What About The Children?
Raising awareness about the never-changing emotional needs of the under-threes in our ever-changing society
Registered Charity Number 1108816
Putting the emotional needs of children under three at the heart of policy and practice
What needs to be done?
For thirty years the mission of What About The Children? has been to promote better public understanding about the emotional needs of children in their first three years. In our ever-changing society it has become clear that these emotional needs are not being met satisfactorily. Our trustees have set out our views, based on research, about what urgently needs to change at the policy level to support children and their families, and the professionals working with them.
Please support our campaign by circulating this widely.
New research summary
There is strong argument to suggest that a focus on cognitive learning and the measurement of ‘outcomes’ in nurseries – including for the very youngest children – have sidelined the importance of the ‘bonding process’ for babies and toddlers, with the adults who care for them. Clearly, the possibility of ‘Key Persons’ in busy nursery settings being able to meet the emotional needs of the children assigned to them is challenging in the light of current staff-child ratios.
This latest summary from What About The Children? engages with an erudite and wide-ranging paper from the University of Worcester. It focuses on ‘Relational Pedagogy’ and presents new ways of thinking and action concerning how children’s holistic needs (especially their emotional needs) might have a greater chance of being met in Early Childhood settings than is currently the case.
Unlocking scientific research
We identify and summarise current scientific research in neuroscience, psychology, biology and the medical sciences, providing new insights into the impact of early life experience.
More than 100 summaries are available, categorised into seven key topics.
Our latest summaries are listed here.
Blog
Every month What About The Children? posts a blog relating to ‘the never-changing. emotional needs of the under-threes in our ever-changing society’. Our latest blog is a call for the emotional needs of young children to be prioritised in policy and service provision
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
enquiries@whataboutthechildren.org.uk
Phone
tel: +44 (0) 845 602 7145 (office hours 9 to 5)