In early years settings, it is important to recognise all children’s behaviour as a means of communication. Behaviours can include withdrawal, isolation, distress, actions that may pose risks to themselves or others, and challenges with following routines and instructions.
Positive behaviour support focuses on understanding the underlying reasons behind a child’s behaviour and using strategies to help children develop social and emotional skills to form positive relationships, manage their emotions and establish a positive sense of self.
Whole setting/school approaches which place importance on inclusion and belonging through the promotion of positive relationships and behaviour, effective teaching and preventative responses are key to good mental health for all, but essential for children who have had adverse experiences.
Effective early years provision creates safe, supportive environments where children can develop essential social and emotional skills, helps children navigate their feelings and interactions in healthy, constructive ways.
‘Practitioners need to decide what they want children in their setting to learn, and the most effective ways to teach it. Practitioners must stimulate children’s interests, responding to each child’s emerging needs and guiding their development through warm, positive interactions coupled with secure routines for play and learning.’ (Early Years Foundation Stage EYFS 1.16).
Websites
- Help for early years providers : Emotions DfE guidance about creating a safe environment for children to explore emotions and learn how to regulate them.
- Self-Regulation: What is Self-Regulation and why is it so important? - Foundation Years information about self-regulation in young children.
- Promoting Positive Behaviour In Early Years: Guide For Nurseries
- How to Promote Positive Behaviour in Early Years a useful guide with practical strategies to promote positive behaviour in Early Years settings.
- Understanding behaviour by the NHS videos and information about understanding a child’s behaviour.
- Paul Dix: The Behaviour specialist
- Building Brains For Lifelong Health | AFWI | Oxford Brain Story
- EEF | Self-Regulation and Executive Function
- EEF | Personal Social and Emotional Development
Self-help resources
- ABC chart (pdf format, 63Kb)- a way of collecting information to help determine the communication behind a child’s behaviour.
- Guide to using an ABC chart in an Early Years setting (document under review)
- Behaviour iceberg (pdf format, 65Kb) to support consideration of possible reasons for presented behaviours
- Positive Relationship Plan highlight a child’s strengths and outline support strategies for managing overwhelming emotions.
- Individual risk assessment on behaviour template (doc format, 135Kb)
- Early Years Support Behaviour Council for Disabled Children document offering insights into the causes of behaviour and tips for managing challenging behaviour in the Early Years.
- All things ADHD | Oxford Health CAMHS
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | Oxford Health CAMHS
- Community services | Oxford Health CAMHS
- ADHD Oxfordshire
- Introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences - E-Learning is a free online course designed to help practitioners better understand Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
- Behaviour Checklist Clinician Document - Cerebra
Training
Understanding Behaviour in the Early Years Understand what children may be communicating through their behaviour. Gain a deeper understanding of children’s social and emotional development, and the factors influencing this. Find out how to provide, develop and maintain an emotionally secure provision for all children.
Team Teach training and the platform, Team Teach Connect provide resources for positive behaviours in educational, child, and adult service settings.
Specialist support in school
The Early Years SEND Advisory team work with individual children under 5 years of age who have complex learning, communication and/or social interaction differences. Individual children can be referred using an Early Support SPORFI form (docx format, 585Kb). Support is given to the family and/or the child’s early years setting or nursery class in collaboration with other agencies from education, health and social care.
The Early Years SEND Advisory team also provide universal and targeted support to Oxfordshire early years settings and schools in order to promote effective inclusion of children with SEND. Settings and schools can use the SENDCO Helpdesk to ask for ‘no names’ advice and targeted setting support.
A Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) is a multiagency form used to request support from various educational and health teams for children under 5 with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For further information see the Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) Flowchart.
Complete the SPORFI form to make a request. Services that can be requested include:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy (feeding)
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Early Years SEND team
- SENSS – Physical Disability
Health Visiting Services offer support to families at home and in the community from pre-birth until the child turns 8 years old. See information on how Health Visiting and early years settings working together.
Early Help Children’s Services Early help refers to the collaborative approach taken by all services working with children and families to provide support for a family before problems escalate. Accessing early help can address potential issues and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families. More information can be found here.
The Behaviour Inclusion team offer guidance, advice and support to aid inclusion of children in school-age classes with SEMH needs, preventing suspension and exclusion and supporting reintegration into education. Advice from Behaviour Inclusion Officers can be accessed via the SENDCO Helpdesk or the schools linked Exclusion and Reintegration Officer to support a referral.