It is imperative that children feel that they belong within a setting and, more important, that they have a voice and know staff have listened to them attentively.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, Articles 12 and 13, state: 'A child's opinion should be taken into account on anything that affects them'. And 'Children should have information disseminated in a way that enables them to make choices and decisions'. This is a reminder to us that children do indeed have the right to be listened to and we should support them to make decisions in the way that they are cared for and how we teach them.
Let us not forgot that communication and language is a Prime area of the early learning goals. Therefore it is crucial that this plays a central role in a setting.
As a starting point, I would suggest that the senior management and/or staff, on a peer-to-peer level, carry out an audit on how children do indeed have a voice within the setting. At times, the only occasion when a child has any communication with an adult is when they are given an instruction, such as 'go and wash your hands before lunch'. However, over the years, I have witnessed some amazing interactions between the practitioner and child which show sustained shared thinking at a higher level.
It may be useful to specifically audit certain children as stated in Ofsted's evaluation schedule for inspections of registered early years provision, page five: 'How well do they help all children to make effective progress?'.
This includes children with SEN/disability and children who use English as an additional language, for example.
The pointers to think about:
- How often is the said child and/or children spoken to within a time frame?
- The quality of interactions - are they personal? Does the interaction consider the child as a unique person?
- Does the practitioner emotionally connect with the child?
- List the types of questions that the practitioner asks the child.
- Are the questions open-ended? Do they enable the child to answer and build on the practitioner's question?
- Does the practitioner 'stand back' and allow the children to problem solve by themselves?
- Do the questions give the practitioner the opportunity to find out more about the child?
- When communicating with the child does the practitioner build a positive rapport with the child?
- Does the conversation explore the relationships between the practitioner and the child?
- How does the practitioner get to know the child?
- Does the practitioner allow the child enough time to think and respond?
- Does the practitioner actively listen to children?
Part of the audit should also reflect on the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning, especially the clear links to 'creating and thinking critically'. For example:
Children have developed their own ideas
In practice:
How does the teaching help the children's learning to reach a higher level that enables them to develop their own ideas and make suggestions in their environment?
Make links between ideas
In practice:
How do children make connections with their ideas and how do practitioners sensitively support children to do so?
Develop strategies for doing things
In practice:
How do children solve problems by themselves and use their language skills to do this strategically?
In order for this to be effective, practitioners should have at the front of their minds the three EYFS themes - unique child, positive relationships, enabling environment and how, if all three of these are in place, children will learn and develop.
In addition, I believe that every setting should develop creative ideas to involve and consult with children. For example, recently, London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) carried out research with children on their views on the men who look after them.
How do practitioners support children to communicate using their language skills that secures their personal, social and emotional development, especially under the sub-heading of self-confidence and self-awareness? How does the enabling and emotional environment give children the opportunity to share their thoughts with their peers, know when to ask for help, why they like some activities and experiences more than others? This will all be age, stage and ability appropriate; hence, if practitioners start with the theme of the unique child they can't go wrong.
More important, how does the practitioner set the scene for children to protect themselves within the wider safeguarding agenda? This is what I call 'giving children language to self-protect themselves'. As an example children should be able to state their dislikes and use role play and stories to support this concept. For instance, if one child is flicking the hair of another child and the practitioner can clearly see that the child does not like it, he/she would offer suggestions to the second child to tell the first child to stop what they are doing. Equally, if an adult does something or says something that a child does not like, or which makes them feel uncomfortable and/or uneasy, the child should be encouraged to say so to the adult.
If it is age appropriate, and the inspector has sensitively developed a connection with the children, they may interact and talk with them about what they are doing.
The inspector may, for example, ask:
- What's your name?
- That's a lovely painting. What sort of colours have you mixed together?
- I can see you are enjoying your fruit. Why do you think we eat fruit? Or which is your favourite fruit?
- I have seen lots of really exciting activities at your nursery - which do you like doing the most?
These questions and the children's answers may form part of the inspector's judgements, especially on the three Prime areas and how the child has a voice in their setting.
Therefore practitioners need to take a reflective stance and make honest evaluations to ensure that the child's voice is strongly represented and presented within the setting.
Laura Henry is managing director Childcare Consultancy - laura@childcareconsult.co.uk.
CASE STUDY: AUDREY WILLOUGHBY, MANAGER, THE ROCKING HORSE NURSERY, FINCHLEy, LONDON
'The Rocking Horse Nursery puts the importance of the child at the centre of their learning and 
development. The children are then supported by their key person, room team and their parents and carers.
'History shows that the child's voice was held of little or no importance and the phrase "seen and not heard" was often used within the family and within schools. Boys and girls were separated and teaching was carried out in a very formal, controlled manner.
'Today children have the freedom to explore their thoughts and feelings, and their ideas and interests are fully supported within our setting to encourage each individual to extend their learning with both adult-led and children-led activities. During a small circle language group recently, the children asked if the autumn pumpkin could join them. This pumpkin became known as 'Caroline' and was placed on a chair in the circle and participated in the language activities aided by the children. The pumpkin received a sticker at the end. The children were so happy that their wishes had been taken into account.
'Allowing immediate time to listen to the "child's voice" with informal conversations and allowing children to have first-hand experiences can offer excellent support for learning and development. Our team of practitioners allow time and space for the children to extend their learning.
'Our children show confidence, resilience, curiosity and creativity in their everyday activities. The Rocking Horse continues to guide and direct our children in their learning and development and to enable them to have fulfilling experiences during their nursery adventure.'
Further information:
- Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/ Development-Matters.pdf
- Convention on the Rights of the Child - www.unicef.org/crc/
- How to talk so kids listen and listen so that they will talk - Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
- Listening to Young Children: The Mosaic approach - Alison Clark and Peter Moss
- London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) Men Working in Childcare - Does it matter to children? What do they say? http://www.leyf.org.uk/ about-us/news/articles/leyf-issue-men-childcare-report
- Ofsted - Evaluation schedule for inspections of registered early years provision http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/ evaluation-schedule-for-inspections-of-registered-early-years- provision
- Statutory Framework for the Early years Foundation Stage https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublicationsNoRsg/ Page1/DFE-00023-2012
- Supporting Young Children's Sustained shared thinking DVD - Marion Dowling www.shop.early-education.org.uk.