning to identify<br />
and name their emotions is a crucial step<br />
towards emotional intelligence. Here<br />
are some strategies that you can use to<br />
Role-playing: Engage in pretend play<br />
with your children and act out various<br />
emotions. This interactive approach allows<br />
them to explore different feelings in a safe<br />
and supportive environment.<br />
Managing emotions<br />
Once a child can recognise their emotions,<br />
it’s important to help them develop healthy<br />
strategies for managing them. The trouble<br />
is emotional management with children<br />
tends to happen at a time when emotions<br />
are running high and when the child is in<br />
no place to listen to you or take in any of<br />
what you are saying. The first thing you<br />
need to do is get their “thinking brain” back<br />
online as you help ease them away from<br />
the more “flight, fright, fight” responses<br />
that have been triggered.<br />
Here are some techniques that can assist<br />
your young children in regulating their<br />
emotions:<br />
Deep breathing: Teach a child to take<br />
slow, deep breaths when they feel<br />
overwhelmed or upset. Deep breathing<br />
can help calm their bodies and minds.<br />
Positive self-talk: Encourage a child to<br />
use positive affirmations or self-statements<br />
to replace any negative thoughts. For<br />
example, instead of saying, “I can’t do it,”<br />
encourage them to say, “I will try my best.”<br />
Problem-solving: When they face<br />
challenges, guide a child through<br />
problem-solving processes. Encourage<br />
them to think of possible solutions and<br />
weigh the pros and cons of each option.<br />
Seeking support: Teach your children that<br />
it’s okay to ask for help when they need it.<br />
Let them know they can talk to a trusted<br />
adult, such as a parent, teacher or friend<br />
about their feelings.<br />
Allowing children to express their thoughts,<br />
opinions and feelings is also a key part<br />
of supporting their emotional intelligence.<br />
By offering them the vocabulary to<br />
express how they feel, we can foster their<br />
individuality, build their self-confidence,<br />
and promote their overall development in<br />
powerful ways.<br />
Every child is unique, in their thoughts,<br />
feelings and perspectives. When we give<br />
our children a voice, we acknowledge and<br />
celebrate this individuality. And when we<br />
encourage them to express themselves,<br />
we empower them to embrace their<br />
uniqueness and develop a strong sense<br />
of self-identity. This freedom of selfexpression<br />
lays the foundation for their<br />
future personal and social interactions<br />
as they learn to understand, own, and<br />
manage the way they think and feel. They<br />
learn that their thoughts and feelings<br />
matter and that they have the power to<br />
influence their outcomes. This sense of<br />
empowerment will then nurture a child’s<br />
self-esteem and encourage them to<br />
articulate how they feel more effectively,<br />
whilst listening more empathetically to the<br />
thoughts and feelings of others.<br />
But of course, if you are going to support<br />
your children’s emotions, you need to be<br />
able to manage your own, without losing<br />
your cool. That may sound obvious, but<br />
with increasing stress and anxiety levels<br />
facing many of us, our emotional health<br />
can become overlooked. So, ask yourself,<br />
how well do you listen to how you are<br />
feeling? Do you have people in your life<br />
that you can express these feelings to…<br />
and who will listen? Do you have “stress<br />
techniques” and methods you can try and<br />
a support network that understands you?<br />
Whether you are a parent, practitioner or<br />
family worker, join me at the Nurturing<br />
Childhoods Academy where you can<br />
become a member of the Nurturing<br />
Childhoods Community. Listen to talks,<br />
and chat with other parents and carers<br />
about the experiences they are having,<br />
you might like to swap a funny story or ask<br />
for some advice. And there are also lots of<br />
materials, tips and suggestions, new blogs<br />
every week and you can even have a go<br />
with a ‘Childhood Challenge’ or two!<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Kathryn:<br />
20 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 21
Armistice Day and<br />
Remembrance Sunday<br />
Armistice Day occurs every year on 11th<br />
<strong>November</strong>, and it marks the day in 1918<br />
when the guns stopped on the World<br />
War One battlefields as negotiations<br />
started to end the war and find a peaceful<br />
settlement. Armistice is Latin for “still<br />
arms” and it started at 11am on the 11th<br />
day of the 11th month (<strong>November</strong>). Today,<br />
we mark the moment with a two-minute<br />
silence across the country and many<br />
countries around the world do the same in<br />
their time zones.<br />
Remembrance Sunday is observed on the<br />
second Sunday in <strong>November</strong> (as close to<br />
Armistice Day as possible) and is a day of<br />
commemoration across the globe when<br />
people stop to remember the lives lost and<br />
sacrifices made in human conflicts since<br />
World War One.<br />
Whilst most adults understand the<br />
significance and importance of marking<br />
these events, it can be difficult to relay<br />
this to children without worrying them or<br />
frightening them about some of the events<br />
in our human past, especially when certain<br />
parts of the world are at war even as the<br />
wreaths are being laid.<br />
However, there are ways that early years<br />
settings can introduce children to the<br />
important messages of Armistice Day<br />
and Remembrance Sunday, in an ageappropriate<br />
and compassionate way, so<br />
read on for some ideas that you can use.<br />
Main themes to<br />
consider<br />
Rather than focusing on the terrible<br />
loss of life and sacrifice that wars bring,<br />
think about the following themes that<br />
are still relevant to Armistice Day and<br />
Remembrance Sunday, but which are<br />
more age-appropriate.<br />
Saying thank you to people who look<br />
after us and keep us safe, such as<br />
servicemen and women, as well as<br />
police, fire crews and ambulance/<br />
health workers<br />
Acknowledge the contribution that<br />
brave people have made to our<br />
society and what it means to be brave<br />
and stand up for what is right<br />
Help children think about people in<br />
the past who have made life possible<br />
today and the differences across time<br />
Show pride in our country whilst<br />
recognising and embracing how we<br />
can work together with people in<br />
other countries to overcome adversity<br />
Practical things to do<br />
Art activities<br />
Making poppies is relevant to early years<br />
and there are lots of craft ideas online<br />
that you can use to make poppies to<br />
wear as buttonholes, to decorate homemade<br />
wreaths, or add to a wall display.<br />
Red poppies are used to remember the<br />
members of the armed forces who died in<br />
conflicts in World War One and since, but<br />
there are other colours of poppies that can<br />
be used to represent other groups as well.<br />
Purple poppies – commemorate<br />
animal victims of war<br />
Black poppies commemorate the<br />
contributions of Black, African and<br />
Caribbean communities to the war<br />
effort either as servicemen and<br />
servicewomen or as civilians<br />
White poppies are often worn to<br />
remember those who died, but<br />
emphasising an end to the conflict<br />
Think about ways to create poppies<br />
using different media including:<br />
› Paint with thumb/handprints or<br />
stencils<br />
› Tissue paper, card, and straws<br />
› Felt and material<br />
› Paper plates<br />
› Play dough or clay<br />
Storytime<br />
Use storytime to share stories of people<br />
being brave or working together to<br />
overcome events and concentrate on the<br />
camaraderie and unity that people have<br />
found during hard times, rather than the<br />
conflicts. Talk about the importance of<br />
peace and discussing differences so that<br />
children can understand other people’s<br />
points of view and respect their different<br />
cultures. Search for books and stories<br />
which are age-appropriate. There are lots<br />
of age-appropriate videos on YouTube<br />
telling the story of Armistice Day and the<br />
Poppy Appeal.<br />
Outdoor excursion<br />
Take the children on an excursion to your<br />
local war memorial to explain how people<br />
can be remembered even when they are<br />
no longer around. Show them the names<br />
on the plaques and memorials and<br />
explain that they have been left there so<br />
that they will never be forgotten. You could<br />
then ask the children if there are people in<br />
their own life who they like to think about.<br />
Tealight displays<br />
Make a display in a corner of your setting<br />
using battery-operated tealights to<br />
represent people that the children would<br />
like to remember. This could introduce<br />
the children to the act of thinking about<br />
people who are not with them now (not<br />
necessarily deceased) so they could think<br />
about their parents, grandparents, friends,<br />
neighbours or pets, or anyone else who<br />
is special to them. You could make some<br />
tealight holders from paper cups and get<br />
the children to decorate them, perhaps<br />
getting staff to write on some words that<br />
the children use to describe each person.<br />
Music<br />
Sing songs about peace and living<br />
together to reinforce the values that you<br />
want to promote in the children. You can<br />
also find songs about giving thanks for the<br />
world around you and introduce the idea<br />
that you want to give thanks to the people<br />
who serve in the Army, Royal Navy, and<br />
Air Force for everything they do to keep<br />
people safe. There are some simple songs<br />
on YouTube which you can use to sing<br />
along to and get the children to join in. Or<br />
think about writing your own words to a<br />
well-known tune like “Frere Jacques” or<br />
“London’s Burning”.<br />
Language-related activities<br />
Why not commemorate Remembrance<br />
Sunday this year and help your older<br />
children learn about and understand<br />
their emotions at the same time? Ask the<br />
children to think about things that they<br />
remember and then ask them to describe<br />
how they feel and why they feel like that.<br />
For example, you can help them think<br />
about things like a day out with their<br />
family, or a food they like or a pet. Then<br />
talk about how they feel and give them<br />
some vocabulary around that to help.<br />
Observe a moment of<br />
silence<br />
Explain to the children that on Armistice<br />
Day, or Remembrance Sunday, you would<br />
like to remember the special people who<br />
have served their country in times of war<br />
and peace. Explain that the rest of the<br />
country will also stop what they are doing<br />
at a particular time (11am on 11/11) and<br />
ask them to join you to think about special<br />
people in their own lives. Remember, you<br />
may have children of servicemen and<br />
women in your setting too so be sensitive<br />
to this. You might find that 2 minutes is<br />
too long for your children, but even a<br />
few moments of silence can help get the<br />
message across.<br />
Whatever you do, send us your pictures<br />
and stories to hello@parenta.com.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
22 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 23
Gardening<br />
adventures with<br />
your toddler<br />
Lee Connelly<br />
In the bustling world of early years<br />
parenting, finding activities that engage<br />
and educate the little ones can sometimes<br />
feel like a challenge. But fear not!<br />
Engaging in gardening activities with<br />
children can be both educational and<br />
incredibly fun.<br />
This month, I thought from my own<br />
experience as a father and educator,<br />
I would give you innovative ideas that<br />
have worked for me as the Skinny Jean<br />
Gardener. Today we’re diving into the<br />
world of toddler-friendly gardening. Let’s<br />
explore some of the creative activities<br />
that will not only get your hands dirty but<br />
also grow a lifelong love for nature in the<br />
children. The great thing about all of this<br />
is that it can be done in your early years<br />
setting and at home – regardless of how<br />
much outdoor space you have!<br />
Gardening with children is more than<br />
just digging in the dirt, it’s an experience<br />
that will give long-lasting memories.<br />
Engaging with nature at an early age can<br />
enhance a child’s sensory development,<br />
fine motor skills, and understanding of<br />
the environment. Begin your gardening<br />
adventure by introducing the children to<br />
the magic of seeds. Large, easy-to-handle<br />
seeds like sunflowers or beans are perfect<br />
for tiny hands. Let them feel the texture of<br />
the seeds, smell the soil, and marvel at the<br />
concept of life growing from a tiny seed.<br />
It is like being a magician, watching that<br />
seed grow into something you can eat or<br />
that is so colourful. That’s real magic.<br />
I’ve always promoted creating accessible<br />
spaces for little green thumbs to grow.<br />
Designate a specific area in your garden<br />
(or balcony at home) for the children’s<br />
gardening escapades. Invest in child-sized<br />
tools, tiny rakes, shovels, and watering<br />
cans for the setting, making them feel<br />
like true gardening champions. A raised<br />
garden bed or containers at ground level<br />
are excellent options, allowing the children<br />
to reach without difficulty.
Anti-Bullying Week<br />
❤ Emotional – isolating others,<br />
tormenting, hiding books, threatening<br />
gestures, ridicule, humiliation,<br />
intimidating, excluding, manipulation<br />
and coercion<br />
❤ Sexual – unwanted physical contact,<br />
inappropriate touching, abusive<br />
comments, homophobic abuse,<br />
exposure to inappropriate films<br />
❤ Online/cyber – posting on social<br />
media, sharing photos, sending nasty<br />
text messages, social exclusion<br />
❤ Indirect - can include the exploitation<br />
of individuals<br />
It is also important to remember that<br />
sometimes, bullying behaviours can be<br />
a communication from a child to let you<br />
know that something else is wrong with<br />
them, so you must always have your<br />
safeguarding hat on and consider that a<br />
child’s poor behaviour might be a warning<br />
sign that there are other things amiss in<br />
their life.<br />
Sometimes it can be difficult to get the<br />
balance right between informing students<br />
about bullying and keeping things<br />
age-appropriate, especially for younger<br />
children, so we’ve come up with some<br />
ideas for each day to help you mark Anti-<br />
Bullying Week this year in ways that are<br />
appropriate and positive for pre-school<br />
children.<br />
Tuesday 14th – Kindness<br />
is key<br />
Use today to explain to children about<br />
the value of kindness. You can tell stories<br />
about people being kind and how that<br />
helps everyone. You can also remind the<br />
children that people who are being kind<br />
to one another do not call people nasty<br />
names. There are several stories you<br />
can use and a good list of books can be<br />
found on the “booksfortopics” website<br />
(booksfortopics.com/booklists/topics/<br />
pshe-emotional-literacy-citizenship/antibullying/).<br />
Wednesday 15th – Be a<br />
good friend<br />
Use today to remind children about how to<br />
be a good friend and how good it feels to<br />
have friends you can rely on. Being a good<br />
friend means showing an interest in other<br />
people, sharing equipment, and taking<br />
turns nicely, as well as playing kindly with<br />
others and listening to other people’s<br />
ideas. It also means looking out for your<br />
friend in times of trouble. Read stories, and<br />
perhaps do some drama about how you<br />
could help people if they were upset or<br />
having a problem.<br />
Thursday 16th – Make a<br />
noise!<br />
Remember that there are many resources<br />
on the ABA website and others such as<br />
Twinkl to help you celebrate Anti-Bullying<br />
Week. Let us know what your setting is<br />
doing by emailing your pictures and stories<br />
to hello@parenta.com. If you or your child<br />
are troubled by bullying call the National<br />
Bullying Helpline on 0845 22 55 787.<br />
Resources and information<br />
❤ anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/antibullying-week-<strong>2023</strong>-make-noiseabout-bullying<br />
❤ booksfortopics.com/booklists/topics/<br />
pshe-emotional-literacy-citizenship/<br />
anti-bullying<br />
❤ twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-p-76-eyfsanti-bullying-week-2017-resourcepack<br />
❤ bbc.co.uk/programmes/<br />
articles/5w7nscs7JM5r7GPvTBjGlDX/<br />
anti-bullying-week-resources<br />
Get those odd socks ready – Anti-Bullying<br />
Week <strong>2023</strong> is here!<br />
Every year, the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA)<br />
organises Anti-Bullying Week across the<br />
UK and thousands of school children and<br />
younger pre-schoolers join with teachers<br />
and other adults to call out bullying<br />
behaviour in a bid to stop it. This year, the<br />
week runs from Monday 13th to Friday<br />
17th <strong>November</strong> and the theme is “Make A<br />
Noise About Bullying”.<br />
The ABA and its partners have been<br />
researching bullying and promoting<br />
measures to prevent it for over 30 years<br />
and have come up with the following<br />
definition for bullying:<br />
“The repetitive, intentional hurting of one<br />
person or group by another person or<br />
group, where the relationship involves<br />
an imbalance of power. Bullying can be<br />
physical, verbal or psychological. It can<br />
happen face-to-face or online.”<br />
One thing to remember about bullying<br />
is that bullying behaviours can start in<br />
children as young as 3, so it is never too<br />
early to remind them about the positive<br />
things they can do to keep themselves<br />
and others safe. Children in their early<br />
years are still learning how to manage<br />
relationships, how to share and how to<br />
appreciate each other, so there are times<br />
when conflicts can occur. To be classed<br />
as bullying, however, there are four key<br />
behaviours to look out for. Bullying is:<br />
❤ Intentional<br />
❤ Hurtful<br />
❤ Repetitive<br />
❤ Involves an imbalance of power (age/<br />
strength/numbers etc.)<br />
A child who snatches a toy from another<br />
child on a one-off occasion would not<br />
be classed as bullying but would still<br />
need some intervention to explain that<br />
snatching things from others is not<br />
acceptable behaviour. However, if the child<br />
encouraged their friends to repeatedly<br />
go up to another, singled-out child every<br />
day, and took things from them regularly,<br />
then this could be classed as bullying<br />
behaviour. It is intentional, hurtful, and<br />
repetitive and there is a power imbalance<br />
because several children are picking on<br />
one child. However, be careful not to label<br />
any child as a “bully”. Remember that we<br />
want to address the bullying behaviour<br />
not directly criticise who a child is, because<br />
if children are labelled as “bullies” or<br />
“naughty” early on, then it can hurt their<br />
self-esteem and progress.<br />
Bullying behaviours can be varied, but<br />
include:<br />
❤ Physical – pushing, poking, kicking,<br />
hitting, biting, pinching<br />
❤ Verbal – name calling, sarcasm,<br />
spreading rumours, threats, teasing,<br />
belittling<br />
Monday 13th – Odd Socks<br />
Day<br />
Each year, Anti-Bullying Week kicks off with<br />
a bang with ‘Odds Socks Day’, when the<br />
nation is encouraged to put their best foot<br />
forward (clad in an odd sock) to launch the<br />
week. How about choosing another way<br />
to celebrate and extend the day by asking<br />
children and staff to bring in a spare, odd<br />
sock and sew or link them together to<br />
create one big chain-like bunting?<br />
You could hang them on a washing line<br />
outside to mark the start of the week for<br />
all to see or create a hanging mobile of<br />
odd socks inside your setting. Explain that<br />
we all have ‘odd socks’ and that they are<br />
all different, but together, they make up<br />
a colourful and attractive display. Explain<br />
that this is like life, everyone is different but<br />
together, we make life interesting, and we<br />
all are important and to be valued.<br />
This year’s theme is “Make a Noise About<br />
Bullying” so why not do some creative<br />
music-making to explain to the children<br />
that bullying is never OK and that if we<br />
all ‘make a noise’ about it, then it will<br />
be easier for adults to help put an end<br />
to it. You could make and create some<br />
percussion instruments and use them to<br />
explain, that making a noise can alert<br />
people if something is wrong. You could<br />
sing songs such as “London’s Burning” or<br />
songs which talk about asking for help if<br />
you need it.<br />
Friday 17th – Celebrate<br />
togetherness<br />
Today is all about celebrating together and<br />
sharing a fun time. You could organise<br />
an event or have a party to celebrate<br />
togetherness and friendship. Why not use<br />
your odd socks to make a glove puppet<br />
and put on a show?<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
26 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 27
Yvonne Sinclair<br />
Introduction<br />
On the 1st of September <strong>2023</strong>, the<br />
Department for Education (DfE) published<br />
its <strong>2023</strong> version of “Keeping children safe<br />
in education” (KCSIE). This is statutory<br />
guidance for all schools including<br />
maintained nursery schools. However,<br />
early years providers are advised that they<br />
‘may find it helpful to refer to the guidance’<br />
as best practice.<br />
Throughout the guidance, there is the use<br />
of the terms ‘must’ and ‘should’. For clarity,<br />
‘must’ refers to when a person is legally<br />
required to do something and ‘should’<br />
means that the advice set out should be<br />
followed unless there is a good reason not<br />
to.<br />
What are this year’s<br />
key changes?<br />
Filtering and monitoring<br />
The focus is on roles, responsibilities and<br />
expectations for the schools’ filtering and<br />
monitoring systems. The guidance is very<br />
clear:<br />
✏ The designated safeguarding lead<br />
should take lead responsibility for<br />
online safety and understanding the<br />
filtering and monitoring systems<br />
✏ Staff and governors should<br />
understand the expectations,<br />
applicable roles, responsibilities,<br />
and cyber security – this should be<br />
included in training and inductions<br />
✏ Governors should ensure appropriate<br />
systems are in place, including<br />
unreasonable restrictions on ‘overblocking’,<br />
and regular system reviews<br />
on effectiveness and appropriateness,<br />
informed by the risk assessment<br />
under the Prevent Duty<br />
✏ The Department for Education<br />
has published new “Filtering and<br />
Monitoring Standards” that schools<br />
should follow to meet their duty<br />
✏ Guidance on key areas which should<br />
be included in safeguarding policies<br />
Want to know more<br />
about your filtering and<br />
monitoring duties?<br />
Why not join us on our 28th <strong>November</strong><br />
CPD training session, where we will be<br />
going through roles and responsibilities,<br />
appropriate filtering and monitoring,<br />
training, recording, reporting and<br />
much more? Book your place here,<br />
KCSIE<br />
updates<br />
safeguardingsupport.com/catalogue/134-<br />
cpd-sessions/.<br />
Safer recruitment: online<br />
searches<br />
Online searches, for shortlisted candidates,<br />
should be considered as part of the<br />
safer recruitment procedures. Shortlisted<br />
candidates should also be informed that<br />
online searches may be done as part of<br />
due diligence checks.<br />
Use of school/setting<br />
premises for non-school/<br />
setting activities and<br />
clarification on allegations<br />
against 3rd party staff<br />
New guidance around seeking<br />
appropriate safeguarding assurances<br />
from organisations or individuals using<br />
school/setting premises for non-school<br />
activities and how to handle allegations<br />
made against outside organisations or<br />
individuals using setting premises.<br />
What do I need to ask my<br />
staff to do?<br />
In all settings, it is essential that everybody<br />
understands their safeguarding<br />
responsibilities, which means that early<br />
years providers should ensure that their<br />
staff and volunteers who work directly<br />
with children, read at least Part One of the<br />
guidance.<br />
This is because Part One provides<br />
essential safeguarding information for<br />
everyone who comes into contact with<br />
children. Staff and volunteers are vitally<br />
important as your frontline safeguarding<br />
eyes and ears, as they are in a strong<br />
position to identify concerns early, as they<br />
have regular contact with your children,<br />
and their families and as so, are able to<br />
identify early on, any emerging concerns<br />
and report them to the safeguarding lead<br />
promptly, which means you can often<br />
prevent them from escalating.<br />
It is true that no one person can have<br />
a full picture of a child’s needs and<br />
circumstances. Therefore, all settings<br />
should embed a strong approach and<br />
culture to safeguarding, maintaining an<br />
attitude of ‘it could happen here’. This<br />
means having staff who have a strong<br />
awareness and understanding of the signs<br />
and indicators of child abuse and neglect,<br />
whether that be inside or outside your<br />
setting or home and even online.<br />
Knowing what to do if they are worried a<br />
child is being abused or who and where to<br />
seek advice, is vital for early identification<br />
of concerns.<br />
Part One also covers the role of staff<br />
in providing a safe environment in<br />
which children can learn. This means<br />
understanding the systems which<br />
support safeguarding within your setting.<br />
These will include: your safeguarding<br />
policies, the role of your safeguarding<br />
lead and local early help processes,<br />
training (including online safety) and<br />
managing the requirement to maintain an<br />
appropriate level of confidentiality. Also,<br />
never promising a child that they will not<br />
tell anyone about a report of any form of<br />
abuse – the above should be explained to<br />
staff as part of staff induction.<br />
KCSIE 23 advises that staff should be<br />
aware that children may not feel or<br />
know how to tell that they are being<br />
abused or neglected or even recognise<br />
their experiences as harmful. In these<br />
cases, it is crucial that staff have<br />
professional curiosity and speak with their<br />
safeguarding leads about concerns.<br />
Where staff have raised a concern,<br />
written records of the concern should be<br />
made. This may also be helpful if/when<br />
responding to any complaints about the<br />
way a case has been handled internally.<br />
Records should include a clear and<br />
comprehensive summary, and details of<br />
how the concern was followed up and<br />
resolved - including any action taken,<br />
decisions reached and the outcome.<br />
If there is any doubt about recording<br />
information or information sharing, staff<br />
should discuss it with their safeguarding<br />
lead.<br />
Why is all this<br />
important?<br />
Research and serious case reviews have<br />
repeatedly shown the dangers of failing<br />
to take effective action. Poor safeguarding<br />
practices include:<br />
✏ Failing to act on and refer the early<br />
signs of abuse and neglect<br />
✏ Poor record keeping<br />
✏ Failing to listen to the views of the<br />
child<br />
✏ Sharing information too slowly<br />
✏ A lack of challenge to those who<br />
appear not to be taking action<br />
In addition, KCSIE 23 Part 5 and Annex B<br />
provide staff and volunteers with important<br />
additional information about specific<br />
safeguarding issues and should also be<br />
read by those staff and volunteers who<br />
work directly with children.<br />
Finally, it is key that leaders of settings<br />
consider what mechanisms they<br />
have in place to assist their staff to<br />
understand and discharge their roles and<br />
responsibilities and demonstrate that staff<br />
have read and understood their duties.<br />
If you would like to know more about<br />
gaining access to our safeguarding<br />
quizzes that will help you with this, and<br />
demonstrate staff understanding, please<br />
get in touch.<br />
Resources<br />
✏ KCSIE Full document<br />
For proprietors, management<br />
committees, senior leaders,<br />
safeguarding leads<br />
✏ DfE Filtering and Monitoring Standards<br />
Standards schools should meet on<br />
filtering and monitoring<br />
✏ Appropriate Filtering and Monitoring<br />
Guidance<br />
A guide for education settings and<br />
filtering providers<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Yvonne:<br />
28 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 29
Jonathan Newport<br />
Between the ages of 0 and 5, children<br />
undergo what is probably the most<br />
magical and transformative period of their<br />
lives. To develop cognitively, socially, and<br />
emotionally, exploration and discovery are<br />
essential. Children thrive on a daily diet of<br />
hands-on, play-based experiences against<br />
a backdrop of positive relationships with<br />
adults, regular interaction with peers, and<br />
a rich, stimulating environment.<br />
A consistent approach is key, not just<br />
to behaviour, but also to ensuring<br />
children feel secure and nurtured. When<br />
experiences and expectations at home<br />
How can we<br />
effectively engage<br />
with families<br />
around children’s<br />
behaviour?<br />
mirror those in our settings, we increase<br />
the likelihood of successful outcomes for<br />
our youngsters. So, it’s in all our interests<br />
to pursue a coherent approach to family<br />
engagement, particularly about behaviour.<br />
The vital role of parents<br />
and carers<br />
As educators, many families tell us that<br />
they struggle with their child’s behaviour,<br />
and we often give advice, tell them what<br />
we do in our settings, and share lists of<br />
strategies for them to try at home. But this<br />
approach, while being well-intentioned,<br />
can feel very ‘done to’ rather than ‘done<br />
with’ to families.<br />
Instead, true family engagement<br />
involves listening to parents and carers<br />
to understand the behaviours they are<br />
seeing, and their family situation. We<br />
can look holistically at the child together<br />
with them, both in our settings and<br />
at home, rather than seeing these as<br />
separate things. The challenge for us<br />
as practitioners is, how can we most<br />
effectively support families with behaviour<br />
so their child can thrive both at home and<br />
in our settings?<br />
c<br />
We also need to be open to learning from<br />
parents and carers, rather than assuming<br />
we have all the answers when considering<br />
strategies to support behaviour. We can<br />
share approaches and ideas and adopt<br />
a puzzle-solving approach to behaviour,<br />
where we are curious, try things out, and<br />
find what works for this child, in an everevolving<br />
process.<br />
Bridging the gap<br />
We all have the children’s best interests<br />
at heart; however, there can sometimes<br />
be a disconnect between home and our<br />
settings regarding behaviour. To bridge<br />
this gap, we need to acknowledge and<br />
understand any potential barriers and<br />
work with families to understand them.<br />
For many parents and carers, handing<br />
over the care of their child to another<br />
person can be both daunting and<br />
challenging. They may feel anxious<br />
about how their child will respond in a<br />
new setting and some of that anxiety<br />
may rub off on the child. For children with<br />
diagnosed or suspected additional needs<br />
and disabilities, there are often additional<br />
concerns about whether a setting will<br />
be able to support their needs. We also<br />
need to be mindful of the fact that some<br />
parents and carers will have had prior<br />
experiences themselves, which can affect<br />
their responses to our expectations and<br />
initiatives around behaviour.<br />
Parents and carers can also hold widely<br />
different views about behaviour. What is<br />
acceptable to one family might be wholly<br />
unacceptable to another. We therefore<br />
need to reflect on the reasons that<br />
underpin individuals’ differing perspectives<br />
and see different options and positive<br />
approaches as choices available to us<br />
rather than try to implement a one-sizefits-all<br />
‘solution’.<br />
Practical ideas<br />
for building family<br />
engagement around<br />
behaviour<br />
To create strong, long-lasting relationships<br />
with our families, we need to develop<br />
effective, positive, and inclusive strategies<br />
around behaviour. These 5 suggestions<br />
are a useful starting point for framing<br />
internal discussions between leaders and<br />
practitioners, and can help drive future<br />
action planning:<br />
1: Keep an open mind<br />
It’s important not to make any<br />
assumptions about the support that<br />
parents and carers want or need. By taking<br />
the time to see behaviour through their<br />
lens and find ongoing ways to collate their<br />
views and opinions, we can ensure we<br />
are engaging in ways that are timely and<br />
appropriate.<br />
2: Extend our reach<br />
Sometimes, even the most effective<br />
engagement strategies are only partially<br />
successful because they do not reach all<br />
families. For example, arranging coffee<br />
mornings or drop-ins may suit some<br />
people, but others might miss out due to<br />
work or other commitments.<br />
Taking a creative and curious approach<br />
can be helpful. Who are the ‘hard to reach’<br />
families and what could we do to remove<br />
existing barriers? This might involve getting<br />
out into the community more regularly,<br />
looking at ways technology could support,<br />
and offering alternative times for drop-in<br />
sessions.<br />
3: Consider our local context<br />
All contexts and communities are different,<br />
and as such, will require a bespoke<br />
approach to family engagement. For<br />
example, if language is a barrier to<br />
communication, how could we engage<br />
with families in their first language? Do<br />
some families have limited access to<br />
technology, resulting in them being unable<br />
to access our initiatives? By taking our<br />
families’ social, economic, and cultural<br />
backgrounds into account, we can<br />
devise the best strategies for supporting<br />
behaviour.<br />
4: Share our approach to<br />
behaviour<br />
Approaches to behaviour have evolved<br />
over the years, and we must keep parents<br />
and carers informed about our strategies<br />
and ethos. When families are clear about<br />
why we do things, not just what we do,<br />
they are more likely to engage with and<br />
support us.<br />
This was one of the underpinning ideas<br />
when we created the “Team Teach Family<br />
Engagement Training” course because<br />
we recognised that our approaches to<br />
behaviour support also need to be shared<br />
with and understood by families for them<br />
to be most effective.<br />
5: Work as a team<br />
Parents and carers know their children<br />
better than anyone else, so by tapping into<br />
each other’s expertise and experience,<br />
we can collaborate to find strategies<br />
that work for all of us. This is especially<br />
important when we consider families<br />
that are involved in multi-agency support<br />
and receiving guidance from several<br />
professionals; there is a risk that they<br />
might become overwhelmed by conflicting<br />
perspectives. In such cases, a coherent,<br />
strategic approach is essential.<br />
A golden opportunity<br />
Fuelled by curiosity, compassion, and<br />
connection, we have a golden opportunity<br />
to examine and improve our approaches<br />
to family engagement around behaviour.<br />
By taking a joined-up, unified approach,<br />
we can empower families to understand<br />
and support their child’s behaviour,<br />
helping them to become resilient, happy,<br />
and healthy individuals.<br />
Consistency is a key component of<br />
understanding and responding to<br />
behaviour, so by fostering strong home<br />
links based on mutual trust and respect,<br />
early years settings and families can work<br />
in harmony to ensure the best outcomes<br />
for every child.<br />
Scan here to<br />
learn more<br />
about Jonathan:<br />
30 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 31
In the latest in our series of articles about<br />
specific safeguarding concerns, we look<br />
at the issue of self-harm, a safeguarding<br />
issue for many teenagers and young<br />
people, and something that is often<br />
misunderstood by parents and carers.<br />
Whilst most young children do not selfharm,<br />
it can happen, and you should be<br />
particularly aware of your young staff in<br />
the most vulnerable age ranges of 16-25.<br />
According to the charity, Young Minds,<br />
one in six children aged 5 to 16 were<br />
identified as having a probable mental<br />
health problem in July 2021, a huge<br />
increase from the one in nine children<br />
identified in 2017. Many other statistics<br />
reveal a similar upward trend, such as<br />
the increase in young people aged 18<br />
or under attending A&E with a recorded<br />
diagnosis of a psychiatric condition, or the<br />
fact that over 80% of young people with<br />
a mental health condition reported that<br />
the coronavirus pandemic had made their<br />
condition worse. Mental health is a very<br />
real problem for many of today’s young<br />
people.<br />
Safeguarding:<br />
self-harm<br />
Self-harm incidence is also increasing, and<br />
the statistics are worrying. In 2018-19:
Frances Turnbull<br />
A Finnish study, (Lehikoinen, <strong>2023</strong>) was<br />
asked to find new ways to engage 1- and<br />
2-year-olds creatively. This age group is<br />
known to work independently, playing<br />
alongside each other rather than with<br />
each other, so it can be tricky to get them<br />
to participate in the same activity together.<br />
The 6 activities devised for this age group<br />
included the following (from previous<br />
weeks):
Number pocket game<br />
You will need:<br />
• 12 card holders or paper pockets<br />
• 12 craft sticks<br />
• Masking tape<br />
• Printed numbers (or numbers written and<br />
cut out of paper)<br />
Steps:<br />
EYFS activities:<br />
Mathematics<br />
Mathematics in the EYFS equips children with crucial life skills and provides a foundation for future academic and<br />
real-world success. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about cultivating a well-rounded, problem-solving mindset that<br />
can serve children throughout their lives. Mathematics helps with cognitive development, foundational numeracy,<br />
real-life application, social skills and confidence building.<br />
1. Prepare the craft sticks:<br />
Take the 12 craft sticks and write the<br />
numbers 1 to 12 on them.<br />
2. Set up the pockets:<br />
Using masking tape, stick the 12 card<br />
holders or paper pockets on to a wall or a<br />
suitable surface.<br />
3. Label the pockets:<br />
Add the corresponding numbers from the<br />
craft sticks to the outside of each pocket.<br />
For example, attach the craft stick with “1”<br />
to the pocket labelled “1.”<br />
4. Game play:<br />
Invite the children to participate in the<br />
game, one by one. They should pick up one<br />
of the craft sticks, look at the number on it,<br />
and then try to match it to the pocket on the<br />
wall with the same number.<br />
5. Encourage visual matching:<br />
Emphasise the importance of using visual<br />
skills to match the numbers. This step helps<br />
enhance their ability to identify and match<br />
numerical symbols.<br />
36 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | parenta.com<br />
6. Variation with shapes:<br />
To add more fun and variety, you can use<br />
the same concept but replace numbers<br />
with shapes. For instance, you can have<br />
shapes drawn on the craft sticks and<br />
corresponding shape pockets on the wall.<br />
7. Rotate players:<br />
Once a child has finished matching their<br />
sticks, allow the next child to take their turn<br />
and repeat the process.<br />
This interactive game promotes visual and<br />
cognitive skills in children while making<br />
learning engaging and enjoyable!<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: toddlerapproved.com/number-pocketgame-for-toddlers-and/<br />
Number writing activity<br />
You will need:<br />
• Tray<br />
• Table salt<br />
• Cardboard squares<br />
• Marker pen<br />
• Paintbrush<br />
Steps:<br />
1. Prepare materials:<br />
Gather all the materials needed for the<br />
activity: a tray, table salt, cardboard<br />
squares, a marker pen, and a paintbrush.<br />
2. Prepare the cardboard squares:<br />
Take the cardboard squares and, on one<br />
side of each card, write a number using the<br />
marker pen. On the other side, draw the<br />
corresponding number of dots to represent<br />
the number.<br />
3. Set up the tray:<br />
Fill the tray with table salt, creating a flat<br />
surface in which the child can write and<br />
draw.<br />
4. Introduce the activity:<br />
Show one of the cards to the child,<br />
displaying the side with dots. Encourage<br />
them to count the number of dots on the<br />
card.<br />
5. Number writing in salt:<br />
Ask each child to write the number they<br />
Splat the number<br />
You will need:<br />
• A die<br />
• Post-it notes<br />
• A fly swatter!<br />
Steps:<br />
1. Gather materials:<br />
Collect the materials required for the game:<br />
a die, post-it notes, and (yes!) a fly swatter.<br />
2. Label post-it notes:<br />
Take the post-it notes and label each one<br />
with different numbers. These will be the<br />
numbers the children will be aiming to<br />
“swat.”<br />
3. Set up the game:<br />
Lay out the labelled post-it notes in front of<br />
the children, making sure they can see the<br />
numbers clearly.<br />
4. Roll the die:<br />
Have a child take the die and roll it. The<br />
number rolled on the die will determine<br />
which number they need to “swat.”<br />
5. Swat the corresponding number:<br />
In response to the number rolled, the child<br />
should use the fly swatter to “swat” the<br />
believe corresponds to the number of<br />
dots they counted. They can use either<br />
their fingers or the paintbrush to write the<br />
number in the salt.<br />
6. Self-check:<br />
After writing the number, the child flips the<br />
card over to see if they got it right. If their<br />
written number matches the one on the<br />
card, it means they’ve correctly identified<br />
and written the number of dots.<br />
7. Correction if needed:<br />
If the written number doesn’t match the<br />
card, encourage the child to shake the<br />
salt tray a little to erase their writing, and<br />
then write the correct number in the salt,<br />
copying it from the card.<br />
8. Free play:<br />
Allow some time for creative free play,<br />
letting the child draw and doodle in the<br />
salt tray. This can be a fun and imaginative<br />
extension of the activity.<br />
This activity is not only engaging but<br />
also helps children practice number<br />
writing, and counting, and encourages<br />
self-checking, which fosters independent<br />
learning and skill development!<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: learnwithplayathome.com/2013/07/<br />
number-writing-activity-salt-tray-game.html<br />
corresponding number on one of the post-it<br />
notes. This helps them associate the rolled<br />
number with the written number.<br />
6. Competitive play (optional):<br />
If you want to add some competition,<br />
multiple children can participate<br />
simultaneously. They can take turns rolling<br />
the die and trying to be the first to swat<br />
the correct number on a post-it note. This<br />
can make the game more exciting and<br />
engaging.<br />
7. Testing reaction times:<br />
The game is an enjoyable way for children<br />
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to identifying and swatting the correct<br />
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This simple and interactive game not only<br />
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early years children but also enhances their<br />
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More on this activity can be found here:<br />
doodlelearning.com/maths/maths-activities/<br />
eyfs-maths-activities
Gina Bale<br />
Do you struggle to find your own<br />
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