Minds Still Matter: a positive approach to supporting wellbeing in the early years

EVENT

Minds Still Matter

A positive approach to supporting wellbeing in the early years at the Alliance’s annual event

Thursday 20 June 2024, 6pm - 8.45pm, online
Free for Alliance members, £15 for non- members

What does a typical day in the early years look like for you? You might be finding a special way to connect with a new starter who is finding it hard to settle in, or helping a family fight for the extra support they need for their child. Or maybe it’s watching the joy in your children’s faces as they make a new learning discovery for the very first time.

The truth is that there’s no such thing as a typical day in the early years. Every day brings its own unique challenges – and its own unique moments of joy and inspiration. But at a time when settings across the country are battling a combination of funding worries, Ofsted anxiety and staffing concerns, how can we peel away the additional layers of stress and pressure that so often plague our sector, and rediscover the magic that lies at the heart of working in the early years?

Following the publication of our Minds Still Matter report, this year’s Alliance annual conference will focus on the importance of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the early years workforce, and how, despite the ongoing backdrop of external pressures, educators can find the joy of working in the early years once again.

The event will once again take place virtually to minimise costs for attendees, with tickets once again free for Alliance members and just £15 for non-members.

Event schedule

6pm: Conference opens

6:05pm: Professor Jack Shonkoff, director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, on how the development of young children is shaped by the adults who care for them, the wellbeing of the early years workforce, and the communities in which they live.

6:20pm: Poorna Bell, awarding-winning journalist, author and public speaker, on the impact of mental health challenges and the importance of supporting positive mental health and wellbeing, building resilience and self-care

6.35pm: Neil Leitch, CEO, Early Years Alliance

6.50pm: Q&A

7.10pm: Belle Tutaev Lifetime Achievement Award

7.30pm - 7.50pm: Comfort break

7.50pm - 8.45pm: Seminars

Seminars

Attendees can choose to attend one of the three following seminars. This year, each seminar will be recorded and circulated to all event attendees.

Supporting child development: the value of observations. Stella Louis, early years consultant and Nursery World Awards 2023 Trainer of the Year

Teaching babies and young children requires an understanding of child development and as such, it is vital that we understand every stage of a child’s development. We should know where the child has come from and where the child is going.

When we observe children who are engaged in spontaneous play, we can see their ideas and experiences emerge in their play. In this way, our observations are focused on what a child can do, so that we can discover where the child might need support.

In this seminar, Stella will discuss children and child development in detailed and practical ways. The session will provide explanations that are related to what is observed in practice, helping you to make sense of what you’re observing in your setting.

Play in the early years: translating research into practice. Alistair Bryce-Clegg, award winning early years author, blogger, product designer and advocate of play.

In this session, Alistair will share some of the most recent research into play and its profound impact on child development.

Drawing on over 30 years of experience in early childhood education and his recent doctoral study, Alistair’s input will combine theory with practice, offering strategies that you will be able to apply in your setting straight away.

Through this input, you will gain invaluable tools to nurture the development of the ‘whole child’ whilst creating environments where the potential of play is recognised, realised and will have a positive impact on both children and adults alike!

Creating a trauma-informed approach in early years settings and practice. Jane Evans, Childhood trauma and anxiety media expert, TEDxspeaker, author, parenting coach, trainer, and public speaker

All early educators should feel confident in their ability to support children who have experienced trauma – but of course, doing so isn’t always easy, as babies and young children can’t tell anyone how they feel, what they’ve experienced, and what they need now.

In this session, Jane will draw upon experience gained through a 30-year-plus career working with babies, children, young people, and their families – as well as time spent as a respite foster carer and childminder for babies and young children – and reflect on why it is so important that all professionals, especially those in the early years, understand what causes trauma to babies and children and how they can best support them.

During the seminar, Jane will share how and why babies and children benefit most of all from settings and adults who are trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed and help you to discover why this is such an important focus for your setting and how to begin this journey today.

Further information
Find out more, including how to book your space, on the Alliance website at bit.ly/U5conference2024.

Igniting children’s creativity

Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher explores the breadth of creativity, its application across the EYFS and how to inspire it in under-fives

A treasure trove for the senses

Alliance early years development manager Alison Heseltine shares suggestions for creating treasure baskets that stimulate the senses and curiosity

Top-notch training: Level 5 qualifications

Looking to upskill? Alliance training quality manager Judith Saxon delves into the skills and benefits you can gain from the Alliance’s level 5 diploma

Monitoring maternal mental health

In honour of maternal mental health week, we take a look at some of the biggest concerns, raising awareness of common signs, and how to offer support to your families