east sussex early years personal, social and emotional ... · web view2019/10/03 · east sussex...

Guidance on Meeting Children’s Emotional Needs in the Early Years (0-5 years)

East Sussex Early Years Personal, Soci

1

This guidance has been written as a result of collaboration between the Early Years Improvement Team and Early Years ISEND as a response to the current national focus upon mental health and well-being, alongside increased frequency of enquiries from early years' settings about responding to children’s emotional needs.

Young children may experience surprises and changes to routine, activities and people throughout their day, as well as a number of transitions. Their reactions to these events may give rise to an emotional response as this may be their only way of expressing themselves and communicating distress or an unmet need.

Getting to know children well and tuning into their feelings may help predict when emotional responses will occur but also how to manage them when they do. Throughout this guidance we emphasise the importance of consistency across every person working with the child but also the importance of working in partnership with parents from the earliest possible opportunity, for example when they register at the setting. A range of strategies and advice are provided to support settings and parents. The Personal, Social and Emotional Development Pathway will provide guidance on sources of support and help.



ContentsSection Page

Introduction 1 Introduction

2 Contents

3 Key Terms

Relationship-Building

5 Parent partnership and attachment

7 Introductory letter for parents at registration

11 Getting ready for nursery

Foundations of good practice

18 Assessing well-being and involvement

21 Co-regulation, self-regulation and resilience

24 The Resilience Framework

Support and strategies

26 Factors that affect wellbeing in young children

28 What to do if you are concerned about a child’s wellbeing

29 Strategies to consider and try

30 Top tips for settings to promote wellness and well-being for children

33 Wellness and well-being tips for children – top tips for parents and carers

35 Top tips for looking after ourselves and our team

Further reading

36 Useful websites and books

Key Terms

2


To help you we have included some commonly used terms below. You may wish to use these for staff training exercises.

Children’s behaviour: It is important to remember that there is always a reason for a child’s behaviour. This is their way of telling you that something is not quite right. What could it be? Are they hungry? Sad? Is something not right at home? Has the child been through trauma or abuse? Are they unable to communicate their needs? Do they not know how to play with others?

Brain development: The brain has an ‘upstairs brain’ and a ‘downstairs brain’. The ‘upstairs brain’ (the prefrontal cortex) regulates our emotional responses and enables us to think, concentrate, control overwhelming feelings like fear and anger, problem solve, delay gratification and curb impulsive behaviour.

We also have a reactive ‘downstairs brain’. This part of the brain is home to the limbic system – our brain’s emotional centre. It is where we process emotions and store memories. Crucially, it is also home to the amygdala (our brain’s panic button which is responsible for fight or flight). So, when a child feels anxious, threatened, stressed or upset, they ‘flip their lid’ and consequently operate from their ‘downstairs brain’.

‘Flipping the lid’ is an emotional outburst that typically looks like a child losing control of their responses – crying, screaming, hitting and ultimately losing the ability to remain calm in the face of adversity. The prefrontal cortex/‘upstairs brain’ has lost the ability to regulate the ‘downstairs brain’ and the result is a complete loss of control. Once the child has lost control it is very difficult for them to return to a safe, psychological state which is necessary for their overall wellbeing and their ability to thrive emotionally, socially and intellectually.

It takes approximately 25 years to build a prefrontal cortex (part of the upstairs brain). It is little wonder that children can find it difficult to ‘think before they act’. We therefore owe it to every child to help fill their ‘emotional toolkits’ with those essential life skills that will enable them to navigate their way through their early years setting, school and beyond.

Co-regulation: Broadly described as an interaction between two individuals and the strategies used to help regulate the child’s emotional responses to the environment. Co-regulation plays an integral role in facilitating children’s emotional responses. It is generally achieved by the adult showing genuine understanding and empathy; by scaffolding and modelling the child’s emerging emotional responses and supporting the child to manage these often overwhelming feelings.

Self-regulation: Once a child has been supported and shown how to regulate their emotions by the adult (co-regulation), they will start to be able to self-regulate. A child’s ability to self-regulate negative emotions when in distress enhances mental and physical wellbeing; the adult still plays a key role in nurturing a child’s emergent self-regulation.

3


Resilience: The ability to bounce back in the face of adversity (a difficult or unpleasant situation). Resilience is not a trait we are born with, nor does it happen automatically. It certainly does not develop by ‘letting babies cry it out’ or believing that leaving children to battle with distressing situations unsupported will ‘toughen them up’. Resilience can be built once the child is able to self-regulate their emotions.

Attachment: Attachment is ‘an affectionate bond between two individuals that endures through space and time and serves to join them emotionally’ (Klaus & Kennel 1976). In attachment theory, an attachment is a bond or tie that develops from a child's need for safety, security and protection. Human babies need attachment to others for their survival.

Talking about feelings and emotions: It is important to always talk about what we are feeling (even as adults) in order to understand our emotions and to work out how to deal with them. This needs to become “normal” and part of everyday interactions. Talking about emotions when they happen for the child and when playing and reading stories will help the child to recognise emotions and build a library of healthy responses to deal with them. It is important to role-model healthy responses for the child.

The role of the keyperson: If a child attends an early years setting, they will have a keyperson. The keyperson plays a very special and important part in forming healthy attachments with their key children. The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework 2017 (EYFS) states that ‘Each child must have a key person. Their role is to help ensure that every child’s care is tailored to meet their individual needs to help the child become familiar with the setting, offer a settles relationship for the child and build a relationship with their parents.’1

Parent Partnership and AttachmentIt is vitally important to promote shared expectations and clear lines of communication as soon as children are registered at your setting. 1 Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (2017), P. 10, (1.10)

4


The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 20172 states:

“Overarching principles

6. Four guiding principles should shape practice in early years settings. These are:

• every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

• children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

• children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

• children develop and learn in different ways (see “the characteristics of effective teaching and learning” at paragraph 1.9) and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.”

Children may mirror behaviour so being able to experience a positive relationship between key person and their parent/caregivers will help them to feel safe and therefore settle.

“Children are born with a range of innate behaviours to maximise their survival. Among these is attachment behaviour, which allows the child to draw their primary caregivers towards them at moments of need and distress”.3

Children whose caregivers respond sensitively and appropriately to the child’s needs at times of distress and fear in infancy and early childhood are thought to develop secure attachments to their primary caregivers. These children can also use their caregivers as a secure base from which to explore their environment. They have better outcomes than non-securely attached children in social and emotional development, educational achievement and mental health.

A successful relationship with the family and the child will help key-persons to:

Obtain sufficient information about the child to support their emotional well-being when they are settling in and throughout their time at the setting;

create a relationship based upon trust; reassure and communicate with parents;

The Ofsted Early Years Inspection Handbook (2019)4 states:

‘ A well-established key person system helps children form secure attachments and promotes their well-being and independence. Relationships between staff and babies are sensitive, stimulating and responsive.’ (P39)

2 Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (2017), P.63 Hart, A., Rathbone, A., Stubbs, C. Hinton, M., Buttery, L. Heaver, B. Duncan, S. and Spencer-Hughes, V. (2018) ‘Supporting children and young people in their mental health: A guide for East Sussex schools’.

4 Ofsted Early years inspection handbook 2019, No. 180040

5


Leaders engage effectively with children, their parents and others in their community, including schools and other local services. (P41)

A regular exchange of information with parents will help them to discuss any concerns they may have if opportunities for communication are commonplace and expected.

A sample introductory letter has been provided which can be a helpful starting point when a parent/carer registers an interest alongside helpful guidance for parents to help them prepare their child for starting at their new setting.

The "Getting Ready for Nursery" document which follows can be adapted and used to engage with parents from the very first contact you have with them at your setting. It should not replace, but instead enhance, the joint preparations between your setting and the child and parent before they start with you. It should be used alongside other materials to support the settling in process and build trusting relationships and partnerships with parents. The intention is that it is accessible for all parents and would be particularly useful for those with English as an additional language or communication limitations.

Sample introductory letter for parents at registration

(Setting’s logo and address/contact details)

6


Name and address of parent

Date:

Dear (insert parent/carer names)

How I will meet the needs of your child whilst they attend our setting

Welcome to (insert name of setting/childminder)

Starting nursery is an exciting time and I look forward to working with you and (insert child’s name)

* My name is (insert key person’s name) and I am going to be your key person and it is my responsibility to help you and (insert child’s name) settle into the setting. You will have been asked to complete some forms that will tell me about your child’s needs, interests, likes and dislikes and family background. I will use this information to support and reassure your child and so we can form an attachment to each other. This will help them enjoy their time at nursery when they are separated from you. I will always have the highest regard for you and your child and family.

* I will be the first point of contact with you each day and will make links with any other carer who is involved with your child, for example a childminder. We can then all share appropriate information about your child’s learning, development and wellbeing.

* I will tune in to your child’s individual routines, preferences, personality and learning styles and then work together with you to design and deliver a personalised plan for your child’s well-being, care and learning. There is an expectation that this is a two way process.

* I am responsible for sharing information with you on a regular basis and keeping learning and development records. I hope you will contribute to these too so that we can build a picture of your child in our setting and at home. I will give you a copy of ‘What to Expect When’ as this shows you how your child learns and what you can do at home to help them.

7


* I will make sure that your child has every opportunity to make friends with children and other adults in the setting. If I am not at the setting for any reason I will ensure that a back-up keyperson is available for you and your child to make contact with.

* I will also support you and your child if or when they move into a new class/room/setting/school and help with the building of new relationships and understanding of routines.

Daily communication between you (parents or carers) and me (the key person)

*Wherever possible I will greet you on arrival, welcome you and your child into the setting and discuss, share and explore any issues, changes or news.

* Sometimes children will find it difficult if they experience a big change in their lives such as having a new brother or sister or moving house. Please let me know if anything is different for your child as this may affect them physically or emotionally, their mood or behaviour, and I can support them and you to cope with these changes.

*Because I am present throughout the whole of your child’s day, with the exclusion of lunch breaks, I make sure they feel safe, confident and secure. This helps me to be aware of what your child enjoys, and the events which occur, so that your child and I can share these with you at the end of the day.

*Your child’s learning and development record will be available for you to see and contribute to at all times. Please do ask me to see it or if you would like to take it home for the rest of the family to see.

Settling in

*When your child starts with us you will be asked to spend at least one whole day in the setting with your child. This is very important for the following reasons:

8


o You get to see the day from start to finish and get to know the routines and the way in which the setting works (which helps you chat about this with your child later on)

o You will have time to read our policies and procedures and have the opportunity to discuss them with me or other staff and ask questions

o Your child is able to explore and experience every aspect of the nursery day. I can be active in playing with your child and starting to build a relationship and gaining their trust whilst you are alongside them

o We have the opportunity to get to know each other in a relaxed and informal way and your child can see we get along and are building trust and respect. We can decide together on the best way to settle your child in. This will always be at the child’s pace and cannot be rushed.

The following five step approach (Tassoni, P (2014))5 works very well in settling children into our setting;

Step one

The child and key person play with the parent alongside them.

The parent stays alongside but is no longer involved in the play.

After a while, the parent should disengage, and just the key person and the child playing. The child should be smiling and relaxed.

Step two

The child continues to play with the key person and parent remains alongside.

The parent moves away a little, for example to pick up a toy from the ground and brings it back.

This is repeated a few times, the child continues playing with the key person without interruption.

Step three

This is the most significant for the child. The child still plays with the key person and the parent is still alongside.

Then the parent strolls in and out of sight of both the child and the key person, but the key person must use a code or signal to tell the parent that this is a good time to either go or signal that this will take 15 times before that child will settle.

Step four 5 Tassoni, P. (2014) Getting it Right for Two Year Olds, London: Hodder Education, pp87-88

9

We can’t wait


The child is still playing with the key person but now the parent pops out of the room to collect an object e.g. a sticker for the child.

The parent tells the child that they are popping out explicitly and they will be back. Parents must show confidence and not ask questions, for example “Are you ok if I leave you for a little minute?”

The key person should reassure the child while the parent is out of the room. Physical contact helps reduce stress so a pat or stroke on the back with a question such as “shall we go and see this together?” will help.

Step five

Repeat step four but increase the absence of the parent. Once children know that their parents are leaving and are interacting with the key person, the parent can now leave for a larger period of time.

The child cannot be separated from their parent or carer for a full session until it is clear that the key person’s relationship is strong enough and that the key person can reassure the child.

I am looking forward to welcoming (insert child’s name) to the setting on (insert date).

In the meantime if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact the setting.

Yours sincerely

Signature(print name)

Getting ready for Nursery!

At nursery your child will meet lots of new people

10


Their keyperson

New friends

Friendly nursery staff

You will discuss start and finish times with the nursery:

Get ready to be at nursery at….

Get ready to pick your child up from nursery at….

Be there in plenty of time so your child doesn’t worry

11


There will be lots of toys, interesting things to do and explore and other children to play with!

During the nursery day your child will be able to:

Play indoors

Play outdoors Play games with other children and adults

Have stories and look at books

Do dancing and

singing

12


Make things, paint, stick and play with things like playdough and clay

If your child stays for lunch they may have a cooked meal or a packed lunch. If you provide the lunch make sure it is healthy and filling, the nursery staff can give you some ideas…

Make sure your child wears clothes suitable for playing indoors and outdoors and in all weathers. A coat and a change of clothes are a good idea for every day…

13


Your child will learn lots of new things at nursery and in time will be able to do these by themselves, including…

using a potty or the toilet

washing their hands with soap and water

wiping and blowing their nose

putting their own things where they belong

tidying things away and looking after books and toys

14


taking turns in gamesYou can help your child get ready for starting nursery by making sure they are healthy and well…by having a good bedtime routine and making sure they get plenty of sleep

by keeping up to date with immunisations

by visiting the dentist

by having an eye check

It will be really helpful if your child can make themselves understood by others or ask for help if they need it at nursery. So do lots of this at home to help them…

Talk about things you do together and listen to each other. With babies and non-verbal children you, as a parent, understand their needs through their body language and have your own ways of providing for their needs and helping them to settle. Make sure you share this with the setting e.g. singing a special song at nap-

15


time, patting or stroking when they are distressed.

sing rhymes and songs …

and share books stories

What questions do you have for the nursery…

?

?

?

?

Assessing Wellbeing and InvolvementThe Leuven Scales provide the ability to assess children’s wellbeing and involvement. They contribute to pracitioners development and enables settings to reflect upon their approach to promoting wellbeing and involvement in their setting. As part of a child’s induction into the

16


setting this is an essential first step. However the scales should be used for transition and change throughout their time at the setting. Remember that regular communication with parents will keep you advised of changes at home which may impact upon a child’s wellbeing.

‘Origin

‘As part of its policy to improve the quality of care provisions, Kind & Gzin (Child and Family) – the Flemish agency that supervises the care sector – took the initiative to develop an instrument that had to meet three requirements. (1) it has to serve as a tool for self-assessment by care settings; (2) it must take the child and its experience of the care environment as the main focus to look at and (3) It must be appropriate for the wide range of care provision including care of the under three’s in day care centres and family care we well as the out of school care for children up to the age of twelve.

‘Approach

‘The instrument has been developed by a team based at the Research Centre for Experiential Education (Leuven University – Belgium) under the supervision of Dr. Ferre Laevers. SiCs is based on a conceptual framework that has been developed during the last decades in the context of innovative work in pre-school, primary secondary and higher education. Two indicators of quality are central to this ‘experiential approach: ‘wellbeing’ and ‘involvement.

Wellbeing refers to feeling at ease, being spontaneous and free of emotional tensions and is good ‘mental health’. Wellbeing is linked to self-confidence, a good degree of self-esteem and resilience.

Involvement refers to being intensely engaged in activities and is considered to be a necessary condition for deep level learning and development.’ (1)

Where to find further information?

The manual providing guidance and forms is provided in the link below and may be a helpful staff training tool. For ease of reference the charts are also included on the next page but the guidance must be referred to in order for them to be used correctly.6

Use your observations on the child to track their level of wellbeing and involvement and see what it tells you. If the child is displaying low levels, explore why this could be and put strategies into place to support. Please note that children will not always be operating at high levels.

The Leuven Scale for Well-being

Level Well-being Signals

1 Extremely The child clearly shows signs of discomfort such as crying or

6 Taken from Sics (Ziko) 2005, Kind and Gezin and Research Centre for Experiential Education ISB: 8978-90-7743-76-8 https://www.kindengezin.be/img/sics-ziko-manual.pdf

17

https://www.kindengezin.be/img/sics-ziko-manual.pdf


low screaming. They look dejected, sad, frightened or angry. The child does not respond to the environment, avoids eye contact and is withdrawn. The child may behave aggressively, hurting themselves or others.

2 Low The posture, facial expression and actions indicate that the child does not feel at ease. However, the signals are less explicit than under level 1 or the sense of discomfort is not expressed the whole time.

3 Moderate The child has a neutral posture. Facial expression and posture show little or no emotion. There are no signs indicating sadness or pleasure, comfort or discomfort.

4 High The child shows obvious signs of satisfaction (as listed under level 5). However, these signals are not constantly present with the same intensity.

5 Extremely high

The child looks happy and cheerful, smiles, cries out with pleasure. They may be lively and full of energy. Actions can be spontaneous and expressive. The child may talk to him/herself, play with sounds, hum or sing. The child appears relaxed and does not show any signs of stress or tension. He/she is open and accessible to the environment. The child expresses self-confidence and self-assurance.

The Leuven Scale for Involvement

Level Involvement Signals

1 Extremely low

Activity is simple, repetitive and passive. The child seems absent and displays no energy. They may stare into space or look around to see what others are doing.

2 Low Frequently interrupted activity. The child will be engaged in the

18


activity for some of the time they are observed, but there will be moments of non-activity when they will stare into space, or be distracted by what is going on around them.

3 Moderate Mainly continuous activity. The child is bust with the activity but at a fairly routine level and there are few signs of real involvement. They make some progress with what they are doing but don’t show much energy and concentration and can be easily distracted.

4 High Continuous activity with intense moments. The child’s activity has intense moments and at all times they seem involved. They are not easily distracted.

5 Extremely high

The child shows continuous and intense activity revealing the greatest involvement. They are concentrated, creative, energetic and persistent throughout nearly all the observed period.

Co-regulation, self-regulation and resilience

19


Co-regulation > Self-Regulation > Resilience7

Co-regulation

This can broadly be described as an interaction between two individuals and the strategies used to help regulate the child’s emotional responses to the environment. Co-regulation plays an integral role in facilitating children’s emotional responses. It is generally achieved by the adult showing genuine understanding and empathy; by scaffolding and modelling the child’s emerging emotional responses and supporting the child to manage these often overwhelming emotional responses.

Self-regulation

Self-regulation is the ability to control one’s own emotions. Co-regulation is a necessary precursor to self-regulation. The attuned, responsive and focused gestures support the child to regulate their responses in line with what is happening in that context. It might be that a child had to tidy away before they could finish their drawing, or they were finding it difficult to say goodbye to a parent at drop off time. Your tone of voice, eye contact and cuddles can help to immediately enable a child to return to a calm and psychologically safe place.

Without self-regulation, children cannot survive relationships, education and later on in life, work – indeed life itself will be one constant battle. The ability to self-regulate negative emotion in distress enhances mental and physical well-being and loss of such capacity confers risk towards psychopathology (John and Cross, 20048).

Resilience

Resilience concerns one’s ability to ‘bounce back’ from adversity (a difficult or unpleasant situation). Resilience is not a trait we are born with, nor does its inception happen

7 Taken from Mine Conkbayir Consultancy, ‘Applying Neuroscience to Early Intervention’ Online Learning Programme (accessed September 2018)8

20


automatically. It certainly does not develop by ‘letting babies cry it out’ or believing that leaving children to battle with distressing situations unsupported will ‘toughen them up’.

The ability to be resilient draws upon different qualities. It draws on our ability to reflect, evaluate and make decisions in the face of adversity and is achieved over time through a combination of protective factors that enable people to adapt in the face of serious hardship. Resilience is essential to ensure that children who experience adversity can still become mentally and physically healthy, productive citizens.

TOP TIPS for co-regulation, self-regulation and resilience

Being an emotional container for the child. This means taking on their powerful emotional responses and making them more manageable, by using gestures speech and touch.

Being attuned (sensitive). This involves using a slow, calm and soothing tone of voice, open body language and touch to show synchronicity with the infant.

Using mentalisation (the adult’s capacity to experience the infant as an intentional (or able) being with their own personalities, strengths and feelings).

Providing continuity of care – providing infants with continuous caretaking from a small number of reliable and trustworthy carers to enable them to build secure attachments.

One quick, quirky way to get children and adults alike to calm down is to help them switch between operating from their downstairs brain, to their rational upstairs brain – get them thinking! You can do this by:

Asking them to play a game which requires them to identify/count the objects around them. You will obviously modify this according to where you are and the resources therein at the time.

Get their attention by doing something novel; this will depend on the age of the child but anything unexpected like singing a favourite song – you could also get them to give it a go. Whispering can also be effective as it means they have to tune into what you are saying.

Earlier intervention with parents (and where relevant, signposting pre-natal support) to enable parents to work through issues including attachment difficulties.

Reviewing the effectiveness of your setting’s keyperson system. Does it adequately enable co-regulation and consequently, self-regulation to occur?

Building in time for mindfulness in the daily routine, just a few minutes daily can make a positive difference to how children regulate their breathing and emotions – and their connectedness to others.

21


Encourage all children to “Name it to tame it” (Siegel, 2012) – encouraging children to talk through their emotional responses can diffuse the intensity and fear associated with them.

Ensure that all practitioners know how to respond empathically.

Active listening is a vital tool in co-regulating emotions – showing the child through your eye contact, facial expressions, language and body language that you are really listening to them can make all the difference in building a trusting relationship.

Include all children in decision making processes.

Supporting the child to identify their strengths. This can help to build self-confidence and help them to value themselves.

Acknowledging the child’s feelings through your use of language; “I can see that you’re upset/angry". I’m here to help you.”

Remembering the ABC of behaviour. There is always an underlying, deeper cause for the behaviour you observe. Making the effort to understand it can make all the difference when connecting to the child.

Encouraging regular exercise – physical activity is a positive distraction from negative thoughts and plays a key role in producing new neurons in the hippocampus9

Encouraging the child to learn a new skill or take on hobby to shift the focus and vent intense emotions can build stronger circuitry and a more resilient brain.

Behaviour modification and talking therapies can help the individual to work through their emotional responses to trauma.

Creating an oasis of quiet, to take the child to a more peaceful place. Going with the child’s needs at that time is most important.

The Early Years Resilience Framework

9 The hippocampus is a small, curved formation in the brain that plays an important role in the limbic system. The hippocampus is involved in the formation of new memories and is also associated with learning and emotions.

22


There are many different definitions of resilience used in research and practice. Some people think of resilience as:

Bouncing back, bouncing up or bouncing forward Doing better than you’d think given the circumstances Beating the odds

The Early Years Resilience Framework has been adapted from Boingboing’s ‘Resilience Framework for children and Young people’10 to specifically support children aged 0-5 (early years). The framework is originally based on Resilient Therapy (RT), the name given to the set of ideas and practices originally developed by Angie Hart and Derek Blincow, with help from Helen Thomas as part of their book11. Boingboing took the resilience research evidence base and put it together with other sets of ideas gleaned from their practice with very disadvantaged children and families in an NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic. Alongside this, Angie Hart’s adoptive parenting knowledge went into the mix and, more recently, they have collected experiences from those they are working with in their resilience Communities of Practice.

Boingboing distilled all these different sets of ideas into a handy table that summarises their approach and acts as a reminder to people of what is included when fostering resilience in children. This table can be used by early years settings, services supporting children aged 0-5 and parent/carers to ensure that all of children’s needs are being met so that their resilience can be built and strengthened.

For more information on fostering children’s resilience and the Resilience Framework, including the different types of Resilience Framework versions that are available, please visit www.boingboing.org.uk

10 www.boingboing.org.uk11 Hart, A., Blincow, W., Thomas, H., 2007, Resilient Therapy, Working with Children and Families, Routledge, London

23


Early Years Resilience FrameworkBASICS BELONGING LEARNING COPING CORE SELF

SPEC

IFIC

APP

RO

AC

HES

Good enough housing Instil a sense of belonging Make the child’s early years setting work as

well as possible

Begin to understand boundaries Instil a sense of hope

Enough money to live Begin to support the child to understand their place in the world

Begin to take risks and solve problems

Talk about emotions and support the child to

understand other people’s feelingsBeing safe Spend time with positive role models

Work with the child’s key person

Have a positive attitude towards experiences and to when things go wrong

Transport and getting to places

Form healthy attachments with important people Help the child to know

her/himselfThe more healthy relationships the better

Make plans; discuss how you’re going to do

something and then reflect on how it went

Foster the child’s interests

Healthy diet Make the child feel heard, valued and important

Begin to understand and self-regulate emotions with support from an

adult

Encourage the child to learn from others, but to also

teach othersExercise and fresh air Give the child age appropriate responsibilities

Enough sleep Talk to the child about happy memories and experiences they have enjoyed Support the child to

develop independencePersevere when difficulties occur

Start to teach the child about their own

responsibilities (age appropriate)Play and leisure Learn about and understand the child’s

background, where they have come from and what makes them unique

Being free from prejudice and discrimination

Highlight and celebrate achievements Seek support from

special person(s)Nurture what the child is

good atSupport the child to take risks and try new things Develop age

appropriate life skillsStart to form friendships and mix with other children Have fun! Learn and problem solve

together

Adapted from Resilience Framework (Children and Young People) Oct 2012 – adapted from Hart & Blincow with Thomas 2007 - www.boingboing.org.uk

24


Factors that affect well-being in young children

Routines

Routines can be useful for teaching and creating boundaries for young children. As well as forming good habits, they can help children to feel more comfortable and secure in knowing that there is certainty and predictability in their lives.

Having routines in place is important for children’s emotional well-being and is the framework of a child’s day. Children thrive on structure because they know what’s going on in their day; it helps them to feel like they are a part of it and belong. When a child is entering a new phase in their life it is helpful to use visuals so they know what to expect (see section “Top Tips for Parents and Carers”).

Diet

A healthy, balanced diet and regular physical activity are essential. Good nutrition is important for children to ensure they get the right amount of energy and nutrients needed to support growth, development, health and well-being.

Children need to have regular meal and snack times, including breakfast. They need to eat a variety of foods from the four food groups (carbohydrate, fruit and vegetables, protein and dairy) and eat more fresh foods and less processed foods. Children should not be given drinks high in caffeine i.e. tea, coffee, fizzy and energy drinks.

Some children have intolerances to certain foods which can affect their behaviour i.e. changes in mood; they may become irritable, aggressive, or suffer with anxiety, hyperactivity and headaches. The types of food that may impact upon behaviour are:

dairy artificial Colouring sugar preservatives food allergens

Physical Activity

Regular physical activity during the early years provides immediate and long-term benefits for physical and psychological well-being. A physically active child is a healthy child as it strengthens muscles and bones, prevents excessive weight gain, and reduces the risk of diabetes, cancer and other conditions.

25


Physical activity is also beneficial to the mental health of a child as it supports children by improving attention and concentration; in building confidence; managing anxiety and depression; increases self-esteem and cognitive skills.

Television/Screen Time

As children grow and develop, they can be easily influenced by what they see and hear, especially on television and the internet. While television/internet programs can be educational, many children have too much screen time. Child age-related TV and APPS can show children violent behavior that you do not want them to imitate, or that can cause fear. Children with emotional and or behavioral difficulties are likely to be more easily influenced by this type of violence. Extensive viewing of these images may cause greater aggressiveness. Parents can help decrease the harmful effects of television by vetting the type of programme and limiting the amount of time a child watches television. This can be achieved by:

paying attention to the programs their children are watching and watch some with them;

setting limits on the amount of screen time they have; consider removing the TV’s/tablets from the child's bedroom.

introducing a bed-time routine which includes time together, e.g. reading a story. This quiet time together enables children to talk to their parent if something is worrying them before they go to bed.

Sleep

Bath, Book and Bed! Having a routine is especially important for young children. A regular bedtime routine helps children to get the sleep they need and enables them to function at peak levels. Establishing and maintaining good sleeping-habits will help children to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested and refreshed.

Having a regular bedtime and wake time sets and aligns expectations for both parent and child. Consistency and follow-through are key ingredients for success, without them, you cannot expect a child to learn or change behaviour.

How does sleep deprivation affect young children?

If a child is sleep deprived then generally their behaviours will change from the norm. They can often become irritable, moody and more prone to tantrums. A child who doesn’t have enough sleep will generally be less happy than a child who gets enough sleep. Children are more prone to suffer from anxiety or depression or ADHD if they don’t get the required amount of sleep.

The brain needs a certain amount of sleep to learn tasks that a child has completed through the day and to consolidate memories. This means that the ability for children to learn effectively can be determined by the quality of sleep that they acquire.

26


What to do if you’re concerned about a child’s well-being

27

Step 1

Discuss concerns with parents/carersObtain permission to seek adviceContact the Health VisitorComplete developmental checksRequest/receive enhanced support through Community Nursery NurseRefer to other agencies, e.g. speech and language; paediatrician

Step 2

Complete observations and gather informationUse ABC chartsLook for triggersReview the physical environmentEarly Years Foundation Stage Prime Areas Referral to other agencies

Step 3Plan next steps following on from observationsIntroduce a Setting Based Support PlanIntroduce a Behaviour PlanComplete a risk assessment

Step 4

Work as a teamProblem solve togetherApply a consistent approachReview regularlyWork in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies

Step 5

If no progress is observed and recorded refer/contact ISEND Early Years.Receive telephone adviceComplete a Front Door referral. https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/inclusion-and-send/front-door-referrals/


Strategies to consider and try

28

The ChildIs the child:

hungry or thirsty? Offer regular access to snacks and drinks;

tired? Use a quiet area so the child can take a break; very active? Provide movement breaks and

opportunities to run around. Use sensory circuits for Alerting; Calming and Organising.Social and Emotional

Role model skills e.g. how to share and take turns. Role-model making mistakes and trying again. Ignore low-level behaviours and distract before it

escalates to a motivating activity e.g. bubbles, snack, sensory box, chewy toy.

Catch children being ‘good’ and give them clear, labelled praise. Rewards attempts e.g. ‘thank you for putting the cars in the box’.

Be consistent and have agreed boundaries within the setting.

Work as a team and support one another.

CommunicationUnderstanding what is happening and following instructions

Keep language clear and precise. Key words are essential. E.g. “shoes on”; snack.

Give the child processing time – it takes children 12 seconds longer to process information, especially with distractions around them.

Use positive language in commands. Be clear and tell children what you want them to do instead.

How does the child communicate? Do they use words, gesture, behaviour?

Physical FactorsThe Environment

Is the room too noisy or too bright? Provide a quiet area for children that need a break;

Are there distractions like flickering lights? Are there a variety of physical activities available?

Be VisualDid you know that on a day to day basis we learn:

3% by touch;3% by taste;6% by smell;13% by hearing; and75% through visual?

Use visual timelines for routines and refer to them regularly and before each transition.

Prepare for change using sand-timers and traffic light cards.

Use Makaton to support the spoken word.

Thinking Look at the stage of development of the child rather than the chronological age

and differentiate the activity to accommodate different levels. Look at the child’s skill-set and tailor the activity for the child. Consider using

the child’s interests to extend the activity. Does the child know what they are expected to do? Demonstrate and model

activities e.g. join in with tidy-up time; snack-time. Help the child to reflect on what went well and what they might do differently

next time.


Top Tips for Settings to promote wellness and well-being for childrenEveryone forms attachments; we adjust our behaviour to accommodate life experiences; we find ways to manage the challenges we face; learn from them and develop our resilience to similar experiences in the future. This affects our behaviour, our social interactions and the way we form our relationships. When a child has had adverse experiences they find ways to manage their interactions with others; sometimes these strategies are healthy and well-adapted but, sometimes, the child hasn’t had the opportunity to develop positive coping strategies and they therefore need the opportunity and support to do that.

In their early years children work out what is acceptable and what is not; they develop their sense of self and learn how to regulate their emotions. In this way they are able to receive support from an adult and listen to what that adult is saying. When a child is anxious, part of the brain is activated which can prevent that child from being able to take in information; to think, to plan and to operate on it. They may then respond with fight, flight or freeze responses and what we may see is some confrontational behaviour where the child becomes unable to follow instructions. This is not deliberate but is a reaction triggered by chemicals released in the brain as a response to perceived threat or stress. These children become easily alarmed and worried.

Children learn through play but if their play is not positive they struggle to learn as easily; they become over-reactive to interactions around them and may misinterpret the social interaction coming from other people (adults and children).

What might this look like?

The child may:

be confrontational (throwing, saying “no I won’t”, hurting other people and/or themselves)

become very controlling, be unable to share and follow direction

misinterpret social interactions and think they themselves are being targeted rather than understanding this is a standard acceptable interaction

be more competitive than their peers and this really matters to them

take things very personally

be very worried about whether they are loved and liked by their peers and adults around them

29


have difficulty with transitions; not just the big ones such as leaving home to go to nursery each day but also the smaller ones within the room e.g. moving from one activity to another or from one age-group to the next e.g. toddler room to pre-school room; indoors to outside.

may regularly experience powerful emotions and find it difficult to calm down even with adult support

may have difficulty empathising with others

BUT REMEMBER these are all defence mechanisms that the child is using because they don’t feel safe; it is not just ‘bad behaviour’. The child may use challenging or confrontational behaviour just to get a response from an adult whether it’s positive or negative… it is the response which provides them with the attention they crave.

If we can intervene and support these children now, they will be more able to develop emotional resilience and this will support their development in all areas of life. It is an ongoing process to help the child develop these strategies – little interventions throughout the day, every day, is much more effective than crisis management. Ensure every practitioner is consistent in their interventions and discuss your strategy with the parents.

Always think safety first: pre-empt and prevent high risk behaviours such as climbing, throwing, biting or running away. When the child is calm teach them appropriate ways to keep themselves and others safe. Social narratives can be very helpful.

*Always discuss any serious concerns about the child’s well-being and behaviour with your safeguarding lead*

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need:

Think from the bottom up: if we have a stable and solid base and our needs are met at that level, we are able to access the next level up. If a level is not secure, the higher levels are not going to be secure either.

30

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=imgres&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjPzYHx3o3WAhXJxRQKHcVOBeMQjRwIBw&url=https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html&psig=AFQjCNEuvjOMZo1eyJ2mYmjGRzrsmGsmwQ&ust=1504690450023061


Adults need to provide consistent, positive, calm and nurturing relationship with the child to enable them to develop more positive ways of engaging with themselves and others. This will require fostering an environment of trust and security.

Remember to intervene when they’re calm, share the strategies and introduce new ideas when the child is calm.

Remember the extinction response – things may get worse before they get better but don’t give in. It may take a while and you might see the odd glimmer of change after strategies have been in place for 6 weeks but they are going to be ongoing positive changes and well worth the investment of time.

31


Wellness and well-being for children - Top Tips for parents and carersThe child will need consistency.

If your child flips their lid (see Key Terms) there needs to be an agreed strategy and approach which is always the same, including how we communicate with them, as well as what actually happens to (and for) them.

Don’t ignore the challenging behaviour all the time; although this can be a useful strategy. What your child needs is to allow their upset to be acknowledged in a safe place. You can say “I know you’re feeling upset because….” Label what they feel and what has happened to make them feel like this, tell them it’s ok and that we all feel like this sometimes.

The way we communicate to them (come down to their height, make yourself physically smaller, use soft phrases and a soft tone of voice) makes a difference. This is particularly important if your child is emotional (upset, angry, confused, frustrated or anxious).

Show your child how to regulate their emotions and how to soothe themselves. Support your child to find ways of calming down (walk to a quiet space with them, gently wipe away their tears and gently rub their back for example). They might not want you to talk until they are calmer and they probably won’t be able to process what you’re saying at this time either.

Children do pick up on how the adults who are supporting them feel, so it is important to model being calm. Breathe slowly, speak calmly and quietly.

Use simple visual cues or exaggerated facial expression to help your child learn about different feelings.

Explore different emotions when your child is calm, label these emotions in others, be clear about why another person is feeling sad, cross or happy and work from there.

Keep chipping away and offering this work daily in small bursts.

Remember all behaviour communicates something so try stepping back and working out what that might be. Think out loud: “I think you’re feeling cross…when Abbi took your playdough I think that made you feel cross”. Let them know this is ok and that is it fine to be upset and angry. Help them learn they can recover from those feelings. Repetition helps them to process the message more clearly and effectively.

32


Some children may not like to be praised in public. It may be better to offer low level, gentle praise in private. Sticker and reward systems don’t always work for children who have low self-esteem as they are too public.

Some children may need an element of control for themselves, so give them positive ways to experience control. Give the child jobs and areas of responsibility. Offer them controlled choices (where you offer choices but ensure that they are all on your terms so that whatever the child chooses meets your needs) and try to do this the moment before things usually degenerate (pre-empt and prevent behaviour).

Using visuals:

Visual presentation gives a clear message and that can make the child feel more secure. Boundaries shown visually can be communicated more consistently and routines will always be the same.

However, there may need to be some flexibility in the routines such as your child being allowed to do something they like before the thing you want them to do so that they have an element of control which is acceptable to you

Use line drawn sequences and time lines that are personal for your child; these help to explain what you would like them to do

Visual explanations of where they’re going/ what for/ who with can help children to predict what is wanted and can make going out and coming home afterwards much easier.

Top tips for looking after ourselves and our team

33


It is accepted that the most valuable resource a setting has is the practitioners that work there. However, before we can help others we need to make sure we are in a good place ourselves and provide the positive role-model so that children learn what good mental health and positive well-being looks like.

Just as with children in our setting, life events, challenges and changes within the workplace may impact upon our well-being and impact upon our ability to work as effectively as we would like. Worries or concerns relating to families and their children may be stressful too and it is important that support from colleagues and management is available to support you during these times.

The following websites aim to provide helpful information.

After reading the guides you should:

Have an idea of how to manage your own mental health at work Have an idea of how to reach out to a colleague in distress Have an idea how you can work with others to make your workplace more mentally

healthy for everyone

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/how-to-support-mental-health-at-work.pdf

If you work alone you may feel isolated and have no-one to talk to. However, there are sources of support and help available. The following website helps the reader to identify key areas which impact upon well-being and provides a free, downloadable resource:

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health

Just what is stress? This website provides a deeper understanding of stress and its causes, symptoms and steps to take to help you tackle stress. http://www.stress.org.uk/what-is-stress/.

Finally the following books links provide a wealth of advice and guidance for businesses in the private, voluntary and independent sectors to assist you in promoting, not only a mentally healthy workplace, but also sources of support for when you need to support a member of your team.

Useful Websites and booksWebsites:

34


Czone—Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing (MHEW)https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/health-safety-wellbeing/mental-health-emotional/

I Can Calmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMvrK_8alOE

Boing Boinghttps://www.boingboing.org.uk/

https://www.boingboing.org.uk/resilience/definitions-resilience/

The Thrive Approachhttps://www.thriveapproach.com/

Kids Matter https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/mental-health-matters/should-i-be-concerned/suggestions-schools-and-early-childhood-services

https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/mental-health-matters/should-i-be-concerned/suggestions-families

Self-regulation and neurosciencehttps://www.upstart.scot/self-regulation-what-you-need-to-know/?fbclid=IwAR0GM_2qqou0aWu6ZRkYQBPw0lEGs-s1e4s0_Qh7Kc_Vr1_wvOne8S9pbyc

‘Just Breathe’ (emotional regulation) YouTube videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVA2N6tX2cg&list=PL3Niso5P8M067Cu7hqKcs6tG8tcOoV5PP

Cosmic Kids Yogahttps://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/schools-in-mind/resources-for-schools/supporting-mental-health-and-wellbeing-in-schools/?hootPostID=cdf2fb945ee424141fe5a156a9fc0d86

35


30 Games and activities to teach self-regulationhttps://theinspiredtreehouse.com/self-regulation/?hootPostID=e8075b44d5a54e91bdae5403c7105dbb

Young Minds Charityhttps://youngminds.org.uk/

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs/

Health in Mind: A free NHS service for anyone in East Sussex experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties such as stress, anxiety and depressionhttps://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/service-health-mind

Books:

‘Early Childhood and Neuroscience; Theory, research and Implications for practice’ by Mine Conkbayir, ISBN: 9781474231916

‘Tough Times; Helping young children to cope with difficult times’: Sally Featherstone and Clare Beswick, ISBN 9781408114643

‘Inside I’m Hurting; Practical strategies for supporting children with attachment difficulties in schools’: Louise Michelle Bomber, ISBN 9781903269114

Early Years Improvement Team and Early Years ISEND, Meeting Children’s Emotional Needs, October 2019

36

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/service-health-mind

east sussex early years personal, social and emotional ... · web view2019/10/03 · east sussex...

Documents