Community of Research and Practice
The Talk To Your Baby Community of Research and Practice is an online network open to everyone who shares our interest in the development of young children’s speech, language, and communication. It brings together researchers and academics who are particularly interested in the development of theory, investigation and enquiry, with practitioners who are working with children and families to promote high-quality practice at home, in early years settings, and across local communities.
If you think the community might be of interest to you, then it probably is. If you’d like to participate, you need register as a user of our website and create a user profile. This is free of charge. If you already have a username and password for our site, you simply need to log in. Then you will be able to contribute to the discussion threads below.
For more information, see the *Read me* Introduction thread below.
Home learning environment and accident prevention
By Tim Byrne. Posted on 26 Aug 2011 at 10:24
Are our safeguarding and accident prevention messages to parents counter balanced with positive messages about the importance of providing for and encouraging young children's curiosity and capabilities?
1 Reply
saldennis replied on 30 Aug 2011 at 09:03
Accident Prevention and Safeguarding (both critical and non-negotiable) are the boundaries within which play can develop and thrive. As I observe across the layers, parenting, practitioners, publications and programmes and policy makers there is a pattern of imbalance.
We fund and promote the messages of Accident Prevention and Safeguarding and leave messages on the power of play in the shadows. This imbalance allows ‘safety’ to define play rather than support it.
What happens to the brain of a young child who attempts to pursue his/her curiosity yet receives ‘no’ more than ‘yes’?
What happens to a child’s growing capability to make judgements when all the boundaries are decided and fixed for them?
What happens when we create an emphasis on safety, coupled with behaviour management techniques in the absence of positive powerful play?
Are parents lead or left to believe that toys ‘teach’?
Have we created a ceiling on our expectations of young children by allowing the commercial age bandings for toys (defined by insurance) lead the definition of what young children can do?
Are we passively supporting an idea that ‘more stuff – more toys’ lead to more outcomes?
How is a parent supposed to know or do differently from what they have experienced or assume of play?
Have I missed something as a practitioner and parent?