When children returned to the Acorn Nursery School in Cranleigh, Surrey after parents chose to keep them home during lockdown periods, staff noticed changes in their behaviour. ‘Some had become quite fearful and quiet, while others had no concept of sharing toys, turn-taking and didn’t know how to relate appropriately to other children,’ says nursery manager Suzanne Sandell. To address the situation, she and three staff members attended a free webinar on managing challenging behaviour in early years settings.
Offered online in February by child mental health charity The Anna Freud Centre, it helps practitioners understand and manage emotions such as anger, aggression and frustration in young children. During the hour and a half, attendees heard three presentations from a psychologist, a psychotherapist and an early years teacher. A Q&A session gave the chance to ask for detail.
‘Much of what was said wasn’t new to us but it was very good to be reminded, particularly as we have faced such a difficult year with the Covid pandemic,’ says Ms Sandell. The event in particular helped them recall that strong feelings are frightening for children, who need reassurance they are normal.
One of the speakers encouraged attendees to communicate with children using a ‘language of safety’. ‘Instead of just saying “no”, we should say to a child who is biting: “I can’t let you bite your friend because it's not safe”,’ says Ms Sandell.
Another recommendation was to be proactive rather than reactive. ‘This means talking about how sometimes we feel sad, not actually in the moment of being sad, but when you’re just chatting,’ explains Ms Sandell. The session also reminded practitioners to separate the child from their behaviour, and talked about the importance of routines providing security for children.
You can watch the webinar here