Home Childcarer Issue 20

Do you provide boys withwhat they need?

Is play high enough on government agenda?

The magazine for childminders and nannies

www.homechildcarer.co.uk

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

THIS ISSUE

Sector reflects on newfound statureIndustry summit discusses response to its place in political limelight

EDITOR:Tommy Leighton07773 428 [email protected]

JOURNALIST:Kathy Hammond020 8211 [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES:Claire Eccleshall020 8603 [email protected]

HEAD OF MARKETING:Natasha Fea020 8603 [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS:Rebecca Moore020 8603 [email protected]

CONTRIBUTOR:Gill McShane

HOME CHILDCARERAlhambra House9 St Michaels RoadCroydon - Surrey CR9 3DDtel: 0845 2570 900fax: 0845 2570 [email protected]

Views and comments expressed by individuals in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publishers and no legal responsibility can be accepted for the results of the use of readers of information or advice of whatever kind given in this publication, either in editorial or advertisements. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any formby any means without the prior permission of Home Childcarer.

PUBLISHED BY:

FEATURES

COMMENT

ALSO INSIDE

10 SUMMIT TACKLES KEY ISSUES – A breakfast summit at Childcare Expo Midlands brought together key stakeholders in the childcare sector to evaluate the state of the industry12 MORTON SENT TO COVENTRY – Morton Michel’s cuddly mascot was in the Midlands too, and made the most of his time there14 GET YOUR HANDS ON A GRANT – Our guide to help you access funds available for new childminding businesses16 SEND IN THE EARLY YEARS – Lorraine Petersen outlines the challenges that childminders face with children with special needs20 LET THEM LEAD – Montessori’s Jeremy Clark believes children need the freedom to be leaders of their own destiny 26 KEEPING BOYS AFLOAT – Jo Baranek asks how the sector can address the intrinsic development differences between girls and boys28 VEG IS FOR BABIES – The chance to sample a variety of vegetables is crucial for forming healthy eating potential in babies32 SEED OF SUCCESS – Report by Study of Early Education & Development (SEED) gives three pointers to childminders38 I WANNA TELL YOU A STORY – Maverick Publishing is looking for childminders and nannies to become Storytellers

18 LONG-TERM CHILDCARE STRATEGIES – Morton Michel’s Dan Weir analyses the future of childcare policy 33 EATING FOR TODDLERS – Find out why you just can’t ignore the first 1,000 days as an opportunity to form a child’s eating habits34 PLAYFUL ATTITUDE – Dr Debby Watson of SENSE wants a bigger focus to fall on playfulness and children with complex needs

06 NEWS ROUND-UP – Including Childminder Chat and Nanny Natter 30 BAPN – The association’s Frances Norris says nannies should take great care in the way they interact with social media36 SING ALONG WITH I CAN – Children’s communication charity I CAN launches Chatterbox Challenge 2016, a sing-a-long fundraising event for the under-5s42 BOOK CORNER – Leo and his mum review a range of titles for different age groups44 DIARY OF A DEVELOPMENT WORKER – Judith Jones says ignore the chill and get outside46 SMALL TALK – In the last of its 2015 series, the Communication Trust asks us not to forget the importance of its work. We won’t!

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ISSUE TWENTY | Contents

November/December 2015 HOME CHILDCARER 03

Inside this issue

[email protected]

020 3370 0885

Fantastic Educational Resourcesfor Home Childcarers!

Visit eypdirect.co.uk today!

Earn as you spend with EYP Direct’sStepping Stones!

EYP Direct ad A4_Layout 1 06/07/2015 17:03 Page 1

ISSUE TWENTY | Editorial

contact me:[email protected]: @HomeChildcarerfacebook.com/HomeChildcarer

It’s the last issue of the year again – where on earth did that 12 months go!?

I looked back over the last few issues and so much has happened and we’ve included so much in 2015 – it’s incredible just how quickly you forget some things really, or at least forget how recent they were.

Maybe I’m just getting old! But I haven’t yet forgotten the events of Childcare Expo Midlands, which took place in Coventry in between issues of Home Childcarer. I thought the seminar sessions were the most engaging I’ve been to at the event to date and we have reported on several in these pages. We also have our usual mixture of interviews, advice and features for independent childminders and nannies – thanks to all of you who took part in our reader survey recently, rest assured we’ve taken everything you’ve said on board and you will see our content reflect your opinions in the next 12 months. Happily, you all seem to quite like getting a

highly-relevant magazine every two months from your favourite insurance provider and the content we already have was also to your liking. But we’ll be tweaking things to give you more of what you want and making sure we continue to add value to your working lives.

Childcare Expo was followed very soon by some of the saddest news I’ve had this year. Dawn Hopley, who was managing director of Bubbles Publishing, best known perhaps to our readers for publishing Creative Steps, sadly lost her battle with cancer. I regret to say I only had the pleasure of meeting Dawn once. She made a real impression and was clearly a lovely lady who lightened up the lives of those around her. My colleagues knew her better than me and we pass on our heartfelt condolences to her husband John and their children.

Early I Know – but I wish you a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2016 too. See you there.

Tommy LeightonEditor

I looked back over the last few issues and so much has

happened...

Where didthat year go

November/December 2015 HOME CHILDCARER 05

[email protected]

020 3370 0885

Fantastic Educational Resourcesfor Home Childcarers!

Visit eypdirect.co.uk today!

Earn as you spend with EYP Direct’sStepping Stones!

EYP Direct ad A4_Layout 1 06/07/2015 17:03 Page 1

06 November/December 2015 HOME CHILDCARER

Increasing the free childcare provision to 30 hours is “going to have real implications” for children with special educational needs, early-years consultant Lorraine Petersen told a Childcare Expo seminar audience in Coventry. “At the moment, the funding for the 15 hours is not enough to ensure high quality and unless [the government] get the funding right, they won’t provide enough support for what you’re doing – especially with SEND children,” she said. “There is a big implosion coming up for early-years provision for our children. As early-years providers, you need to be aware that you can’t have high quality provision for SEND children if [the government] are going to pay you what amounts to around £4.20 an hour.”

Education and childcare minister Sam Gyimah visited Paris for two days in September to exchange ideas with his French counterpart. At the risk of attracting similar opprobrium to his predecessor in the post, the British minister met with practitioners and visited a number of providers. He also met with the deputy head of mission, where he discussed strengths and weaknesses of the French system with leaders in the early years. Gyimah also paid a visit to the OECD headquarters to find out about improving the international evidence base on early childhood educationand care. At the French ministry of education, he discussed the latest early education reforms and how resources can be allocated to help disadvantaged children. Among innovative ways of delivering early years education in France are: ‘bridging classes’, which help children get ready for school; crèches that coach parents back to work; childcare centres based in nursing homes and pre-schools supporting the parents of children who are at risk of being taken into care.

Julie Duty from Doncaster had a career in retail before “falling into childminding” almost 35 years ago, when her first daughter was born.

PETERSEN PREDICTS

EARLY-YEARS IMPLOSION

ANGLO-FRENCH MEETINGS EXPLORE

CHILDCARE DELIVERY METHODS

CHILDMINDER CHAT

So what was it like when you started childminding in the mid-1980s?My daughter was an easy baby and I wanted something to do, then people started asking: “As you’re at home anyway, could you look after...”

So, I found out what I needed to do to get approved by the local council. I suppose I was a bit naïve about how to go about things, but they put me in touch with other childminders and I found out how much to charge and so on.

It was all very friendly and face-to-face then and the ladies from Doncaster Social Services were brilliant - they just used to appear at your house. I’m quite nostalgic for it now.

What else has changed?Training has changed too. Now, most training you can get over the internet, but in 1992, I enrolled at Doncaster College on a Pre-school Playgroups Association [now Pre-School Learning Alliance] course. It was a two-year diploma that I worked on at weekends and in the evenings. Then in 1994, I did a diploma in playgroup

practice that is equivalent to a level 3. My daughters were young then and although I enjoyed it, it was very hard work.

What concerns do you have currently?I don’t understand why the funded places for two-year olds are £4.85 an hour when it is £3.75 for three-and-four year olds. They are taking up the same, single space, so why are there two different rates? Childminders could be tempted to cherry pick and that’s not right. I think it should be the same amount, but a sensible amount.

Also, I would like to see a greater appreciation by Ofsted and government that childminders operate in their own home environment. I am quite happy to meet all the rules and regulations and we plan activities, give choices and evaluate. But I still think they should recognise that when children go to a childminder, they are not going to an after-school club, they can get out of their uniform here if they want to, they can lie down and have a sleep. I think that needs tobe recognised.

How do you feel about your profession?It’s brilliant! I’m 55 and I’m still climbing trees and kicking a ball – it’s a full physical and mental workout on a daily basis. At the moment I am looking after two children whose parents I used to mind so you know you’ve got to be doing something right whenthat happens.

NEWS | Round-up

Training has changedtoo. Now, most training youcan get over the internet...

07

Deborah Lawson, general secretary of Voice, the union for education professionals, expressed her disappointment about education secretary Nicky Morgan’s speech to the Conservative Party Conference. Morgan spoke of a proposed parents’ right to request that schools provide childcare. Lawson countered: “We need to know more details about how this will work and be funded. Will it be for pre-school children as well as children of school age? “This seems to be a return to the Extended Schools programme that faded away when the coalition government came to power.” Lawson believes great care is needed before this policy is advanced. “If schools set up in competition with existing providers, rather than in partnership with them, this could destabilise the local childcare market, resulting in less, not more, childcare,” she said. “The government should be investing in existing providers to meet the needs of families” rather than “a hasty bolt-on to an education provider that has no experience of childcare.”

Orchard Toys has just re-launched Shopping List, and to celebrate, is offering Home Childcarer readers a chance to win this much-loved game and its two additional Extras packs – Clothes and Fruit & Veg. A firm favourite, Shopping List has captured children’s imagination for over 20 years with its simple gameplay and colourful characters. In 2013, it was Amazon’s third bestselling game of all time and continues to be recognised by childcarers, parents and children as the shopping game. The updated version has stronger graphics and illustrations, including new items and a choice of basket or trolley to put them in. Featuring familiar objects children see every day, Shopping List develops matching and memory skills and also encourages imagination as children role-play what items they would put in their own real-life shopping basket.

The Care Inspectorate’s annual report on early learning and childcare provision in Scotland found that since 2010 the number of children registered and attending early learning and childcare services has been steadily increasing. However, the proportion of children attending a service increased more in daycare of children services than in childminding services. This suggests the increase may be a reflection of the rise in free early-learning and childcare provision for all three and four year-olds and eligible two year-olds, which came into effect in 2014. Provision has been raised to an entitlement of up to 600 hours a year (equivalent to about 16 hours a week in term-time), an increase from 475 hours. The number of children attending early learning and childcare services and the size of these services has increased, although the overall

Scottish policy driving childcare trends

Voice hits out at Tory rhetoric

COMPETITION: Win the new version of Shopping List from Orchard Toys

number of services has decreased. The number of children attending childminding services has increased from 3.5% of the 0-15 years population in 2013 to 3.6% of the 0-15 years population in 2014.

The game is great for playing with groups of children – keeping them entertained whilst ensuring they are developing key learning and social skills. It is suitable for ages three to seven and can be played with two to four players. The extras packs offer additional play value with alternative shopping lists; or the option to increase the number of players to six. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, email [email protected] with your name, address and a sentence explaining why you love Orchard Toys products. Please use ‘Home Childcarer Competition – Shopping List’ as the subject header. Please note, that by entering the competition you agree to opt-in to sign up to Orchard Toys monthly e-newsletter.

Free app Brush DJ is boosting children’s dental hygiene, the British Dental Journal has found. The app plays music for two minutes – the optimum time for brushing teeth – taken from a device or playlist. As well as encouraging tooth brushing for two minutes, it also reminds users to spit out after brushing but not to rinse and sets reminders to brush twice a day and to change toothbrushes once every three months. The research team concluded that not only had Brush DJ contributed to greater motivation for young people to care for their teeth more effectively, but it also has huge potential as a way to convey important oral health messages and information. Brush DJ can be downloaded free of charge from, Apple, Android and the NHS Choices Health App Library.

Children’s Communication Charity I CAN has launched a new intervention; Early Talk Boost. The resource is designed to help three-to-four year-old children with delayed language development boost their language skills and narrow the gap between them and their peers. An intervention pilot completed in September 2015 showed that after Early Talk Boost, children made statistically significant progress in their early language. On average they made six months progress after a nine-week intervention, helping them catch up with other children of their age. Children made twice as much progress in their early language skills as children not taking part in Early Talk Boost. The resource is suitable for use by a trained early-years practitioner and consists of a pack of storybooks featuring colourful characters Jake& Tizzy as well as a toolkit of toys, musical instruments, puppets and parent workshop materials, a tracker tool, intervention manual and participant book. Louisa Reeves speech and language therapist and I CAN adviser said: “There is a growing need for early intervention to support children’s poor language development, I CAN has responded with an effective intervention programme that will equip all those who work with pre-school children.”

Childcarers have a fun new way to keep the car clean and tidy thanks toTidy Freaks. The innovative child-friendly bins come as three characters: Gimi, Gorji and Graby, who love to be fed empty snack wrappers and packets. Perfect for car journeys, the loveable freaks have been specifically designed to fit any headrest and attach simply with an adjustable strap. The characters are easy to wipe clean and have large and inviting mouths to ensure they are close enough for children to feed their rubbish into at any time during a journey, as well as to make emptying them easy and to keep children engaged. Tidy Freaks were conceived by Ian and Rebecca Elliott. The parents, who were tired of picking rubbish up off their car floor, wanted to create a product that would help youngsters think about the environmental impact of rubbish. Gimi, Gorji and Graby have an RRP of £13 and are available from www.tidyfreaks.com.

Northern Ireland’s consultation on the region’s proposed 10-year childcare strategy is closing in November, following a three-month roadshow of meetings throughout the country. The executive’s strategy aims to prepare children for lifelong wellbeing and achievement, thereby creating the basis for a better, more prosperous future. It also wants to enable parents to join the workforce, thereby enhancing prosperity and improving gender equality by enabling mothers to join the workforce, return to work and remain in work. In order to deliver on these aims and objectives, the draft strategy proposes 22 actions on which the executive has been seeking stakeholder views. Home Childcarer will report on the outcome of the consultation.

Early Talk Boost pilot achieves significant outcomes

Freaky characters for tidy cars

NI consultation closes

Brush DJ tops dental charts

NEWS | Round-up


Charlotte Penson was a nursery nurse in a private day-care setting for 10 years before deciding to switch to another branch of childcare four years ago. Home Childcarer finds out more about the 28-year-old from Buckinghamshire

NANNY NATTER

What qualifications do you have? I have an NVQ level 2 and level 3, both in early years, and I am working towards an Early Years Educator foundation degree, which I started at Buckinghamshire New University in 2014, and I should graduate with a full degree in 2017.

How has your career in childcare developed?I was originally a nursery nurse for 10 years in private day nurseries. But there was too much paperwork, the pay was quite bad – even though I was a senior – the hours were long and the holiday entitlement small. I really wanted to work much more closely with families than you can in a nursery so I signed up with a couple of agencies to find work as a live-out nanny. I started working with one family, but as the children got older I am now doing a nanny share; working with three children aged two to six in two families at both of their houses.

What do you like about nannying?I love the flexibility of being able to do what I want with the children or what the children themselves want to do. We have some great fun days out.

Are there any negatives?The unsociable hours! I leave home at 6.30am and don’t get back until 8pm. But I wouldn’t go back

to working in a nursery now. I am employed by both families and the money is a lot better.

What problems does your sector face?I think nannies can be very vulnerable. In a nursery you have a whole team to back you up, but you don’t as a nanny. That is why it’s important to make sure you work with a good family and also to join networking and professional groups and have contact with other nannies. Also lots of people still just see us as a mother’s help, not a childcare professional.

What do you feel about regulation of nannies?I think we should be monitored more than we are. That would help people see us in a more professional light. I recently had an Ofsted inspection and I was only asked two safeguarding questions and two health and safety questions. That was it! However, the balance needs to be right, as too much regulation will bring too much paperwork.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?Once I have my degree and more experience, I may go down the social care route working on safeguarding, maybe at a children’s centre. I like working just as much with families as with children. As a nanny you have to work very closely with parents and have good communication skills so I think that will stand me in good stead.

What’s your unique selling point? I’m passionate about what I do and spend a lot of time on the children’s development; tracking all the major milestones and taking photos and putting it all together into a book for each family at the end of the year.

The Department for Education has published a 12-page document analysing responses to the call for evidence on the cost of providing “free” childcare. Some 2,000 respondents submitted evidence and 37% of them were childminders. Disappointingly, although the majority of responses listed factors that providers perceived to be their main areas of expenditure, these were often not supported by figures. “This means that we have been unable to understand which costs are as a result of delivering the entitlement and which are not,” the analysis stated, admitting that this may indicate a lack of clarity around what government funding should pay for. Providers said that meeting ratio requirements and the time spent on completing paperwork to comply with government guidelines are a significant contributory factor to costs. Respondents also expressed concern about the cost of both voluntary and mandatory training. Many wish to continue their professional development, but said this is hindered by the cost of training, the time taken to attend training, and local authorities’ reduction in their training offer to providers. The full analysis is available on the DfE website.

A multi-purpose liquid sanitizer ideal for use in childcare environments has been endorsed by Allergy UK. Aquaint is allergen-free, gentle on the skin, odour-free, does not contain alcohol and does not leave a sticky residue. It is even safe if swallowed as it has also passed UK Drinking Water tests. Founder and managing director of Aquaint, Bola Lafe, believes it is the safest sanitizer on the market. He said: “Our Aquaint multipurpose product is ideal for nannies and childminders as it not only offers a quick, convenient and effective way of cleansing surfaces, cuts and grazes, it can also be used on the most fragile of skin, and it is completely safe to swallow. It’s a 100% natural product and the small bottle of sanitizer is easy to carry when out and about.” Aquaint comes in two sizes – a 500ml trigger spray bottle and a 50ml finger pump bottle.

LACK OF CLARITY LEAVES DfE IN THE

DARK ON CHILDCARE COSTS

ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH AQUAINT

09

All together

All the political attention focused on childcare is better than no attention at all, but both states are equally challenging

NEWS | Childcare Summit

his was the opening salvo from early-years consultant James Hempsall OBE, who chaired lively debate during the Early Years Breakfast Summit at Childcare

Expo. There were delegates from across the spectrum of early-years provision, as well as other stakeholders, and all were discussing the impact of the ‘new’ Conservative government on early years.

Between them they looked at actions they would like to see from government and local authorities as well as how the sector can make proposals from government work.

Kicking off the meeting however, Hempsall said it was good to “do a bit of celebration” of the sector before moving onto its problems. “There is a long way to go, but one of the successes of our sector is how it is valued now,” he said. “Twenty years ago you would not have heard the language of childcare and early years in a political manifesto, but we have that now.”

He added that there is now parental expectation around skill levels and qualifications in early years. However, this brings a different challenge. “How is our sector recognised and valued politically, professionally and parentally?” he asked. “People want a lot from us and we have moved over the last 20 years from existing in spite of everything, to being in demand.”

There was much concern among delegates surrounding the living wage, with one nursery operator running six settings foreseeing the closure of at least one as a direct result.

“Funding levels are the problem,” said Zoe Raven, managing

director of Acorn Childcare. “We can work around the 15-hour entitlement, but not the 30 hours.” Providers pointed out that there can be large differences between different local authorities. “It is just not a level playing field,” said one. “For example, some allow you to charge extra for meals, and others don’t.”

Hempsall said he believes “provider power is key” in dealing with local authorities and government. “Big providers are very businesses savvy, but there are lots of smaller providers who say that the funding won’t meet their costs, but they don’t know what their costs are,” he said.

Charles Eggleston, chairman of Treetops Nurseries, agreed that the sector is very fragmented with large and small, state and PVI providers. “We need to have a strong a national voice,” he said, “and say ‘we cannot do it’.”

But a note of warning was sounded by commercial property agency Christie + Co which keeps a keen eye on developments in the childcare sector. Director Courteney Donaldson told providers how important it is to hold data on their costs and to get a large response to a national


T

now

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survey. “It is all about evidence,” she said. “You need to have the right evidence to call for the right funding. If we have the evidence, we have a case. Before we say ‘no, we can’t do it’ we have to justify that. At the moment we can’t do that as a whole across the whole country.”

Tricia Wellings, chief executive of Bright Kids, wants to see greater unity in the early-years sector. “As an industry we need to come together,” she said. “We are too disparate…In Birmingham we came together as a group of PVI providers and we need to do that country-wide.”

Penny Webb, of Penny’s Place, and the only childminder in the room, also urged greater unity as she explained the reality of being a childminder, running at capacity but only managing to keep going by offering extended hours and using her own cooker and washing machine for her work. Changes to ratios are not the answer she stressed: “I don’t want to increase ratios – one person cannot meet the needs of five early-years children.

“There are 50,000 of us childminders so go with us; I believe that we need to look for solutions that won’t just help one

side of the sector.”

And possibly vital to it all will be getting the support of service users themselves. “It is key to get parents on board,” said Donaldson, pointing to the outcry from both practitioners and parents over changes to ratios, which led then deputy-prime minister Nick Clegg to abandon the policy the two years ago.

Finalising its views under the guidance of Hempsall, the group came up with its top 10 key actions.

1. To stop using the term “free” in relation to the childcare

entitlement and to refer to it instead as “subsidised”.

2. The need for a single, strong, national voice to pull

all providers including childminders together to lobby

successfully as one.

3. To campaign nationally and stick to a very simple message,

organising a national survey to show what the government

pays versus the cost of delivering the subsidised entitlement.

4. To have a national rate with regional variations set by

government.

5. To be allowed to charge top-up fees.

6. To have fair representation on schools’ forums.

7. To address the issue of ratios.

8. To tackle the massive problem of recruitment.

9. To have a standard contract across all local authorities.

10. To be allowed more flexibility to think creatively and make

the limited funds available from government work.

big day outMorton’s

NEWS | Childcare Summit


4TH – 5THMARCH 2016

OLYMPIALONDON

at childcareexpo.co.ukor call 01425 838393

FREEtickEts

Register for your

Morton Michel’s very own bear, Morton, had a great couple of days in Coventry recently, taking in every element of Childcare Expo Midlands at the Ricoh Arena. We caught him in action. “It was fantastic to meet so many lovely people,” said Morton. “This industry is so friendly - I have never had so many hugs. For some reason, everyone wanted their photo taken with me; my smile got worn out!”

4TH – 5THMARCH 2016

OLYMPIALONDON

at childcareexpo.co.ukor call 01425 838393

FREEtickEts

Register for your

ADVICE | Childminder Grants


Grants to get youstarted as a minder

If you’re looking to set up your own business as a childminder at home, and operating in England, there is a government grant available to help. You can even claim if you set up within the last 12 months, but hurry up – the fund won’t last forever. Here’s our guide

What is the childcare grant scheme?The scheme was announced three years ago when £2 million was made available to help people set up new childcare businesses in England. It was anticipated the scheme would help up to 6,000 new childcare businesses get off the ground by helping with start-up costs such as training, insurance and security checks.

What about the scheme in 2015?Since then ministers have extended the scheme, twice, and nearly 7,400 businesses have benefited. Government has also doubled the amount of money available to individuals. Now the sum of the awards has risen from £250 to £500 for prospective childminders; and up to £1,000 for childminders looking after disabled children.

Am I eligible?The grants were brought in to boost the provision of childcare in England and support the starting up of new childcare businesses. These are businesses looking after one or more children to whom they are not related, on domestic premises, for reward and for a total of more than two hours in any day. For those childminders that will provide care for disabled children, applicants need to demonstrate that they have incurred additional expenditure in setting up their business as a result of this to access the larger grant.

The scheme can accept registration certificates from either Ofsted or a childminder agency and if it is less than 12 months since you received your registration certificate, you can still apply.

Can I apply for grants from other bodies too?There is no problem with this as far as the government’s Equalities Office and Department for Education are concerned, but the other bodies awarding grants may have restrictions.

How do I apply and can I apply before registering with Ofsted or a childminding agency?Yes, you can apply for your grant before registering with Ofsted or an agency. However you will need to provide proof of your successful registration within six months of applying for this grant. You must also inform your local authority you are applying and book and complete any necessary training courses.

You can download an application form and guidance notes as well as find out all you need to know about applying at www.childcarebusinessgrants.dcms.gov.uk/

What costs are considered as eligible proof of my intention to start up mynew business?All costs incurred for the set up of your business will be considered as eligible. This includes: public liability insurance, courses attended, health check, disclosure and barring service check, house insurance cover, additional car insurance to cover the transportation of the children in your care, and any additional equipment that is purchased.

When is the deadline for a claim to be submitted?The grant scheme will be open for new applications up until December 31, 2015.

Will the scheme be renewed or extended if the current grant allocation is exhausted?There are no plans at present to increase the budget or renew the scheme beyond the end of 2015. So if the grant fund is fully spent when you apply, then your claim will be unsuccessful.

*Family ticket is either 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children.Winning tickets can only be redeemed between 1st January 2016 – 31st March 2016 inclusively.© 2015 DreamWorks Animations L.L.C

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*Family ticket is either 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children.Winning tickets can only be redeemed between 1st January 2016 – 31st March 2016 inclusively.© 2015 DreamWorks Animations L.L.C

Meet other DreamWorks

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Petersen SENDsout a clear message

Educational consultant Lorraine Petersen, who has her own consultancy (LPEC), addressed SEND in early-years settings in Coventry

he listed some of the key statistics from the DfE’s national statistics released in January this year, which drew a few gasps, even from an audience of battle-

hardened childcare professionals. Here are a selection:

15.4% of pupils (1.3 million pupils) in schools in England have Special Educational Needs (SEN) 2.8% of pupils across all settings have either a statement or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) 28% of primary pupils have a primary need of speech, language and communication 24.5% with a statement or EHC plan have a primary need of ASD Nearly 30% of pupils with SEN eligible for Free School Meals

Petersen followed that with more facts about 21st Century children that illustrate some of the key factors contributing to a growing issue, the scale of which was far less evident before the turn of the Millennium, when many of the issues were either ignored, overlooked or misunderstood.

Prematurity: 1 in 8 babies is now born prematurely 96% will survive and more than half will have a disability Nearly half of all babies born at 23/24 weeks will survive Their brains will be “wired differently”

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder: This is the largest non-genetic cause of complex learning difficulties 1 in 100 babies is born with FASD It affects an area of brain that controls numeracy and mathematical computation It can often go undiagnosed – children often have Autism Spectrum Disorder

Drugs and Smoking: Four babies per day are born addicted to drugs in the UK On average, babies born to smokers weighed 200 grammes, or just under half a pound, less than babies of non-smoking mums

Children born to smokers have lower achievements in reading and maths, and an increased risk of developing asthma

Chromosome Disorder: 1 in 200 babies are born with chromosome disorder Many more have syndromes without a name

Mental Health: 10% of children and young people have a mental health need Children and young people with a learning difficulty are six times more likely to have mental health need

“We are seeing the types of mental health issues that we didn’t even think about in the 1970s when I was a teacher,” said Petersen. “There are a lot more children coming into [childcare and educational] settings with issues we may not have seen before, and we need to make sure we have the skills and knowledge to address their needs effectively.“Behaviour is no longer classified as a special need, it is what underlies that behaviour that is a special need.”

Sage adviceThe remainder of her presentation gave sage advice for childcare settings of any size.

Early-years providers must provide information to parents on how they support children with SEN, she said, and regularly review and evaluate the quality and breadth of the support they offer. There also needs to be

FEATURE | SEND in the Early Years


S

co-operation with the local authority in reviewing the provision that is available locally, while it is the local authority’s role to promote equality and inclusion when securing funded early education for 2, 3 and 4year olds.

Where assessment indicates that specialist services are required, it is important that children receive it as quickly as possible, said Petersen. “It is your statutory duty to have provision in place. And when you think you need specialist support, you have a duty to go and find it. If at any point you are concerned about a youngster not developing as they should in one of the key areas of learning, it should ring bells and you should start thinking about what you can do to address that,” she said.

“Early identification and effective provision improve long-term outcomes. If you can identify problems early, then the child can begin to receive the support they require before they move into education. As soon as someone says there is a child with special needs, the local authority has an obligation to carry out checks.

“They must carry out the needs assessment – it is their responsibility, not yours. They pay for any reports thatare required.”

Listen and learnAs well as listening to the child, supporting and listening to parents is also important, she added: “Parents might not always know what is best, but they do know their child best. Sometimes they will be in denial, sometimes they will be pushy and you might not always agree. But what is important is that going forward they are more empowered [to deal with the child’s needs].”

She pointed to the SEND code of practice, which details a graduated approach to dealing with children who need

support. “Assess, Plan, Do, Review,” said Petersen. “The musts you must and the shoulds you must too, unless you are doing something better!” she said. “You must have evidence of what you’ve done at each stage, but they cannot refuse you help based on how many stages you have gone through. In the end, it’s about your professional judgement.”

For large settings, implementing the measures required for SEN children is perhaps less daunting than it would be for the majority of Home Childcarer readers, who work independently. “For individual and independent childrminders, all of this is just as relevant,” Petersen told Home Childcarer. “All early-years providers must have arrangements in place to support children with SEND, so if you only have one SEND child in your setting, you still have to comply with all of these things and keep up to date.

“But how do you afford that and how do you find time for training if you’re an independent childminder? It’s noteasy, that’s for sure, but if you get it right, it can beextremely rewarding.”

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We are seeing the types of mental health issues that we didn’t even think about in the 1970s...

Morton Michel’s Dan Weir ponders the long-term directional future of childcare policy

ith the Labour leadership competition, and the party conference season out of the way, and parliament very much back in session, now is

perhaps a good time to consider what the long-term future of childcare policy might be, both under this government and into the future.

Over the last decade or so, childcare has moved dramatically up the political agenda, transforming from a niche, specialist subject to the vote-winning heart of every major party’s manifesto. This may represent more than just politicians finally realising how important childcare is, it suggests that they are starting to think about it in a different way.

Childcare used to be an area of policy that, like farming or shipping, was important, but did not grab much of the public’s attention. As a result, policy-making tended to be

technical and led by those MPs who had a particular interest.

Even New Labour’s Sure Start programme was never really front page news.

This could be highly frustrating for a vibrant industry that knew that political reforms were necessary. In order to get them, it had to convince MPs that they were worthwhile for their own political sakes and fight against numerous other fields of policy that vied for parliamentary time. The advantage though was that, on the whole, Parliament listened to the industry and the reforms it instituted largely benefitted the profession.

There are signs though that this has now changed. Although it had been coming for a long time, the watershed moment was perhaps in early 2014 when the Family and Childcare Trust managed to put the costs of childcare on the agenda, with a report that pointed out that it was now the largest family expense, even ahead of housing. This report convinced the government that childcare could be a real voters’ issue and a flurry of policies followed: the Early Years Pupil Premium, Childminder Agencies, Tax Free Childcare and now, the promise of 30 hours free childcare for every child of working parents.

Childcare has never been higher on the agenda, it has moved from obscurity to pre-eminence, but the industry may find this no less frustrating.

Previously, in order to convince a politician to change a childcare policy, it was simply necessary to convince them it was a good policy and worth their time. Since 1989, the law has put the child at the centre of all policy-making and so what determined whether a policy was good was whether

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ANALYSIS | Childcare Policy

Childcare climbs the agenda


it would be beneficial to children. Children however, do not vote, and so although convincing politicians of the benefits of a particular policy was never easy, convincing them that it was worth their time could be the harder part. Now though, politicians no longer see childcare simply in terms of the children it serves, but of the families too. Parents, of course, are voters. As a result the priorities have reversed. Politicians have been convinced that childcare is worth their time, but the hard task is convincing them that a policy is a good idea. Policies now have to explicitly benefit not just children, but parents too.

This is not to say that children are no longer at the centre of policy-making. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is still intact and most politicians really do have a strong awareness of the importance of good childcare to children’s development. It cannot be denied however that parents are far more powerful stakeholders than they once were. This is why there is now such an increased focus on the costs of childcare, and it is by looking at what parents want that it might be possible to predict the long-term future of the sector.

In the short term, costs are parents’ main concern and we are already seeing a significant drive from politicians to address this. What is less well understood though is how much demand for childcare there will be once costs are taken out of the equation. It seems unlikely that, offered an extra 15 free hours a week for their three and four year-olds, parents will not use some of the money they save in costs and gain in working hours to buy more. This in turn, as well as raising important questions about the capacity of the sector to deliver, is indicative of what may be a fundamental change of attitude towards childcarepolicy-making.

As more politicians and parents become aware of the professionalism and sophistication of childcare provision, and as the economic benefits of longer working hours arefelt, the case for facilitating ever-greater access increases.

It is not totally unreasonable to suggest that we may be on the path towards some form of free universal provision.

This is of course a long way off yet. There is a world of difference between 30 hours, 38 weeks of a year for three and four year-oldsand all childcare becoming free atthe point of use. It may be that there is a ceiling for how much time parents are prepared to spend away from their children, regardless of how high quality provision is. Itmay be a backlash will lead parentsto demand to be paid to stay at homeand look after their own children. Forthe time being, the demand for ever increasing access does not appear tobe abating and politicians have every incentive to find ways for the sectorto meet it.

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eremy Clark, leader of e-learning at Montessori Centre International, took on the subject ‘Children as leaders of their own learning’ in Coventry. He started by asking

what does it mean for a child to be a leader?

“For adults it’s easier to define, we think of teamwork, inspiration, vision,” said Clark. “But with children, when they are leading, what is it that they are leading? Do they know where they are going with their leadership actions? Are they creating an inspiring vision of their own future; are they expecting something to happen.

“I’m not sure if leadership for a child has anything to do with predicting the future – I think it’s more about living in the moment. They are not thinking ‘if I do this, then I’ll get GCSEs, then A Levels, then go to university, then get a job’ – they are creating an experience in the present because that’s where they are. And the younger they are the more that is true.”

The older children get, the more support they will need in leading their own learning, through positive action. “Be supportive about their ideas – even if you don’t agree with them – and give them options,” said Clark. “Be aware though that too many options may actually narrow down a child’s thinking and they will almost always choose the first or the last thing you say. You can reframe and redirect their ideas, but always make the conversation a two-way thing and where possible, step back from your professional position, get into the conversation in an engaging way and explore with the child.

“The degree to which a child is able to share and express themselves often depends on the openness of the people they are expressing themselves to.

“Look at the things that enable children to lead their own learning and the freedom we give children to make choices,” he told the audience. A child who is free to make choices is taking the first steps to learning self-discipline and independence. “They ask themselves ‘should I do this or should I do that?’, Clark said. “If you can make these choices, then you have independence and therefore you have freedom.”

He went on to define what he meant by freedom and the types of ‘freedom’ that a childcarer can give to their charges. Here are his paraphrased words of wisdom:

Freedom of time – It’s really important that there are not too many set times when children have to stop what they are doing arbitrarily (eating lunch and going home are the obvious exceptions). If a child is busy and engaged with an activity, don’t stop them from doing it.

Advice: “Allow them the time to concentrate. If you don’t give them that time to show they have an amazing ability to focus, you’ll never know.”

Freedom of repetition – Let them do things again and again, even if it’s the same every time. They are doing it because of the joy they get of it and each time they do it, they are developing something within them, which may be strength, skill, self esteem.

Advice: “This also builds resilience. Give them the chance to be successful – keeping going is a good thing, however many times they get something wrong.”

Freedom to choose who to play with – Allow children to say ‘no’ to each other; don’t frown on it. Telling children they have to share is counterproductive. Truly sharing something can only come from the will to share, not from

FEATURE | Leaders in Learning

Leading questions


Giving children the freedom to lead is not something that necessarily comes naturally, but it can be crucial to their development

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being forced to do it by someone more senior. Saying ‘no’ and ‘yes’ are equally valid choices, as long as it is done in a socially acceptable way; a child who says no has independence and that’s important to them.

Advice: “Give them control, because being out of control can be scary for early years children and we all know that a scared child reacts in the way of a scared child!”

Freedom from interruption – Breaking a child’s concentration when they are engrossed in an activity is also counterproductive. Think what would happen if we leave them to explore what they are doing on their own. If we could suppress our need to intervene and stop them from doing what they are doing, we would stop “hijacking their learning”.

Advice: “Being allowed to concentrate gives them time to be calm and relaxed. Everyone needs some time to themselves when they can relax and that helps themto learn.”

Freedom of choice – It’s important that the choices children have in any setting are their own choices, rather than choices made for them in advance. There have to be realistic boundaries, but if children know that they will consistently have the same things in the same place available to them every day, they can make that choice. They may turn up in the morning having already planned their own learning for the day and it can be disconcerting for them if the resources they need are not there for them. If they have a choice and can get what they want, they have freedom – if they have to ask for it, they aren’t.

Advice: “This is vital for self-discipline. They can feel they are making things up, they have to make their own value judgements. Freedom can only exist within boundaries though – chaos is not a good thing when you have multiple children in your setting!”

The observation of each child’s response to having those freedoms can be very instructive, added Clark. Watching what they choose, where they choose to do it, who with, whether it is planned or spontaneous and how long they do it for are all good indications of their development. “The more choices you can give to children and the more time you have to observe and assess them making those choices, the better they will develop their self-discipline.

“Monitor whether the materials you have actually work for them and whether they understand the purpose of each activity they are doing. Have you modelled how to

use your materials correctly and are they able to use them independently (are they allowed to)?

“Consistency is key, both from carers and the setting. The professional knowledge of any people in your setting is very important as it underpins everything you do and makes you comfortable knowing what the children are doing. That way, you can make your plans to follow on from where they have led their own learning.”

FEATURE | British Red Cross


he British Red Cross provides specialist paediatric first aid training designed for people caring for children in any setting; equipping you with the

knowledge and skills to act in a crisis. The course is in line with OFSTED requirements and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS).

Who needs a paediatric first aid certificate?The EYFS currently states that every childcare setting must have at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate on the premises and available at all times. So if you are in sole charge of children you must hold a current paediatric first aid certificate. Childcare providers should also take into account the number of children, staff and layout of premises along with breaks, sickness, holidays and days out to ensure that a paediatric first aider is able to respond to emergencies quickly.

The two-day (12 hours) course content covers a range of emergency situations as well as medical conditions.

Helping a child who is having a severe allergic reaction: An anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction that affects the whole body. Common triggers of anaphylactic shock include nuts, shellfish, eggs, wasp and bee stings, latex and certain medications. A child may develop red, itchy raised areas of skin, have swelling to their hands, feet or face, have difficulty breathing or have abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhoea.

First aid steps: Call 999 when you observe these symptoms. You wait for the ambulance to arrive. When there is a known allergy you can use the child’s auto-injector, following the guidance on the side. It contains medication which helps to ease the symptoms of an allergic reaction.*

Helping a child who has a head injury: Head injuries in children are common and could be caused by a fall or a bang to the head when children start to explore, are playing with friends or they could fall from play equipment.

First aid steps: Get the child to rest and apply something cold to the injury for 10 minutes. You could use an ice pack or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel. This will help to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling. Seek medical advice, stay with them and monitor closely for any signs of a serious head injury. Symptoms of a serious head injury include: temporary unconsciousness, dizziness, confusion, feeling sick, blurred vision and having no memory of what happened. If you think the head injury is serious call 999 for emergency help.

How can I access further information?Our free first aid app offers clear, easy-to-follow advice on everyday first aid scenarios. With step-by-step instructions about how best to treat the injury or illness and simple videos to follow, first aid really can be at your fingertips. You can download it from redcross.org/uk/app.

For further information on first aid or to book a paediatric course with exclusive discounts with the Morton Michel ChildCare Club please visit www.mortonmichel.com/ChildcareClub.

Red Cross first aid expert Anna Bishop explains who needs a paediatric first aid certificate and provides first aid tips for helping a child with a severe allergic reaction or a head injury

Paediatric first aid for childcarers

*It is important that you inform the child’s parent or guardian of any prescription medication given to the child, together with the times and dosage. You must not administer any medication unless prior consent is given for each and every medicine.

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FEATURE | Brave Boys


on boysBoys will be boys – but how can childcarers develop their provision to ensure that they develop alongside the girls in their setting

hould childcare settings be gender neutral? This was one of the questions posed during a presentation at Childcare Expo Midlands by Jo Baranek, lead early

years advisor at NDNA. She gave a presentation entitled ‘Brave Boys’, which explored the gender gap in achievement between boys and girls by looking at the differences in brain development.

From the start, Baranek made it clear that while boys were the main focus and also present the bigger problems, the issue she was analysing was more the left or ‘masculine’ side of the brain and the impact its slower rate of development (compared with the ‘feminine’ right side of the brain) on a child’s development, boy or girl.

It’s a fact that girls continue to outperform boys at every stage of their development from key stage I to higher education. Baranek read out some stark statistics that reveal the extent of the gap that exists and amongthem were:

Boys are four times more likely to be excluded from school than girls. Boys are four times more likely to have ADHD Three quarters of all children with speech delay issues will be boys. Around three quarters of all children with any learning difficulty will be boys. Four out of five parents seeking help or support are doing so for boys.

The 75% figure is a common denominator in all manner of comparative areas, with boys accounting for around that percentage of school dropouts, underachievers, violence in adolescence, pedestrian fatalities, drug use and suicides.

The slower development of the left side of the brain means that when boys arrive at every level of their measured development, they will be behind girls. Only 52% of boys arrive at school with a ‘good’ level of development, compared with 69% of girls and Baranek asked whether the room felt that the differences in developmental stageswere being recognised and addressed effectively in childcare settings.

“Already, at the end of reception year boys are behind and that gap has widened in the last year because although boys did slightly better, girls did better still. It’s pretty clear that the more we can give them at the very beginning, the better foundation they will have going forward,” she said. “Are we [childcarers] as tuned in to the needs of boys as girls? Do you understand how the different developmental process can impact on a boy in your setting?”

A recent OECD report concluded that more needs to be done to build greater equality into the early years and beyond, she said. “It is not sufficient to say everything is open to all children in the early years; even at that age boys and girls are likely to want to choose different activities.”

She asked the audience to select some words they would use to describe boys generally and the response ranged from frustrating and loud through to compassionate and devoted. “It is really important to think about boys in a positive way,” said Baranek. “I would lay a bet that the most disruptive children in most of your settings will be boys. But how many of their problems happen when they are indoors and how many are outdoors?”

To try and explain her point, and moving on to gender

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Baranek

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stereotyping, Baranek played a fascinating clip from the TV show Bang Goes The Theory, which explored the Nature v Nurture debate and proved in its own small sample size study that there may be a balance of the two at play.

In one experiment, babies were presented to adults in a controlled environment and the adult was asked to play with them. Unknown to them was that the girls were dressed as boys and vice versa and without exception, the adult offered the child a toy that would stereotypically be associated with their sex.

A second experiment took place in a monkey enclosure at a zoo, where there was no obvious stereotypes in play and the adults had no input. A bunch of toys were emptied out into the enclosure and amazingly, the female monkeys went for the dolls and the cuddly toys, while the male monkeys played with the helicopters and trucks.

This is all down to the way the different sides of the brain work and the programme surmised that this process is part of our evolutionary instinct and harks back many centuries, to when the male was expected to move and hunt and the woman was generally in a cave looking after the children. So, while boys are often fascinated by motion and rough and tumble, girls are more likely to want to look after something or do something less active and more quiet.

“The way the male brain develops can disrupt the balance of the male character. Cavemen were hunters, they were all about wide-open spaces, running about, weapons and defending their territory. Society may have changed, but the way our brains develop hasn’t necessarily changed with it,” said Baranek.

The slower development of the left hand side of the brain in boys generally means they lag behind in motor skills – things like sequencing, verbal ability and information processing, so the oft-ridiculed inability to multitask in men is actually formed at a very early age.

Boys have difficulty separating talking and moving, expressing their own emotions in words or reading emotions in others, and they find it hard to process information. They like to construct and deconstruct; they are more likely to express themselves through actions and their play is far more likely to involve the rough and tumble and risk taking elements.

None of this will be a huge surprise to Home Childcarer readers, of course, but it may shed some light on some of the peculiar problems boys in your setting present.

But how can your childcare setting deal with the differences between boys and girls and provide both girls and boys with what they need? This is where a gender neutral approach comes in, suggested Baranek. “One of the waysis to provide open-ended resources; lots of natural resources and holistic play opportunities for instance, that allow children to make their own decisions on what to do with them.

“Cardboard boxes are the best open-ended resource there is – they can be anything the children want, all they need is their own imagination. The key is that rather than you making their role-play environment for them, you give them the tools they need to create the role-play area they want. You may find that they still conform to stereotypes in the way they use what you give them, but then it’s their choice to do that, not yours.”

Aside from role play, role models are important too, she added. “If there’s no male role model in your setting, then you need to provide that role for the boys [you look after]. They need it in a controlled way – give them the room to enjoy outdoor space and use it with them creatively. Boys prefer to be involved rather than watching, so if you’re demonstrating something, get them involved in it and they are more likely to listen to what you say.

“When a boy is physically active then so is his brain and he is therefore more likely to learn outside. Decide what drives them and motivates them – most of it will stem from their fantasies [superheroes, flying and guns]. Embed that in your planning – give them the will to engage, regardless of their gender.”

FEATURE | Infant Food Acceptance

njoyment represents an important predictor of children’s fruit and vegetable consumption and the naturally sweet tastes of fruit lead to relatively ready acceptance, but

now researchers recently have assessed how familiarity can increase ‘harder-to-achieve’ vegetable acceptance.

The study, led by University College London (UCL) and published in the British Journal of Nutrition, aimed to investigate the impact of advising parents to introduce a variety of single vegetables as first foods on infants’ subsequent acceptance of a novel vegetable. Carried out in the UK, Greece and Portugal, it suggests that repeatedly offering infants a variety of vegetables during weaning increases their vegetable consumption and appreciation.

“Innate preferences for sweet tastes and dislike of sour or bitter tastes mean that fruit is readily accepted, but that liking for vegetables may be harder to achieve,” the report’s authors explain. “However, innate preferences can be modified through pre- and postnatal experiences.

“Flavours become more acceptable as they grow in familiarity and there is unequivocal evidence in young children that intake and liking for unfamiliar foods can be increased through repeated exposure, i.e. providing repeated opportunities to taste small quantities ofthe food.”

Between February 2011 and July 2012 mothers of four- to six-month-old infants in the UK, Greece and Portugal were randomised to either a control group, who received country-specific ‘usual care’, or an intervention group, who received guidance on introducing five vegetables (one per day) as first foods repeated over 15 days. The latter were encouraged to offer a range of colours and flavours with a focus on green vegetables such as broccoli, peas and spinach. They were told not to mix them together or with other flavours.

One month later, the infants’ consumption and liking

Study claims providing repeated opportunities to taste small quantities can increase vegetable acceptance in infancy and greater dietary diversity in later childhood

(maternal and researcher rated) of an unfamiliar vegetable – artichoke purée – were assessed. Primary analyses were conducted for the full sample with secondary analyses conducted separately by country. No significant effect of the intervention was found for vegetable intake in the three countries combined.

However, sub-group analyses showed that UK intervention infants consumed significantly more novel vegetables than control infants. UK mothers and researchers rated infants’ vegetable liking higher in the intervention than in control conditions, with intervention infants eating on average 16g more artichoke purée than control infants.

“The UK findings provide support for previous research showing repeated exposure to vegetables during complementary feeding can impact positively on infants’

vegetable acceptance and daily changes in the variety of vegetables consumed increase acceptance of a novel food,” the report notes.

In Portugal and Greece, there was no significant intervention effect on infants’ vegetable intake or liking. The authors suggested the differing outcome between countries possibly reflects cultural variations in existing weaning practices. Recent research has

Babies benefit fromveg variety


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revealed that Portuguese school children, for instance, have among the highest levels of vegetable intake in Europe.

However, the UK results suggest in countries where vegetables are not common first foods, advice on introducing a variety of vegetables early in weaning may be beneficial for increasing vegetable acceptance.

Current recommendations in the UK are to introduce fruits, vegetables and baby rice or cereal as first foods, but the information provided to mothers is inconsistent, according to the report, and the advice available may vary by local health authority. Between the ages of four and seven months, the report says infants are highly receptive to new flavours and textures, requiring fewer exposures than older children to increase acceptance.

“Exposing children to the taste of commonly rejected foods, such as vegetables, may be most effective in early infancy before the onset of food neophobia or pickiness (a normal developmental stage during the second year of life),” it points out. “Since food preferences develop early andhave been shown to track through later childhood and into adulthood, early intervention is likely to reap thegreatest benefit.”

Variety is the spiceBut while repeated exposure to a single vegetable flavour increases infants’ acceptance, the researchers say the speed with which they acquire preferences means that a lack of sufficient variety might result in a ‘monotony’ effect – the infant becoming bored with the taste.

“Daily changes in the vegetables offered to infants during the transition to solid foods have been shown to lead to immediate increases in preference and intake, and a generalisation of the effect to acceptance of novel tastes.”

In a group of formula-fed infants, the effect of offering a variety of different vegetables versus carrots alone, or potatoes alone over a period of nine days was evaluated. Infants in both the variety and carrot groups significantly increased their intake of carrots compared with infants fed potatoes, but only the infants exposed to a variety of tastes ate more of a novel food at the end of the exposure period.

It has been suggested that the variety of vegetables from meal to meal offered to weaning infants is more important than the overall number of vegetables offered. For example, increased intake of novel foods was observed

in weaning-age infants experiencing daily changes in the vegetables offered compared with infants fed three vegetables, each for three consecutive days, which suggests that the beneficial effect of variety is maximised by daily changes. In addition, a more varied diet during the weaning period has been linked to greater dietary diversity in later childhood.

The report’s authors claim that the benefits of repeated and varied exposure early in the complementary feeding period have been previously described, suggesting promising opportunities for increasing children’s vegetable intake.

However, they are quick to point out that no studies to date have tested the procedures in the form of an easily disseminable intervention comprising simple, practical guidance to parents for introducing a variety of vegetables as first foods.

Furthermore, no previous study of variety exposurein infants has included a no-treatment control group in which mothers receive only the current standard weaning advice offered by their national health service.

Finally, although the existing weaning recommendations and practices vary across Europe, no study to date has examined cross-cultural differences in the effectiveness of such an intervention.

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BY ASSOCIATION | BAPN

Social dilemmaBAPN’s policy and review officer has her say on the powers of social media and puts forward her new rules of engagement

p until recently I was convinced by the positive power of social media, bringing nannies together, finding jobs and sharing information.

Facebook groups and Twitter chats seemed, with a few sensible precautions, like not posting photographs of your charges, an ideal way to connect. It’s friendlier, it’s more authentic, people use their real names. Until recently, that’s what I would have said.

So what changed?

Nannies are losing their jobs over things that they think they’ve said supposedly in confidence on Facebook. They’re being turned away from agencies for ‘unprofessional behaviour’, been banned from childcare job search sites and followed across social media networks for the world to see. What we have to ask ourselves now before posting what we may think is a harmless private comment is ‘is it worth risking your job, and even your career?’

Social media isn’t virtual. You may never have met the people that you’re talking to but they are still real people. What you say there has an impact on the here and now. It affects your

professional life, as well as your personal one, and your name and personal information are forever attached to what you say online unlike the words you speak out loud to a friend. It’s very difficult to disassociate your personal and your professional opinions when you’re chatting to people you think you know well, even if that’s just an illusion. Closed and secret Facebook groups aren’t secure. Locking your Twitter profile isn’t a guarantee either. As hard as people may try to keep non-nannies out, there are always some who will slip through the net, and someone can always screenshot what you say.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that I’m suggesting you delete all your social media profiles this instant. I’m not. There are still many excellent, open pages that don’t pretend to be secure and you probably have real life friends you like to chat to, or celebrities you love to follow, but it may not be the best place to seek advice – you never know who’s reading.


BAPN

BAPNBAPN

BAPN

The Association For Professional Nannies

The Association For Professional Nannies

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www.nurseryresources.org 01733 898108 [email protected]

The Prevent Duty

Departmental advice for schools and childcare providers

Published July 2015

Nursery Resources, Remus House, Coltsfoot Drive, Peterborough PE2 9BFTel: 01733 898108 Fax: 01733 313524 Email: [email protected]

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So here are my new rules for social media:

If you wouldn’t say it into a microphone at a crowded real-life nanny event then don’t say it on Facebook, even in a closed group. Take additional precautions in groups or chats run by a nanny related business. Anything you say can be used as evidence against you. Don’t agree to meet anyone you only know from social media in a private place – this includes job advertisements too. Take everything you read with a pinch of salt and ask for links so you can verify the information yourself. Other people’s experience may not be the best indicator and opinions are like... well, you can finish that for yourself but everyone has one.

Be yourself. You are a whole person with a life outside nannying, with your own opinions, interests and experiences, and you can’t comfortably reduce yourself to only talking about your job!

If you are having problems at work then don’t suffer in silence. You can contact us by phone or by email for personal, professional support or look at the information and guidance we publish on our website.

For more information please visit:www.bapn.org.uk

FEATURE | SEED Report

A report from the Study of Early Education & Development (SEED) has come up with three key findings distinguishing the quality of childminder care. Home Childcarer brings you the lowdown

ome 99 childminders across five different regions were examined in the study in which settings observations and interviews were carried out and questionnaires

completed from September 2014 to March 2015.

By observing what occurs in the setting (known as process quality) and the structural characteristics such as adult:child ratios and education and training of the childminders, researchers were able to measure the quality of childcare.

Two multidimensional scales, the Family Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (FCCERSR) and the Sustained Shared Thinking & Emotional Wellbeing Scale (SSTEW) were used to measure process quality.

The three key quality-distinguishing factors identified were:

participation in a quality improvement network; years of experience as a childminder; ratios.

Researchers found that participation in a quality-improvement network had a positive influence on the quality of the childminder’s provision, particularly in distinguishing between those with a ‘good’ rating or higher from those with a lower rating.

The greater number of years of experience a childminder has is a factor that distinguishes outstanding settings from the rest.

And a setting with a lower adult-to-child ratio is more likely to have an adequate or above quality score, rather thana poor rating, the study found. Although the adult-to-child ratio did not appear to distinguish between the quality delivered at the higher end of the scale i.e. adequate togood/outstanding.

Report author Professor Edward Melhuish said: “Childminders are very important for early child care. Our

report shows that they can provide good quality childcare, and that quality is improved by professional development. Local authorities have a big role to play in ensuring the availability of professional development for childminders, and professional associations also play a role. For the development of a complete early-years service, we need to see childminders better integrated with other pre-school providers, such as nursery schools and primary schools with nursery classes as well as day nurseries and playgroups.”

Some 75% of childminders taking part in the study were registered with their local

authority to deliver the funded places for two-year old children and almost 50%

of those studied were providing one or more funded early education places for three and four year-olds. Almost all were open to care for children with Special Education Needs or Disabilities

(SEND) and 20% cared for a child with SEND. However only half of childminders

involved in the study were participating in a quality improvement programme or a

quality assurance scheme (QIP/QAS).

Sue Robb, head of early years at 4Children, said: “This report…points to certain aspects that have a real impact on quality delivery, one of which is being part of a quality improvement network. We’d like to see far more than 50% of childminders benefitting from membership to a professional network - whether it’s run by the local authority; childminder agency; a professional association or a local group.

“… we need to establish a more blended model of community childcare whereby childcare providers across the community work together to drive up quality and meet demand. Quality improvement networks can help to facilitate this and bring about the kind of community childcare model that will reap the greatest rewards for the sector and families in the future.”

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The full report can be downloaded from:www.foundationyears.org.uk

steps to quality

provision

FEATURE | Eating Habits

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The 1,000 day challenge The first 1,000 days from conception into toddlerhood are an opportunity in a child’s life too important to miss, delegates at the seminar on toddler eating habits were told on the first morning of Childcare Expo, Midlands

ndependent dietician and public-health nutritionist Kathy Crowbrough and Nutricia’s early life nutrition science & innovation senior manager Katie Fordham joined forces

to give a presentation, seeking input from childminders and nursery professionals in the audience by emphasising the huge influence they have on toddlers’ lives.

“During the first 1,000 days of an infant’s life, organs and body systems are rapidly growing, still very flexible and responsive to nutritional influence,” said Fordham. “We believe that the right nutrition during the early years can and will positively influence health outcomes.”

However, Crowbrough acknowledged the challenges those working with toddlers face in terms of food and nutrition. She highlighted providing healthy and nutritious food economically and supporting parents on limited incomes or with limited facilities. “If you make economical meals, parents will learn from you and be able to make these dishes too,” she said. Other issues were food refusal and fussy eating among toddlers as well as creating a fun but relaxed meal-time. “You will get fussy eaters,” she reassured, “that’s what children are. And you will get food refusal, but you don’t give in!”

Challenges related to nutrition in toddlers are different and include overweight and obesity, dental caries, iron or vitamin D deficiencies and lack of physical activity. “You have a big influence on them,” said Crowbrough referring particularly to physical exercise, “as they spend so much time with you.”

Delegates heard of the influences toddlers are exposed to in their food choices and these included the child’s own involvement in preparing and presenting food, and

also how their needs are very different to those of adults. “Pre-school children have a high energy and nutrient requirement relative to their size,” explained Crowbrough. “They have a small stomach and a relatively under-developed gut which prevents them from consuming large quantities of food.” This means they have a variable appetite related to fluctuations in growth rate and their level of physical activity. “So there are times when they may just not be hungry,” she added.

Crowbrough was very clear on what toddlers need – more calories and nutrients in each mouthful of food than adults, and regularity: “We recommend kids get into a routine of three small meals and two snacks based on foods from the four main food groups; dairy foods, starchy foods, protein foods and, fruit and vegetables,” she said. “Frequency of eating is OK – but not eating all day.”

The speakers introduced delegates to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF)’s 5532-a-day Perfect Portions for Toddler Tums placemat and guidance, which was developed with funding from Fordham’s team.

The audience also heard how they can play a key role as early-years practitioners by giving toddlers early experiences of food and food play, by giving positive messages to children and their families around the importance of good diet, activity and sleep habits, making eating a social event and through the examples they set. Crowbrough stressed the portions on the placemat are different to the Eatwell Plate for adults. “The Eatwell Plate does not apply to the under-2s due to high fibre, low fat recommendations for adults,” she explained. “Remember; toddlers need the extra energy and will get fibre from fruits and vegetables.”

Further resources recommended by the speakers are available from BNF, the Infant & Toddler Forum, First Steps Nutrition Trust and guidance booklets for early years providers from devolved governments in England, Scotland and Wales.

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UPPER LEFT Kathy Crowbrough & Katie Fordham

INTERVIEW | Dr Debby Watson

r Debby Watson is a researcher with special interest in playfulness and children with profound and complex impairments. She recently completed

her PhD study and is supporting the Case for Play inquiry launched by deaf-blind charity Sense into the provision of play opportunities for children aged 0-5 with multiple needs, in England and Wales.

What is playfulness?Playfulness is one of those things that is really hard to define, but unmistakable when you see or feel it. In children with complex and profound needs, it can be a bit harder to spot because of physical, communication and sensory impairments, but it is definitely there. Often, it’s a case of knowing a child really well and being able to recognise their particular expression of playfulness.

I would say that playfulness in children with complex needs involves several elements: a lift in mood; physical signs; increased awareness; increased motivation and a sense of fun and humour being present.

Why is playfulness so important for children with complex needs?Although it is also really difficult to say definitively why playfulness is important, in my research there has been strong evidence that it may increase well-being, arousal, communication and responsiveness; make the child feel good and have fun without being judged; help with development; enable the child to be connectedto others and may also have educational benefitssuch as transferring skills, increasing concentration, creative thinking and potentially helping children to entertain themselves.

Above all, though, I think that playfulness helps to make children become excited and have fun. In that state, other

Our readership survey revealed that you value tips and advice to help you in your work, so in this issue we bring you a question-and-answer session with Dr Debby Watson focusing on playfulness and children with complex needs

things such as the motivation to reach out or make sounds will follow.

What are the barriers to playfulness?It is remarkable that children with complex needs are playful at all considering the enormous barriers to playfulness that they have. To me, it shows just how fundamentally important playfulness is, because it survives barriers such as feeling unwell, being uncomfortable and being misunderstood – in addition to all the more obvious barriers such as not being able to get up and run around, or not being able to hear or see well.

Adult participants in my PhD study in playfulness and children with profound and complex impairments generally agreed that physical impairments were not the main barriers to playfulness. Instead, they felt that poor attitudes, low expectations and difficulties with communication (for the child and the person interacting with them) were more significant.

To me, it’s important to look at barriers and supports on three levels if we want to encourage playfulness: within the child we need to be aware of the child’s preferences, character, communication style and impairments and how these things interact. Around the child, it’s important to think about attributes in supporters that enable receptiveness to, and messages for, playfulness and to pay attention to physical and psychological issues such as positioning, allowing time, reducing stress.

It is also vital to spend time preparing for playfulness and focusing on keeping it going. Beyond the child with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), it is essential that there is a permissive environment (psychological and physical), where


D

Making Senseof playfulness

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To find out more visit:www.sense.org.uk/content/play

playfulness is encouraged.

My personal plea to care professionals is to talk to the family about encouraging playfulness really early on when a child is identified as having an impairment. Playfulness for this group of children doesn’t have to be ‘special’, with specialist toys or training; it needs to be as natural and as fun as possible, just encouraged for its own sake,

not so that a box on an assessment form can be ticked. Siblings and other children are really good at it and we could learn a lot from them.

How can we support children with complex needs to be playful?

In lots of ways! However, many of them will be very individual to a particular child.

During my PhD research, I looked carefully at what sort of attributes people need to encourage playfulness and the top three things were: knowing and understanding the child well, with trust between the ‘play partners’ being established; being able to model playfulness and being willing to be silly and playful oneself; and being patient and persistent, not giving up easily if there seems to be little response, but willing to try different things out.

Finally, it’s really important to ‘tune in’ to a child and go along with the child’s choices as this can work well in encouraging playfulness.

Playfulness is such an important aspect of all of our lives, but for children with complex needs it can get lost in a world of assessments, health scares and exhausted carers. I hope that by promoting playfulness as a vital aspect of life through my research and involvement with the Case for Play it will go some way to putting it higher up the list of

priorities. After all, it’s not as if it’s not fun!

About the ‘Case for Play’ inquirySense has supported and campaigned for people with multiple impairments for the last 60 years. The charity is running a public inquiry into the provision of play opportunities for children aged 0-5 with multiple needs in England and Wales.

The inquiry aims to help lift the lid on the barriers that are preventing children with multiple needs from enjoying play activities, and potentially holding back their development. The evidence submitted to the inquiry will form the basis of a report setting out recommendations for nationaland local government and organisations that provideplay opportunities.

The charity would like families and professionals to come forward to share their experiences of the issue by taking part in online surveys, attending focus groups and responding in writing. The deadline for responses to the inquiry is November 27.

COMMENT | Chatterbox Challenge

Sing-a-longa charityChildren’s communication charity launches annual sing-a-long event

hildren’s communication charity I CAN has launched Chatterbox Challenge 2016, its annual sing-a-long fundraising event for children under 5 years old.

Embarking on its 15th year, the Chatterbox Challenge is open to registrations from nurseries and early-years settings across the UK. It encourages early years practitioners in nurseries and early-years settings to support and develop their children’s communication skills through rhyme and song, whilst raising money for the more than a million children in the UK with speech, language and communication needs that require long-term specialist help.

Chatterbox Challenge 2016, themed Ben & Holly’s Elf and Fairy Party, is supported by Entertainment One’s popular children’s TV show, Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom for the second year running. The official Chatterbox Challenge 2016 week will run from February 8-14, but I CAN says early years settings and nurseries can hold their challenge any time of the year.

“This year’s Chatterbox Challenge provides a fantastic opportunity to get children chattering and to encourage parents to join in and support their children’s communication development at home,” says Clare Geldard, I CAN Director of Operations. “Singing songs and rhymes is a great way to develop children’s communication skills which helps them to read and understand at school.”

Streetsbrook Childcare was one of the many settings that took part in last year’s Chatterbox Challenge, and won 1st prize in

the Silver Shooting Star Prize Draw, earning a visit from Ben & Holly themselves. Manager, Katey Moxley said: “We were super excited to receive a visit from Ben & Holly; the children had such a lovely afternoon meeting them and it caused quite a stir throughout the whole school!

“It was the first time we had taken part in the I CAN Chatterbox Challenge. We felt it was extremely important to raise awareness of children’s communication difficulties by taking part and ensuring our parents understand the importance of singing, telling stories and everyday interactions as fundamental in children’s holistic development.”

As you can read elsewhere in this magazine, speech, language and communication skills are essential for life and for learning. Without these skills, children will struggle to learn, make friends and reach their full potential. One in 10 children in the UK – more than one million across the country – has speech, language and communication needs that require long-term specialist help.

I CAN’s Chatterbox Challenge is supported by TTS, supplier of high-quality educational resources. Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom is supporting the challenge for the second time this year. Other partners include early-years groups Boogie Mites, Debutots, La Jolie Ronde, Talking Tots, Tots on Tour, Twinkland PACEY.

All of these organisations and groups help I CAN to reach more early years practitioners and families to highlight the important issue of children’s communication development.

Join in with Chatterbox Challenge 2016 and help raise funds for I CAN to help children have the best possible start in life.

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To register for a free fundraising activity pack, or to find out more about Chatterbox Challenge and Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom, visit:www.chatterboxchallenge.org.uk

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COMMENT | APPG Report

Provide it and they will playLast month, the Association of Play Industries (API) was one of the first to back a call from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on a Fit & Healthy Childhood for a holistic strategy from government on child development. Home Childcarer talks to API chair Mark Hardy about what the APPG’s report recommends for children’s outdoor play and the role of childcarers

T he APPG’s 63-page report covers a host of different aspects of play and play provision but has a single unifying message; that children will always play

provided they are given the opportunity to do so.

API chair Mark Hardy said: “We must ask ourselves if our children today have the same or better opportunities to play that we did. If they do not, then we must address that. This report makes some strong recommendations, which if followed, will have a positive impact on creating more opportunities for children to play. High quality public play facilities bring innumerable benefits to local communities that reach far beyond simply providing children with a fun place to play.”

The report’s key recommendations for government, backed by API is for play to be embedded within a whole-child strategy under the auspices of a cabinet minister for children responsible for cross-departmental roll out and co-ordination.

Hardy and the API commissioned a survey ‘Nowhere to Play’ and 98% of respondents recognised the need for children to be more physically active. “That’s fantastic,” says Hardy. “Everyone agrees that it is important, but more than 70% say they are worried that children are spending too much time in front of screens. If you put those two things together, actually it’s common sense and the ability to do something is in our hands.”

A second recommendation is for government to require local authorities to prepare children and young people’s plans including strategies to address overweightness and obesity with its physical, mental and emotional consequences.

“Government makes all the right noises,” says Hardy. “No one is going to turn around and say play is not important, but the reality in the parishes, councils and schools is a different matter. Everyone is having to make do with less. You can talk a good game, but when it comes down to it, shifting play off the agenda is easy to do.”

This is maybe why the group also recommends funding for play to be ring-fenced within local authority budgets and for barriers to outdoor play for children of all ages and abilities to be addressed.

The APPG wants to see communication through public information campaigns to parents and

families of the value of active outdoor play, including benefit:risk assessment. And Hardy says it is not just parents who havea role to play.

“If you look at play areas on weekdays during term-time, it tends to be

childminders, nannies and grandparents who take children [there],” he says. “We would

encourage them to get involved in their local parish councils and get their voices heard as they know what is attractive to children to play.”

Hardy is very much of the view “build it and they will come”. He believes in looking at the issue very simplistically. “Children play,” he says. “It’s natural. If you create the opportunities, children will play. A field might be standing empty, but once you put a play area in it, it will be busy.”

The Association of Play Industries (API) is the trade association for the UK play sector.

FEATURE | Story Telling

The power of story telling

averick Arts Publishing Ltd was launched in 2009 by Steve Bicknell and has been gradually gaining momentum over the last six years.

Now, with more than 30 books in print and another 25 due to be published in 2016, Maverick is seeing its growth curve steepen, and has delved into the educational market with its early-years readers.

The company believes that even though everyone leads such busy lifestyles, it remains crucial for young children’s development to spend time with adults, sharing and engaging over a picture book. Maverick also has a strong ethos of championing new authors and emerging illustrators, with a big emphasis on supporting them once their book is published.

Steve Bicknell, pictured opposite says: “Our big aim is to publish a first rate picture book that parents will enjoy reading to their children, who will be captivated by the strong story and fantastic illustrations. So far it seems to be working well.”

StorytellersOn the back of its expansion, Maverick has launched a new initiative to enable adults to get involved in promoting literacy to children. Maverick Storytellers is available to “enterprising and proactive individuals” with a keen interest in books. It was inspired by Lorna Gill, a storyteller and entrepreneur local to Maverick’s Horsham studio. Lorna runs her own book workshops for parents and toddlers and when she approached Maverick asking to sell their books at her groups the Maverick Storytellers scheme was born.

“Lorna approached us just at the right time,” says Steve. “We had been looking for a creative, innovative way that our books could be used in a pre-school situation for both

children and parents. We organised an open day session at our studio to introduce Lorna to some of our Maverick authors and to brainstorm ideas. It was very productive and great fun.”

The Storytellers scheme is a new approach to selling Maverick’s books directly to the customer. It has a flexible structure that can be moulded to suit the storyteller and the goals that they wish to achieve. They are encouraged to host storytelling sessions which allow parents to share the magic of a book with their child in a way that they can’t at home, through sensory play, craft activities and song, showing them the wealth of learning opportunities a picture book can offer.

Storytellers also share and sell the books in other ways, for example at book fairs, festivals, fetes, in mobile book carts visiting offices, schools and cafes and other ways.

The project is at its trial stage, but Maverick has its first three Storytellers signed up and proactive. “We have Louise White based in Reading, Lorna in Brighton and Sandra Brouet, based in London,” says Steve. “We are now ready to launch fully and would like to hear from any Home Childcarer readers who feel this would be a good addition to their lives.”


Innovative publishing company calls on Home Childcarer readers to share the magic of its books

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Black and WhiteLorna explains her decision to go down the Storyteller route: “There are lots of things happening in Brighton and lots of different sessions for parents and children to go to. I wanted to do something a little different, which is why I decided to have a storybook focus.”

Recently, Lorna did a session on Alice Hemming’s first book The Black and White Club. This is a story about George the Giraffe who is not allowed to join the penguin’s new club because he is not Black and White. He tries to paint himself black and white to get in but it doesn’t work. In the end, he forms his own club with a more inclusive theme.

Lorna explains how the session went: “This storytelling session was based on the colours black and white. The children sang a song about George using a parachute where lots of zoo animals were involved,” she says. “They then made black and white prints using giraffe templates or they decorated a giraffe mask with black and white decorations. The sensory play activity was a ‘small world in a box’. A plastic box was filled with rice and different black and white animals, which enthralled the children. They loved playing with the rice and playing with the animals. They also had the chance to get messy and play with black paint and make different animal prints.”

The storytelling sessions give children the chance to experience a story in a different way. It lets them immerse themselves in the story’s world. They get to make something crafty, which they are allowed to take home or they get to take part in a very messy sensory play activity, something that they perhaps wouldn’t be able to do at home. Because the sessions are quite calm and kept to a reasonable size, the children also get the chance to play and interact independently of their parents or carers.

“A storytelling session can be suitable for a wide range of ages from 1-9,” says Lorna. “The picture books are aimed at the age range 3-7, but because the session can include a variety of activities it is easy for storytellers to accommodate a range of ages and provide suitable games and activities for different age groups.”

The scheme encourages storytellers to include a sensory play activity as not many parents are able to do this at home, due to the space it requires and the mess it creates. They are encouraged to theme the sensory play around the story being read. This activity can take a variety of forms, from ‘small worlds in a box’ to smelly play dough capturing the scents imagined in the story.

Maverick provides resource sheets with ideas for activities for each book. There is also a private online forum for storytellers to share ideas with one another.

Get involvedSo, how could you get involved and what would being a Maverick Storyteller entail? The storytelling sessions can be flexible and you can discuss this with the Storyteller,


but Maverick provides a template to use or to adapt which is based on Lorna’s successful storytelling sessions. This template is as follows:

The story is first. The storyteller engages the children from the beginning by asking questions or pointing out pictures and different themes. Fun and games come next – the storyteller leads the children in a game or activity based on the story’s theme. Then it’s time to get messy – children can participate in either a craft activity or a sensory play activity also based on the book’s theme. They can take home something special to remember the book or get stuck in to a sensory activity which they wouldn’t necessarily do at home. To end the session, the storyteller will read either another story on the same theme or sing a song to calm the children down and get them ready to go home. The book the session is based on and other Maverick titles will be available to buy.

If you would like to apply as a potential Maverick Storyteller, email your details to [email protected] and you will be forwarded an application form. Once approved and signed up, Storytellers have access to a secure area on the Maverick books website to be able to download resources, order books, and join the storyteller/author Facebook social media site. If you own, run or work for a childcare setting, nursery, school etc… and can host a Maverick Storyteller at your facility, contact Maverick to find out if there is a storyteller in your area and then contact the Storyteller directly to arrange a workshop.

FEATURE | Story Telling

“It’s easy to get involved,” says Steve. “You can apply to us directly or to a Maverick Storyteller. You will need a reference from a teacher, librarian or carer who can vouch for your commitment to the programme. You will also need to be prepared to purchase public liability insurance and get DBS checked.

“Once your application has been approved, you will be able to purchase a Storyteller starter pack of 16 books. You will have access to the storyteller account with Maverick’s distributor, allowing you to buy any of the Maverick titles for a discount.

“As a Storyteller, you will be running your own business. You

can set your own prices and there is no limit to the amount of books you can sell. If you run regular workshops, you can also charge for the sessions,” says Steve.


Our reviews from Leo and his mum this time focus on a new series of books based on a TV series, as well as a resource book and a surprise for reluctant readers

This book is an adventure story and lots of things are discovered!

The main characters are Jessie, Henry, Benny and Violet. They are four lost children without a mummy or a daddy. The story is about these four poor, hungry children with no parents and no home.

The best thing is the good adventures they have finding a new home in railway boxcar.

The story made me a little bit sad because they don’t have parents and it made me learn how hard life can be with no home, mum or dad.

Children aged over six would like this book.

I would give it 9/10.

This is a series of three books; Magic Raindrops, Exploding Ice Cream! and Sandwiches in Space. They are storybooks for mini-scientists with 25 stickers too. They come from the TV show on CBeebies.

Each book is a different adventure and there are five main characters: Messy Monster who eats socks and loves sandwiches, Zoe, Felix, Zim and Zam.

The stories are little adventures and in every one Messy and his friends Felix and Zoe go out and they find trouble. Then they learn some science information from Zim and Zam that helps them to get out of the trouble. They learn how rain happens, about gravity and about tasting food.

The most interesting things about the books are when Messy and his friends go to different places around the world or even in Space.

It would be better if it started with how the children ended up losing their parents.

Mum says: Leo is not a natural reader, but he really enjoyed this book. Happily there are over 100 in the series to indulge his new-found passion. The author was a teacher back in 1942 and wrote the original 19 stories in the series to give early readers exciting stories to enjoy using the 500 most commonly used works in the English language. They are great confidence boosters for children who would otherwise struggle with a chapter book. We will definitely be seeking out more in the series.

THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

The stories make me feel calm, and joyful when Messy does funny things.

I think these stories are good for boys and girls between the ages of three and six.

I give these stories 7/10. They would be better if they were a bit longer so you could learn even more. It is good that at the end of each story they give you a round up of the science information you have learned from the story and the meaning of the new words.

There is also a doodle art pad with things to make and do and puzzles and games. It costs £5.95 too.

MESSY GOES TO OKIDOPages: 22 (each book), Publisher: Thames & Hudson,Price: £5.95 for each book

By: G C Warner, Pages: 155, Chapters: 13, Illustrations: L. Kate Deal,Prices: Vary, Available: from amazon.co.uk. Also available on Kindle

BOOK REVIEWS

WOODLAND ADVENTURE HANDBOOK By: Adam DovePages: 128Publisher: Frances Lincoln LtdPrice: £9.99

This is a great book featuring 10, 12-page adventures in the great outdoors from Forest Schools leader Adam Dove. Each woodland adventure activity has a structured story to capture the imagination of a child as well as a You Will Need list of the household items such as wool, vinegar, needles, cabbage and old plastic bottles. Each adventure needs to be set up, then there are games to play, things to make and ideas of what kids will learn as they follow the trail.

The adventures feature pirates, fairies, elves, wizards, unicorns, treasure and erupting rainbows to name a few and

really are great “recipes” for even the most novice and nervous of outdoorsmen and women.

Youngsters can make magic potions, build boats and rockets and learn about insects, animals, trees, water safety and more. The book is packed with useful photos and illustrations too and plenty of guidance, advice and instructions.

Highly recommended.

www.lovefoods4kids.co.uk

Contact Michele Budgen on 07977 916288or email [email protected]

We at Love Food 4 Kids have an excellent range of mealsincluding vegetarian options. We also cater for children withmultiple allergies such as gluten, wheat, dairy and many more.Please see our website for full details of the allergies coveredand for all meals created.

Nutritious and healthy mealsdesigned with children in mind

Catering for Childminders, Nurseries,Schools, Soft Play Areas, etc.


DIARY | Judith’s Blog

Judith says staying inside should not be your option when the chill sets in

inter is with us, and childminding can seem much harder when the days are shorter, colder and often duller.

So what can childminders do with children in the winter to keep them entertained? You may be tempted to stay indoors more, to keep warm. But I believe there is no need. If you’re too cold outside, you’re either dressed inappropriately, or you’re not moving around enough!

It’s best to start the winter with a note home to parents asking for wellies, coats, gloves and hats. A change of clothing is also a must (probably for yourself, as well as the children), unless you are lucky enough to have coveralls. Take lots of photos or videos while you’re out. That wayyou can show parents why the children get so dirty.They’re learning!

So why spend time outside when it’s cold and damp? I believe that children have more freedom to learn and develop when they are outdoors, and that every aspect of the Early Years Foundation Stage can be covered, without them even realising it. Take puddles, for example. You have two main options when traversing puddles with toddlers. You can think; “Oh, no they’ll get wet and filthy,” or “My goodness - what an amazing learning opportunity”. I’m glad I chosethe latter.

I remember the fascination all my minded children had with puddles and mud. I even remember the fun I had myself. Having

Judith’s blog – childminding development worker

Brave the cold and get outside

children with me was like having permission to really explore all the sensations of touch, smell, sound, sight and taste, although admittedly taste usually came by accident if I was talking too close to an enthusiastic puddle jumper. What better way to understand the world around them? The obvious gain from puddle exploration is the physical development opportunities. Children will happily run and jump for ages if they have a convenient puddle to do it in. You may not think there is much opportunity for fine motor skills, but if you take a bucket with you, you can encourage children to pick out leaves, stones and sticks from the puddles. If you also show them how to swirl the water with a stick, or make patterns in the mud, you have the beginning of early handwriting skills.

Self-care can be promoted if you involve children in risk assessment. What do they need to wear if it’s wet or cold? What happens to their bodies if they don’t wear suitable clothing? What about food and drink? What is seasonaland healthy?

At home, when the water froze outside, the children were even more excited. They chipped, dug, carved and collected. They measured, weighed and transported. They watched it melt and re-freeze another day. The maths and science opportunities were huge. Other maths and science

opportunities include counting puddles or

W

Judith xwww.judithnoelquinn.wordpress.com

icicles, finding out what materials float, making whirlpools with sticks and dropping things in to see what happens, seeing how long it takes to splash all the water out of a puddle, talking about different sized puddles, snow balls or icicles, and looking at the effects of the wind on puddles.

When the grass in the garden (or park if you don’t want your lawn ruined) gets really boggy, it’s an ideal time to take the ride-on toys out. But surely the wheels get stuck, I hear you cry! Yes, yes they do. That’s when you can sit back and watch them problem solve. Will they pull the tractor out and go around the puddle, or use planks of wood to help them go through?

Then, there are the language and communication opportunities. The puddles may be deep, shallow, muddy or icy. They may be squelchy, squashy, cold and squidgy. Why not make up songs or stories with the children about the mud, ice or snow? Don’t let the shorter days put you off going outside later on. The dark presents a good opportunity to develop listening skills. Provide torches for investigation and children can listen for their footsteps in water, or the rain falling. You can discuss how things look different in the darkness and have fun shining the torches on different surfaces to see if they are reflective.

If we do get snow, it will be a great opportunity for expressive art and design. Don’t stop at snowmen; help the children make snow scenes of their choosing and introduce small world toys to support their play. No snow? No problem; ice-sculpting, leaf-arranging, stick-drawings and collecting plants for table decorations and wreaths are all good ways for children to express themselves. If you’re really brave, let them use paintbrushes in the muddy puddles, then on a wall or fence.

Last, but not least, are the opportunities to develop the personal, social and emotional aspects of children’s learning

and development. Children will often admire their own reflection in water, and laugh as their reflection changes when the water ripples. Children have the space to make choices and take risks outdoors. In winter, only the risk assessment needs to change, not the access to nature. It is also good practice to talk to children about what they like or don’t like about winter, and how different weather makes them feel.

For some people, the winter is miserable, dark and cold. But it doesn’t have to be. I hope you enjoy this winter and teach children to enjoy it too. Make time to splash, squelch and slide.

I have yet to see a child jumping in a puddle without a grin on their face, or an adult for that matter!

45

Small Talk

Never forget the importance of communicationWe’ve had a brilliant time writing the Small Talk blog for the last few issues of Home Childcarer

Magazine. From thinking about early identification and support for children with speech,

language and communication needs, to looking at how digital technology impacts on language

development, to thinking about involving all children in developing their language and

communication through ‘no pens’ activities, we hope that you’ve enjoyed reading the blogs as

much as we’ve enjoyed writing them.

As we’ve discussed over the past few issues, supporting speech, language and communication

isn’t an ‘extra’, it’s an integral part of child development that needs to be nurtured:

Communication and language is one of the three prime areas of the Early Years Foundation

Stage, and oral communication is viewed as a key element of literacy teaching for school aged

children and young people. Placing a focus on speech, language and communication however

can sometimes be difficult; because it’s so implicit in all that we do we can forget to focus on it

as a skill in its own right. On the other hand though, the central role of communication means

that it’s an element of child development that can be a part of any activity; whether it’s playing

outside, having a snack or walking to the shops; playing, talking and listening can be embedded

across everything we do.

If you’re interested in the work of The Communication Trust, there are lots of ways you can

continue to be involved:

Sign up to our free monthly newsletters – If you’d like to continue to receive information

about the work that we do, the work of our 50+ consortium members and the sector as a whole,

you can sign up to our website to hear all about what’s going on in the world of speech,

language and communication www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/latest-news/our-

newsletters/

Become a language and communication champion – We rely on practitioners who help

us to spread the word about the importance of speech, language and communication in their

local areas – if you’d like to join our team of almost 250 Local Champions, you can find more

information here: www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/projects/local-champions/

Follow what we’re up to on Twitter and Facebook – You can see what we’re getting up to by

following @Comm_nTrust on Twitter and liking Communication Trust Charity on Facebook

Learn more about speech, language and communication – If you’d like to look in more

detail at how you can support children’s speech, language and communication

development in your everyday practice, you can register for our free online short course

here: www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/early-years/register/. If that whets your appetite

and you’re interested in learning even more, why not take a look at the accredited Level 3 Award

in Supporting Children and Young People’s Speech, Language and Communication, which is now

available as an online course. You can register your interest at www.platform3online.org.uk

Keep in touch – To contact a member of The Communication Trust team please email

[email protected]

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The Communications Trust is a coalition of nearly 50 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication.

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