The Voice of Early Childhood

This episode is sponsored by Funding Loop:

Funding Loop automates the process for nurseries of collecting funding forms from parents and typing that information into council portals. Funding Loop is used by over 2000 nurseries including over 80% of the top 25 nursery chains in the UK including Busy Bees.

To find out more visit: https://www.fundingloop.co.uk/home

Rachael Webster problematises the English Government's campaign for early childhood professionals, namely the advert: Do something big, work with small children…Rachael highlights the complexity, impact and importance of the early childhood profession, discussing ways in which we can shift perspectives and recognise the vital role of educators.

Read Rachael's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/do-something-big-changing-the-narrative-around-working-with-small-children/

Episode break down:

00:00 – Government advert: Setting the scene 04:00 – The intent is right, but the delivery is questionable… 07:00 – How society sees the early childhood sector 10:00 – Parents' view of the early childhood sector 13:00 – Education vs early childhood provision 16:00 – Highly feminised job roles 20:00 – Consumer based economy 21:20 – What can we do to change these narratives? 23:00 – Advocacy and lobbying government 25:00 – A desperation for staff 27:00 – What would be the alternative to this advert? 33:40 – The challenges of advertising to women 37:00 – The need for aspirational advertising campaigns 39:00 – The view of educators as glorified babysitters

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Let's discuss the challenges around speech, language and communication, and how these can be overcome. Julie Kent and Dr Tanya Richardson discuss their professional and academic insights, including aspects explored in their new book. They unpick why language development is currently considered a public health problem and suggest approaches educators and parents/carers can take to reduce this concern.

To read Julie's and Tanya's article and find a link to their new book visit:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/communication-and-language-in-early-childhood-today/

Episode break down:

00:00 – A public health concern… 04:30 – Supporting communication and language of ALL children 07:00 – What is a 'language rich environment'? 10:00 – Feeling comfortable to communicate 13:00 – Conversing back and forth 14:00 – Being genuinely curious with children 17:00 – Communication impacting wellbeing 19:00 – Child sensitive communication approaches 21:00 – Communicating pre-birth 22:30 – Communicating through day to day routines 24:30 – The environment as the third teacher 26:00 – Provocations, awe and wonder 28:00 – Empowering educators 30:00 – Free training and CPD 33:00 – Being critical consumers of content 34:00 – Tiny Happy People 35:00 – Julie's and Tanya's new book 37:00 – Free copy prize draw and book signing

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

To celebrate 100 episodes of The Voice of Early Childhood podcast we have a very special guest with us...the pioneering Professor Alison Clark. Best known for advocating for the voice of the child through her pioneering research with Professor Peter Moss on the Mosaic Approach: A participatory, multimethod approach of listening to young children's voices within qualitative research.

Professor Alison Clark shares with us decades of important work and research that has resulted in the pioneering practice of slow pedagogy within early childhood. Throughout the episode we unpick the concept of 'slow', from slow pedagogy and slow knowledge, to temporal and spatial thinking, the child's voice, gathering children's stories and collective memories, and much more.

To read more and download the free Froebel Trust slow pedagogy pamphlet visit:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-can-we-learn-from-slow-pedagogy/

Episode break down:

00:00 – Professor Alison Clark's work 03:00 – Children's views in family services 06:00 – Experts in their own lives 07:30 – Links between listening and slowing down 08:45 – Moving from 'technique' to 'language' 09:05 – Preparing for 21st century skills 12:00 – Time – an overlooked resource 15:30 – The slow movement from the 1980's 16:30 – The 1 minute story… 17:00 – Is re-reading the same story a waste of time? 20:00 – A sense of belonging through the outdoors 22:20 – How children 'story a space into a place' 24:00 – Gathering children's stories and collective memories 25:00 – An inclusive sense of belonging 28:00 – Freedom with guidance 29:30 – Wellbeing and slowing down 32:30 – What is 'slow knowledge' 35:30 – Making time to return to past thinking 38:00 – Keeping a 'slow journal' 43:00 – Going from slow to deep knowledge and pedagogy 44:00 – Re-visiting project work 46:00 – Ergonomics and slowing down

47:00 – What does slow look like indoors? 50:00 – Free Froebel Trust pamphlet

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

This episode is sponsored by Mini Minds Matter. Find out more here: https://www.minimindsmatter.org.uk/

In recent years, there has been a shift in how we approach children's emotional development, moving away from measures such as "time out" towards a more holistic, supportive approach that helps children navigate and manage their emotions. This podcast episode and article explores the importance of emotional intelligence for both children and adults, emphasising the roles of self-regulation and co-regulation in fostering emotional growth. It highlights the need for both parents and practitioners to develop emotional awareness and regulation strategies, in order to create a stable and supportive environment for children's emotional development.

Read Julie's and Charlotte's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/its-not-time-out-its-time-in-for-both-of-us/

If you enjoyed this episode you might also want to listen to and read:

Self-regulation, co-regulation and mental health, by Dr Mine Conkbayir: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/self-regulation-co-regulation-and-mental-health/

Episode break down:

00:00 – Why is "time out" not healthy? 07:00 – Connect rather than reject 08:00 – An adult's self-regulation 11:00 – Creating acceptance 11:50 – What does 'time in'/co-regulation mean? 19:30 – Tips for regulating anger 22:00 – Mini Minds Matter: What is it? 30:00 – Why we shouldn't say 'be a big boy' 32:40 – No emotion is negative or positive 34:30 – Equipping children with tools for self-regulation 39:30 – Don't be furious, be curious 41:00 – Self-regulation for the adult

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

This episode is sponsored by The Little Coach House and Jane Todd Nursery Business Support. Find out more here:

The Little Coach House: http://www.littlecoachhouse.co.uk/

Jane Todd Nursery Business Support: http://www.janetodd.co.uk/

Working in early years is incredibly rewarding, but is it always viable? Jane Todd, an experienced early years business owner has had 5 early years related businesses; early years music classes, two nurseries, training & consultancy and an early years resources company. But how easy is it to get established in the early years sector?

Speak to Dr Jane Todd at The Voice of Early Childhood Conference on 8th February 2025:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-conference-2025/

Read Jane's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/navigating-the-realities-of-business-ownership-in-the-early-year-sector/

If you enjoyed this episode you might also want to listen to and read:

Business growth in early childhood by Jordan Tully: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/sustainable-business-growth-in-early-childhood/

Episode break down:

00:00 – The journey from education into business 04:00 – What is the Kodály approach 06:00 – Is there a 'right time' to open a business? 09:50 – Keeping going when it's tough 13:00 – Why did you sell your nursery? 18:00 – Making a difference from a distance 19:00 – Don't undersell yourself! 23:00 – You have a responsibility of making money… 26:30 – The Voice of Early Childhood Conference 2025 28:30 – Marketing yourself and your business 34:00 – Buying a closed down business 38:00 – Investing into educational resources 40:00 – Meet Dr Jane Todd in person…

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

A reflective piece on experiencing burnout as a Black nursery manager; recognising its signs, overcoming challenges, and fostering inclusivity and equity while prioritising mental health and sharing strategies for recovery, inclusivity, and equitable leadership practices.

Read Lorraine's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/my-experience-with-burnout-as-a-black-manager/

If you enjoyed this episode you might also want to listen to and read:

Leaving Teaching: Dear Teaching…It's you, not me –

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/contributors/eva-kyriacou-anastasi/

Educator burnout: Is this sustainable? –

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/teacher-burnout/

Episode break down:

00:00 – What is burnout? 04:00 – Burnout from a Black perspective 06:20 – Racism and subconscious bias 10:30 – 'I don't see colour' 14:30 – Communities and safe spaces 17:30 – A mentor that looks and sounds like me 20:00 – Tokenistic gestures 25:00 – A people first approach in business 28:00 – Support for Black leaders 30:00 – Open feedback loops 32:30 – Taking accountability 35:45 – Putting a name to how you are feeling 38:20 – Identifying burnout before it's too late 43:00 – Taking sick days for feeling run down 44:45 – Challenging mental health stigmas 46:00 – Setting boundaries and prioritising self-care 48:00 – Delegating responsibilities 49:40 – Promoting a culture of open communication 52:00 – Celebrating small wins and reducing self-blame 52:45 – The power of positive affirmations 54:10 – Helping someone out of burnout: Empathy first 55:40 – Fostering trust in your team and business 56:45 – Policies offering real support 59:00 – Key takeaways

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

As more children need some form of augmentative and alternative communication, the use of Makaton is increasing. Rachel Makepeace, a Makaton tutor and Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher, shares her experience of using Makaton to support children with speech, language and communication needs, as well as how Makaton has the potential to aid language development for all children.

Read Rachel's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-is-makaton/

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:

Why is my child not speaking yet? By Gillian Craig:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/why-is-my-child-not-speaking-yet/

Supporting behaviour: Reaction vs response by Cheryl Warren:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/supporting-behaviour-reaction-vs-response/

The power of play in the absence of language: Bridging language barriers for EAL children by Marlis Juerging-Coles:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/bridging-language-barriers-for-eal-children/

Episode break down:

00:00 – What is Makaton? 02:45 – Inclusivity and accessibility 03:45 – Rachel's journey to her current role 06:00 – Additional processing time 08:00 – Working with communities and service providers 08:50 – Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) 10:40 – How early can children learn Makaton? 14:00 – Is Makaton difficult to learn? 15:55 – Is Makaton the same as sign language? 17:50 – Varied Makaton training 20:00 – Training for parents and carers 22:00 – What age group is Makaton most suitable for?

24:00 – Makaton taster sessions

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

In this episode and article, Olivia Corbin-Phillip encourages us to see all conversations as stories, as we are all storytellers…Olivia explains that giving children the gift of becoming storytellers is incredibly valuable; from exploring emotions in the safe space of stories, to giving children agency, choice and voice through, there is so much incredible value in building a lifelong love of stories.

Read Olivia's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/the-value-of-storytelling/

Attend Olivia's workshop:

Olivia will be speaking at The Voice of Early Childhood Conference on 8th February 2025, on the topic of: Using stories to build confidence & improve oracy.

To find out more visit: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-conference-2025/

Episode break down:

00:00 – What does a professional storyteller do? 03:00 – An unusual career journey!...How do you embark on a storytelling role? 03:00 – Leading with your passion 08:40 – The difference between books and storytelling 10:30 – Giving children the gift of becoming storytellers 12:20 – Visualisation in storytelling 17:20 – The 'as is' and 'as if' world 18:30 – Exploring emotions through storytelling 26:00 – Developing important life skills through stories 28:38 – Fostering a lifelong love of stories and books 30:00 – What if the adult is not confident in telling stories? 34:00 – Building on what children already know

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Mattie talks about transitioning from one career to another and the challenges of working in both a male dominated as well as a female dominated workplace. The ups and downs are discussed, including prejudices and stereotypes, as well as making a positive impact through valuing differences, and Mattie's current work around supporting his setting in becoming a centre of excellence.

Read Mattie's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/exploring-career-challenges-for-male-educators-in-early-childhood/

Support for men:

To support men in early childhood further, we have partnered with Male Childcare & Teaching Jobs as part of this episode and ongoing podcast series on 'men in early childhood'. Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs advocate for greater male participation in education and caregiving roles, offering support and guidance to enhance gender inclusion in nurseries and schools.

To find out more visit: https://malechildcareandteachingjobs.co.uk/

Listen to more:

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:

The emotional toll of gender stereotypes on male educators – Simon Airey –

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/the-emotional-toll-of-gender-stereotypes-on-male-educators

What is it like being a man in early childhood – Kevin Nelson – https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-is-it-like-being-a-man-in-early-childhood/

Men in early childhood home page:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/articles/men-in-early-childhood/

Episode break down:

00:00 – From flipping burgers to leading a pre-school class 04:00 – Drastic gender imbalances in both hospitality and early childhood 09:00 – Feeling accepted and welcomed in early childhood 11:00 – Becoming a centre of excellence and re-writing the curriculum 23:50 – The value of self-reflection for personal and professional growth 26:00 – Job satisfaction and similarities between hospitality and early childhood 30:00 – Working in partnership with parents by taking a step back 35:00 – A generally positive experience of working with parents as a man 38:00 – Questions around sexuality from parents 40:00 – Role modelling differences as a positive 47:00 – Finding your own path in the early childhood profession 49:00 – Working in a service industry and making a difference to people's lives

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Yinka Ogunnusi encourages us to be critical educators and view our practice through an anti-racist lens. From code switching, tackling the feeling of guilt and the politics of early childhood, to 'I don't see colour'…Olayinka shares both the practical and reflective ways in which we can create racially just spaces.

Read Yinka's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/promoting-racially-just-spaces-in-early-childhood-education/

Attend Yinka's workshop:

Yinka will be speaking at The Voice of Early Childhood Conference on 8th February 2025, on the topic of: Cultivating a critical approach: Targeting social justice & anti-racism. To find out more visit: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-conference-2025/

Episode break down:

00:00 – What are racially just spaces? 02:00 – Where do we start with racial justice? 03:00 – Looking through a Bronfenbrenner lens 10:15 – 'I don't see colour' and equity vs equality 13:15 – The discomfort of asking questions about race and culture 19:30 – Tackling the feeling of guilt within anti-racist practice 23:00 – Anti-racist hiring practices 26:03 – Code switching – what does this mean? 38:14 – Are children too young for conversations around racism? 43:00 – Reflecting on the power we have as educators 45:30 – Equipping children to be anti-racist 52:45 – Culture is far more than food and clothing 57:00 – Auditing our policies and procedures through an anti-racist lens 59:50 – Yinka's conference workshop

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com