STARTING POINTS: Part 4 - Finn, 20 months

By Julia Manning-Morton, an independent consultant, trainer and author (www.key-times.co.uk/profiles/). She specialises in practice and provision that meets the needs of children under three and is an expert on the personal, social and emotional well-being of children and practitioners. Her publications include Two-Year-Olds In Early Years Settings: Journeys Of Discovery (2015) and Exploring Well-being in the Early Years (2014)

FINN, 20 MONTHS

Finn is 20 months old and lives with his parents Siobhan and Kate and his older brother Aiden (6 years) in a small house in Liverpool. Finn and Aiden were both conceived by donor insemination; Siobhan gave birth to Aiden, and Kate gave birth to Finn.

Finn’s heritage is Irish and English. Kate is English and Siobhan and Liam (the boys’ biological father) are Irish. English is the language spoken at home.

Finn lives amongst a wide network of family and friends. Liam and his family are a significant part of Finn and Aiden’s family circle as are Kate’s mother (Pauline) and Siobhan’s parents (Lisa and Kevin). They all live in the Liverpool area except for Liam’s parents who have retired to Ireland but whom they visit regularly.

Siobhan and Kate also have a close group of longstanding friends who are significant in Finn and Aiden’s lives. However, they joke that the two most important people in Finn’s life seem to be Aiden and their dog (Bap-Bap), both of whom he adores!