Looking back at 2018 and looking forward to 2019

Well, what a whirlwind 2018 has been for me academically!

I started the year by sending in an abstract for EECERA 2018 on a whim really, not thinking I would get accepted but I did and the plans for heading to Budapest began!

In January I began by reflecting upon the year past and the year ahead, with a great deal of imposter syndrome going on. Not sure I am quite past that yet, if anything it has just gotten worse! The more I get asked to do the worse it gets. I keep expecting to be found out. But I suspect all academics feel like that at some point in their academic career.

Through the Beast from the East and the early spring months I began work on the early chapters of my thesis. I found writing the actual process of writing easy but it was slow and I struggled to 'find my voice'. However, practice makes perfect and once I discovered the mantra "don't get it right, get it written" things got a lot easier from then on. I spent less time fiddling with my writing and more time just getting the words down on paper! Things speeded up at that point.

In May I met Sue Palmer at a screening of Resilience, and we shared similar views and opinions about what we had seen. I posted my views here on this blog (May 2018) and shortly after Sue asked me if I would like to write a guest blog for Upstart, this was an amazing opportunity and brought about a lot of new connections https://www.upstart.scot/current-blog-2/page/7/.

One of those connections was Lisa, the Education Team Manager at Falkirk Council. She asked me if I would like to go along and share my research with a team of Early Learning and Childcare practitioners who were attending a training seminar. What an amazing group of practitioners. What always amazes me is that once I break through the fear and reticence to discuss love I can't get practitioners to stop talking about it. As my research has shown, love is already there in practice but the conversation and permission needs to be granted to allow practitioners to talk and deliver love-led practice freely.

Through July I got my head down and really started to crack on with my thesis. The chapters were coming together nicely with my paper copy folder growing by the week. It really was getting quite exciting. Meanwhile I had to start work on my PED talk for EECERA. At the same time I got a message on LinkedIn from Linda Harrison, an academic from Australia, who had been given my name by Dr Jools Page as a possible co-author for a chapter she was writing about the child's right to love. I met with Linda in Budapest and shortly afterwards, and have since written a draft for her to include in the chapter she is writing.

I really quite enjoy giving talks, particularly when I am so passionate about the subject, but this one was to be a challenge. The format for the short talk in Budapest was to take the form of a TED talk. No notes, no power point slides, ten minutes. I don't normally memorise what I am going to say, I usually just put together slides which prompt me to talk about different parts of my presentation and I usually just talk from the heart. However, on this occasion as I had to stick rigidly to 10 minutes, I thought I ought to write something and memorise it. My wonderful PhD friend Liz kindly took me for a walk along the shoreline at Dalgety Bay and listened to my talk. I just did not feel comfortable trying to remember what to say. So I decided on a checklist in my head of sections of my talk. This worked! My talk went down really well. I was approached by a number of people afterwards who had enjoyed it and in particular one woman from the Australian Government handed me her card and took mine. She said I should film my talk as it would be of interest to lots of people. More on this connection made later!

After an amazing trip I came home, uploaded the transcript of my talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8-BYlhvQ4 .
After posting a comment on twitter I was approached by TESglobal to write a blog for them about my research. This was another amazing opportunity, one which I grabbed! Again this helped me make further connections with others interested in my research. https://www.tes.com/news/why-do-we-find-love-so-difficult-education. Shortly after this was posted I was approached by the team I work alongside at the Scottish Government to join them at their ELC Directorate huddle where they share new research and ideas around early years. By being able to present to them I really felt I was influencing policy to ensure children get the loving care they have a right to. This lead tome being told by one of the ELC team that 'love' was included in the introduction section of the Funding Follows the Child and National Standard document published in Dec 2018:
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/publication/2018/12/funding-follows-child-national-standard-early-learning-childcare-providers-principles-practice/documents/00544341-pdf/00544341-pdf/govscot%3Adocument

I was also asked by the Care Inspectorate to take part in a working group developing a Compassionate Care Resource for use by all care services. Being able to influence policy development at these levels really makes the effort involved in my thesis worth it.

In November I was approached by Pupil Inclusion Network Scotland to speak at an event they were putting on to discuss love. Unfortunately timing was against us and I wasn't able to speak at what was a successful event however I was asked to contribute with a guest blog https://pinscotland.blog/ which I was thrilled to do. Again this opportunity generated opportunity to network with a number of other interested people.

I was also asked to speak at the SERA Early Years Network Spring Event in Feb 2019.


 Having all of these opportunities to share my research is fabulous and really feels like I am getting the message out there.

That brings us up to the end of November. After 2 months of working 5am - 1am (with work in between) I finally finished my thesis. It was exhausting but exhausting and fun to finally bring it all together into one huge 80,000 word document. I have to admit to crying after printing out the first copy! I spent a wonderful weekend in Keswick completing the final draft, interspersed with enjoying the Keswick festive offerings (Keswick Christmas Proms and the Keswick Victorian Fayre).

So with my thesis sent off to my three supervisors for a final edit, I sat back ready to enjoy the Christmas break. But just as I did that an email came in with a heading of "Touching base from Australia". Now initially I thought it was from Linda Harrison, who I spoke about earlier but this is what it said:

" Dear Jane

I am writing to you on behalf of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL). We plan to hold an early childhood leadership conference which showcases the current thinking and research from within and outside the early childhood education sector. I am reaching out to explore the possibility of you delivering a keynote address at our 2019 Conference which is scheduled to be held in Sydney on the 2^nd and 3^rd of May 2019. We expect to attract around 600-800 early childhood leaders from Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region across all sectors of education. Your work is well known and regarded here and I am sure you will find the experience worthwhile as well.

The theme for the conference is Sharing the Responsibility – Inclusion in the Early Years. I have attached the initial announcement of the event which should give you more context.

I have given below a short overview of ACEL below. You can also get more information on our website – ACEL Website

ACEL short profile:

ACEL is the largest professional association operating in the education sector in Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. It is an independent, cross sectoral and progressive organisation As Australia's peak professional organisation ACEL is a forward thinking, relevant and responsive agent of change and innovation.  We have over 7000 members and over 60000 educators in our network around Australia, New Zealand and wider region.

ACEL actively supports the development of leadership capabilities across Australia through its national and Branch initiated professional learning activities, international conferences, publications, online programs, and other partnership initiatives in leadership development. Access to these leadership-focused opportunities is available for classroom to system leaders.

  

I look forward to hearing from you and would be happy to talk further in the coming days to give you a fuller understanding of the event.

Cheers".

I was blown away to say the least. Apparently there were a few people who listened to my PED talk in Budapest and were interested in my research. So having had a phone call with the organisers I am now planning a trip to Australia in April next year! Yikes that doesn't sound so far away now. 

And hopefully in late February or early March I will be submitting my thesis for examination and planning for my Viva in early summer. I have also started putting together my first journal article to lay claim to my thoughts from my findings. 2019 is going to be one hell of a year!

And 2018 wasn't all bad either....

Happy and prosperous new year to everyone

Love to all

Jane

Latest Blog - Pupil Inclusion Network Scotland (PINS)

Delighted to contribute this blog entry to the PINS Blog to support their discussion about love in education.

https://pinscotland.blog/

Please have a read.

Te aroha

I received a lovely email back from Diana who I met in Budapest, from New Zealand. Her colleagues sung the most beautiful Maori song after her PED talk and I had emailed her to ask what it was. She sent me a lovely email back and links to two songs, she couldn't quite remember which it was. Both are beautiful. The second one is about love. They are Maori songs to sing with children:

E tu Kahikatea: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3WvxrStQ_0

 Te Aroha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uefJdSCkzPo

Te aroha - love
Te whakapono - Faith
Me te Rangimarie - Peace
Tatou tatou e - For us all.

Beautiful words. Have a listen.

Why do we find love so difficult in Education? - TES blog.

Here is the link to one of my latest guest blogs. The focus as always for me is on Early Education and Childcare, although some of the wording has been changed to suit the readership of TES.com.

https://www.tes.com/news/why-do-we-find-love-so-difficult-education

Thanks as always for your interest.

Jane

PED talk EECERA Budapest 2018 - Youtube video!

Here is my first attempt at filming one of my talks. I keep forgetting my words, which is quite funny but you get the picture. Next time will be better!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8-BYlhvQ4

You might also notice that the words in this don't quite match the words on the transcript - it changes every time that I present it!!!!

EECERA 2018 - PED talk - Managing Love-Led Practice

Transcript of PED talk – Budapest EECERA – August 2018

Jane Malcolm – Managing Love-Led Practice

Hello my name is Jane Malcolm and I have come all the way from The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, to say “I love you”.

I’d like you to pause for a second and take note of how that made you feel? 

I am going to guess some of you thought that was a lovely thing to say, others felt uncomfortable. We have all experienced love in very different ways. 

Children have the right to be loved, their health and wellbeing depends upon it. For the next 10 minutes I am going to take you on a journey that will challenge you to consider how you feel about love-led practice in early learning and childcare.

For everyone love means many different things. Our own personal experience of love impacts upon the way we feel about loving the children we are working with. Whether you are a lead practitioner managing a setting, an academic or a Government Policy Maker your experience of love drives your understanding of it.

I want to thank you for allowing me to share my personal experience of love with you. I am going to tell you a story. 

20 years ago I was the manager of a pre-school nursery. I worked with a four-year-old girl, called Rosy. She had a mane of blond frizzy hair, a bit of a lisp when she spoke and a smile that would melt the stoniest of hearts. BUT she had a wild temper. She struggled to cope with the big emotions she was feeling. This would often present as anger, tears, frustration and hitting out at staff and children however she could also be very loving and kind. One day her Mum asked us if we had worked out the hair clue? We all laughed and asked what that was. Her Mum explained that if Rosy came into nursery with her hair all neat and tidy then we would have a good day with her, however if she came in with her hair wild and tangled then we knew that her Mum had not been able to get her to sit to tidy her hair and we would have angry Rosy that day. She was definitely a handful. However, one day Rosy ran into nursery, her hair as wild as we had ever seen, we all sighed knowing what was to come. But this day she ran to me, wrapped her arms around me and said “I love you Jane”. While she could test my patience, my response to her was real, it was natural, I hugged her back and said “I love you too Rosy”. Then she ran screaming, pushed another child and ran off with their bike!

My point being I believe that every child deserves to know they are loved. No matter what challenges we have with them. We all need love to develop and grow.

Ten years ago I used this same story to illustrate the importance of love and attachment to childhood practice students I was teaching when I was a lecturer. 

My students were eager to learn, enthusiastic to put into practice the new and exciting ideas and theories they had learned in class. One day in class, a very competent and thoughtful student Alex appeared troubled.  Alex was  a vibrant student who was well known for his many tattoos. If you looked closely many of his tattoos were of his son, who had autism, and represented the struggles and challenges Alex had faced as a father. One tattoo was of a human heart, representing his love for his son and family. He was a great guy. I asked why he looked troubled. He said he had taken what he had learned in class, and knowing the power of love with his son, he had hugged a child in his placement, who had fallen and was upset. Afterwards, he was taken aside by his placement supervisor and was told that this was not allowed. He was not allowed to hug the children. This was sadly not the first time I had heard this. Struggling to find an answer for him, I spoke with other students of mine who were managers of early years’ settings. They all agreed with what Alex had been told. Frustrated, I asked why when they know the importance of love to children? The answer was simple, because the policies don’t allow it!

Kathleen Marshall, one of the previous Commissioners for Children and Young People in Scotland shared her concern for manager’s reliance on policy when she said “Lead Professionals cling to rules, like safety ropes on a stormy deck”.

My research grew out of this frustration. 

A year ago, I became the Policy Manager for the Scotland office of the National Day Nurseries Association. This role gave me the opportunity to explore, first hand policy development within the Scottish Government. 

There were several things I discovered however two struck me as having an impact on the way early learning and childcare policies are developed. Firstly, the language used in the key policy documents.

Out of 13 key policy documents in Scotland only 7 briefly mention love, with 4 only mentioning the word once. None of the policy documents explicitly forbid love-led practice however none of them encouraged it either. There was a lack of clarity in the documents, referring to components of love rather than love itself, for example compassion, care. With so little guidance it is no wonder that Managers are uncertain about delivering love-led practice.

The second issue was the complex nature of developing policies to suit everyone’s agenda. 

We, the policy advisers, academics, experienced experts may well be part of the problem. We all bring different agendas. My job is to lobby on behalf of our members, I am also advocating on behalf of children as an academic. Politicians not only have to contend all of us but they must also balance the needs of their constituents, and their own experiences and beliefs. Policy development is complicated. What starts out as a great idea, is pushed in pulled in so many different directions, we lose sight of the original goal.

I’d like to pause for a moment and ask you to imagine a world without love. (Pause) 

The human race faces many problems and challenges but without love there would be no one there to help, support and guide.

For children like Rosy and students like Alex to experience love-led practice, Managers need to have the freedom to manage that practice with integrity and professionalism. The policies need to start and finish with love. Children need love, we all need love. 

Those of us who advise on early years’ policy need to be brave, we need to set aside our fears, embrace our own experiences of love and use them to imagine a utopian model of childcare where love is at the heart of policy and practice and not something we tread carefully around. 

The challenge is to lead with love. 

Taking Love to Budapest - EECERA 2018

Earlier this year I submitted an abstract for a short talk at the EECERA 2018 conference in Budapest. I did it on a bit of whim and not really thinking I would be accepted. Blow me though, did I not get picked and my trip to Budapest was being booked!

The Conference organisers were introducing a brand new  type of presentation for 2018 called PED talks.  The “PED”(agogical) talk, was to be a 10 minute long address that was to be delivered without notes or slides and is based on the concept of the TED-style presentation approach.  The presentation was to be concise and simple,  to pitch a new, personal, thought provoking idea, issue or approach.  This was my abstract from the official Book of Abstracts.

Managing love-led practice, Jane Malcolm, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I have chosen to talk about Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care. The current political agenda in Scotland is to increase funded childcare from 600 hours to 1140 hours by 2020. This means that some children will potentially be in childcare for more time than they spend with their parents. My research is looking at how Lead Professionals manage love-led practice in their childcare settings. I studied the language used by professionals and also that used in policies and guidelines in order to build an understanding of love in early year’s practice. Professionals were guided primarily by the policies and guidelines to ensure they were acting professionally. However, I found a distinct lack of any mention of love in most of these documents (Page, 2017). Personal experiences also helped shape moral boundaries which undoubtedly had an impact on the way that Lead Professionals managed love-led practice (Noddings, 2013; Tronto, 2009). As an alternative way of describing love participants suggested some staff just had “it” (Tronto, 2009; Moyles, 2010; Page, 2017). “It” described a skills set, which contrary to belief (Gerhardt, 2013), meant that love could in fact be applied, measured and evaluated making it professional. To inform policy and practice, I have developed an Early Years Love Skills Set which will give Lead Professionals the permission and freedom to manage practice with love and professional integrity. 

I set off on Tuesday 28th  August for Budapest, arriving just after 6pm. A quick change at my apartment on Bathory Utca and off to find the Hungarian National Museum (what did we do before smart phones and Google maps?). Arrived to find the opening event in full swing. We were treated to traditional Hungarian folk music and some wonderful dancing. Then we had the opportunity to sample a delicious Hungarian dinner.

Met loads of new lovely people and some I already knew from the University of Aberdeen! More about them later!! 

The following morning after a beautiful run along the banks of the Danube, I set off for the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. A day of interesting key note speakers and symposia followed. Lots of interesting chats with delegates from all over the world. It was really a fascinating experience, with lots of learning taking place, and thoughts being challenged. Whilst I was waiting I was talking to a woman from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, called Ann Farrell. We had a great chat about the different policy landscape within Scotland and Australia and also some of the similarities. She then introduced me to Greg Antcliff from Goodstart Early Learning in Australia.

Greg and I ended up having a lot of conversations throughout the week. The work he does in Australia looking at improving pedagogical quality was fascinating. It turned out Greg also knew Linda Harrison, from Charles Sturt University, Australia who I was looking out for as we are going to do some work together.





After an interesting day I headed out into Budapest to do some sightseeing and was bowled over with the beauty of the city of Budapest.

Thursday morning brought more presentations. So I headed off to listen to the Symposium chaired by Linda Harrison.

Three fascinating papers:

Co-development of an educator reflection and assessment tool for children under-3 

Linda Harrison, Gerardine Mulhearn, Magdalena Janus, Kate Williams, Sheena Elwick, Wendy Alexander, Jennifer Sumsion, Sharynne McLeod.

 Charles Sturt University, Australia; (2) McMaster University, Canada; (3) Queensland University of Technology, Australia

Assessing and improving pedagogical quality: An implementation science approach 

Greg Antcliff, Sandie Wong and Kate Liley, Goodstart Early Learning, Australia 

Supporting early childhood educators to work in evidence-based transdisciplinary ways: The Goodstart Early Childhood Educator Occupational Therapy Champion Approach 

Sally Galloway, Goodstart Early Learning, Australia

More sightseeing and then off to the Gala Dinner on board The Europa and sailing on the Danube. The entertainment was wonderful with a Hungarian Folk band. I had a quiet moment to myself because at one point they gave a beautiful rendition of Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, I took myself off to look at the beautiful lit up buildings on the Duna and reflected upon the sad events that have brought me to this point. I felt very brave having got all the way to Budapest without Alistair but knowing that somewhere he is seeing me doing okay without him. I did have a little bit of a cry and raised a glass to him, whilst listening to our wedding song.

But that little quiet moment apart, the love was flowing on board The Europa. I spoke to many people from all over the world and even talked some of them into sharing the love with me on the Duna.  It was an amazing evening. I was careful not to partake too much of the free flowing wine because I had to be up early tomorrow to do my PED talk!

Back to who I met at the opening event! When I first arrived at the open event I was standing a little dazed with a glass of wine, having literally just landed. When who should come up to me but Catriona McDonald from the University of Aberdeen. Catriona had been one of my lecturers at Jewel and Esk Valley College way back in early 2000! Catriona and her colleagues, Sheila Nutkins and Katrina Foy, were kind enough to let me tag along with them throughout the weekend. I didn't even have to talk them into the photo either, quite keen to join in the fun!!! As the Gala evening came to a close we had an interesting discussion around whether it was bats or birds we could see circling the spires of the Parliament, I can confirm, having walked back to my apartment that way, they were seagulls! And after a little google research it would seem this is a regular sight, the spotlights at night drawing them in.

I woke really early the following morning, wanting to take my time and walk along the banks of the Duna to think about my presentation. It was such a beautiful morning to have an early walk. Got to the University, found the room we were presenting in. It was a lovely old looking lecture theatre, with fantastic acoustics. The windows were facing the Duna with views of the beautiful buildings on the other side, I would definitely be a distracted student in that room! As I was waiting one of my fellow presenters came in. She said she was very nervous. She was a lovely, warm and friendly person. Her name was Diana Cruse and she was from New Zealand.

We swapped contact cards and hers bore a maori design on it and the words He Pounamu - not sure what this meant so I googled it and found this beautiful proverb -

Akakoa he iti he pounamu - Despite being small you are of great value. 

Which is the most wonderful way to think of our youngest children.

There were 6 of us in our PED group and we only had an hour to talk so things were kept very much to time. The titles in our group were really interesting talks -

• The future is in our hands Elsa Chahin, Pikler/Loczy USA, United States of America 
• Hands-on nature: rocks, shells, and other fascinating items that children collect Kristi Lekies, The Ohio State University, United States of America 
• Early years media education – a must for the 21st century Saara Salomaa, National Audiovisual Institute, Finland
• Don't be afraid to use children's literature to teach about diversity in the classroom Kerekes Zsuzsa, Ochanomizu University, Japan 
• Managing love-led practice, Jane Malcolm, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom 
• Whānau stories: creating meaningful engagement and an increased wellbeing for the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand Diana Cruse, University of Waikato, New Zealand.

A huge thanks to Chris Pascal for her encouragement and being a great chair and keeping us to time! That "2 min to go" card came upon me very quickly!!! The room was quite full and everyone seemed engaged with what we were all saying. The room was also absolutely boiling, with the sun streaming in. I could barely talk because my mouth was so dry. After the presentations were over, we all got together for a group photograph.

I felt my PED talk went well as I had a lot of people come up to me afterwards to share their enjoyment and thoughts about it. I was really happy with how it went. I was even approached by a woman who worked for the Australian Government and asked if I would consider filming my talk and posting it on the internet as she felt it would get a lot of interest (so I am now trying to work out how to upload a video to YouTube - watch this space).

A beautiful moment happened after Diana's talk where some colleagues and friends from New Zealand stood and sang a wonderfully enchanting song, which was in their native tongue. I have no idea what it was about but it moved Diana, so I am guessing it was something really nice. Then one of the women who had sang this song, approached me and shared her experience of the curriculum in New Zealand which is underpinned and has always been by love, she said when she speaks to children in her care she talks to them about Aroha Nui which is Maori for Big Love. How beautiful.

Chris said she felt that we had all taken the brief for the PED talk and really gotten the essence of what they were to be about. I have to say, whilst it was all very fast paced, and we had no notes or power-point, I really enjoyed the experience. I would definitely like to do more of these sort of presentation.

My first experience of an international conference was amazing, and Budapest was just stunning. I will definitely return. My next conference is in Glasgow, so maybe not so glamourous but looking forward to presenting again. However, now I am back I need to get on with completing the draft of my last data chapter, which is now past the deadline I set myself!!! Will get it finished this week.

So a last round of sightseeing and some quiet time on the beautiful Margaret Island, an oasis of calm in the middle of a busy city and river, and my time in Budapest was coming to a close.

I know I only scraped the surface of this beautiful, loving city. For somewhere with a past that has faced terrible sadness and terror, it was a warm, friendly, safe feeling city. I laughed, I cried and I felt tremendous sadness and shock at some of the stories and monuments I visited (in particular the shoes by the Danube sculpture, which was so sad and horrific but an important reminder of terrible atrocities of the war. I cannot wait to return.

I will post my talk as the next blog and will post the video, if and when I get around to filming it.

Budapest, I love you. x

Sharing love with practitioners in Falkirk

Yesterday I had the pleasure to meet a group of enthusiastic, kind, loving practitioners who work in Falkirk in Early Learning and Childcare. They were attending a training session entitled "The Image of the Child".

Lisa, Education Team Manager, was challenging the group to think beyond procedures and policies and remember the child. She asked them what influenced their image of the child. There were some lively discussions about the different external influences that impacted upon their understanding of the child in the setting.

She then asked them to consider love. She spoke about a care inspector who fought vehemently to include love in her formal inspection report because she felt that was what she had witnessed. There then followed a great discussion around what love might look like, what did the inspector see that made her fight so strongly to have it included in her report.

I was then asked to share my research. As I always find there is general interest in this subject and then the real interest kicks in when I ask the question "what do you say when a child says 'I love you'?". This really gets the room chattering, often to the point I end up having to shout over the top of everyone to reign everyone back into a group discussion. What I found really interesting about this group was they were all sold on love already. There were a few were unsure of what they might say as they felt uncomfortable with the words 'I love you' but all confidently said they definitely loved all of the child in their care. This is a huge change from when I began my research 4 years ago, which is brilliant, it means people are getting on board and challenging the notion that it is somehow wrong to love the children we work with.

We spoke about how love fits in with professionalism and also how things have changed over the years, with different policy trends impacting upon practice. There were some really good discussions around the issue of 'touch', 'cuddles' etc. With most feeling that they would cuddle no matter whether they were told not to. There was also discussion around feeling that when inspected love might be frowned upon.

I have absolutely no doubt that this group were totally on board and ready to join me on my quest to 'bring love back into childcare'. It was a brilliant training session and I just want to thank Lisa McCabe and Sue Palmer (for putting me in touch with Lisa) for the opportunity to share love with these amazing practitioners in Falkirk.

As one practitioner said to me "I don't see what is wrong with saying you love a child, there is nothing wrong with it". Music to my ears!

Upstart Guest Blog - Is Love really that scary?

As I have worked through my PhD I have found confidence in voicing my opinions about what it is I am researching. At the beginning of the process, you don't really know enough about what it is that you want to find out and it can be difficult and daunting to put yourself out there.

However, now that I am half way through my writing up I am gaining a real understanding of what it is I am researching and it has almost become a bit of a campaign! At a showing of the the Resilience film I made a point about how as ELC practitioners we are slaves to the rules and if the rules don't say we can love the children (not even that we can't just not that we can) then love them we don't. At the back of the room was Sue Palmer, author and chair of Upstart Scotland http://www.upstart.scot/upstart-organisers/. After the event Sue came up to me and we were chatting about how important love and play were to children's development and wellbeing. Sue then kindly asked me to write a guest blog for Upstart about my research and in particular love and touch. So I wrote my first official blog about my research, for Upstart and am very proud to say it has been received very well with some cracking comments on twitter:

There are one or two pupils who say “I love you” to me. I see it as connection and I’m glad they know I care.

This is brilliant.

Great discussion and a very emotive subject! I remember being at a conference sitting at a table with ELCC Managers and couldn't believe what I was hearing. It's ok to cuddle babies but not when they get to 3/4 or let them sit on your knee. Being an #unfeartie I argued against!

Fantastic.....guest blog

A thoughtful article, assisting us to be intentional when putting our kids front and centre of our policies and most significantly our practice.



Here it is, see what you think...

https://twitter.com/UpstartScot/status/1000344088812642304

Love has always been there...

4 years ago I started out on this journey researching love as part of the professional identity of the lead professional. My interest came from managers who I was working with at the time, as an FE lecturer, saying to me that they felt it was hard moving from being in a job where they could express love for the children in their care to being part of the new, emerging profession of early learning and childcare. They were becoming part of a degree led profession, which is a good thing, quality has improved with increasing underpinning knowledge and understanding and I do feel that finally ELC professionals are now being recognised among their peers in other parts of the ELC sector. However, they and I were worried that they were losing the most fundamental part of their job, love.

Love is not normally a word that is associated with professionalism. It would be unethical for a Doctor to say they loved their patients, you would not hear your Bank Manager say they loved you nor would your Optician share a loving moment over your discovery of sight after not going to get your eyes tested! But none of these professions have decades of academic research supporting the innate need for loving experiences with the humans they are working with. But there is this huge bank of knowledge around how important loving interactions are for children's all round development. The revolution which is sweeping the ELC sector at present, ACES is proof that professionals within ELC feel there is a need to be allowed to demonstrate love.

I firmly believe that love is already there, however my research data is showing that professionals have been conditioned by language used in policies and guidelines to protect them from the dangers of children being harmed. But if the ACES study shows us anything the children whose development and health has suffered has not been because they had too much love in their childhood, it was down to a lack of love in their childhood (amongst other mitigating factors). ELC Professionals are just that professional, they care very deeply for the children in their care and will do everything they can to protect those children from harm. Language in policies prevents love from being open in ELC. Words such as 'nurture'; 'care'; 'sensitivity', 'empathy' are all components of love but are being used to describe love because we are frightened to just say love. Children need love. Policy makers need to get past their fear of using the word love in their policies.

We have robust child protection guidance in practice, students are taught child protection in college, universities, there are training courses and refresher courses they can access throughout their career. And yes, sometimes the systems isn't always fool proof but for every child protection case we hear about in the media, there are many many more children protected on a daily basis that we don't hear about. There shouldn't be any children hurt, but the system isn't perfect. But does Lead Professionals in ELC supporting their staff to understand and be professional about love in practice lead to child safety issues? Or will we have stronger, happier, loving children instead because love has been brought back into the discourse of early learning and childcare?

I am searching for these answers, and whilst I am a bit stuck on one of my chapters at the moment, procrastination is a wonderful thing!

Love has always been there, we just need to make it part of the professional identity of the Lead Professional. Let them love the children.

"Naming the scary thing makes us feel safer"

Resilience - The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope

Overview of the film and my opinion

"The child may not remember, but the body remembers"

"Researchers have recently discovered a dangerous biological syndrome caused by abuse and neglect during childhood. As the new documentary Resilience reveals, toxic stress can trigger hormones that wreak havoc on the brains and bodies of children, putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time, and early death. While the broader impacts of poverty worsen the risk, no segment of society is immune. Resilience, however, also chronicles the dawn of a movement that is determined to fight back. Trailblazers in paediatrics, education and social welfare are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the insidious effects of toxic stress - and the dark legacy of a childhood that no child would choose. (https://kpjrfilms.co/resilience/about-the-film/)"

https://vimeo.com/137282528 (trailer for documentary)

"Naming the scary thing makes us feel safer"

Through my work I had the opportunity to view the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. I was keen to view it as many of the members of the organisation I work for, National Day Nurseries Association, have viewed it and like many nurseries across Scotland have found it hugely inspiring. I also wanted to view it from the point of view of an academic researcher.

First impression of the film were that I understand why people have been inspired by this documentary. With so many problems in the world which seem unfix-able, this research offered hope and a solution to many of the world's health problems. The science explained behaviours, the release of cortisone and adrenaline, the feeling of constant stress, toxic stress and how resilience whilst not something you are born with you can learn it. The documentary made the point that not many people don't want to do good things for kids, which is a point borne out in my own research.

The documentary went on to say that when building resilience skills we should focus on transforming the lives of the adults caring for children. There then followed a case study of a young woman who had experienced many adverse childhood experiences. Her situation was to say the least sad, upsetting and desperate. The support she received changed her, it almost fixed her. This is where the documentary began to bother me a bit. Dr Vincent Felitti and Dr Nadine Burke-Harris argued a strong scientific case in support of ACEs in true American fashion. It was a hopeful, uplifting film which showed many cases of children who had an ACE score of 4 and above and who had come out the other side better people as a result of interventions based on the science of stress. A question was posed "why are we waiting for them to fall apart? we need to be where the kids are" which made me start to think this all feels like we are trying to fix these children. Let's get them fixed before they fall apart. I'm not sure life is as simple as that.

Don't get me wrong, I am not criticising the intent behind this film, but my worry is that practitioners take this and create checklists whilst not really understanding the science behind the claims (Joy, 2018). Trying to fix children as if ACEs have broken them feels a very negative way to support children. Children who have had adverse childhood experiences need the opportunity to work out who they are with those experiences as part of them. Children who have had their rights taken away  through ACEs, need to have agency to realise those rights again. As adults we need to support children to realise those rights, no matter what age. That could be through play and most definitely should be through the demonstration of love. I understand the science behind ACEs is about how we can help improve the health of children who have had these experiences, however I was disappointed to not see a mention of play or love in the list of interventions.

Some of the interventions mentioned in the film were playful but were not self directed play. There is a wealth of academic research which supports the crucial role play has in the development of the whole child, it is their safe place to explore the world. In bringing ACE's into ELC in Scotland I would suggest bringing play to the forefront of supporting children to understand how ACEs have impacted upon their lives. The following appeared in a blog on the Upstart website called "The Silence of the Weans" (24/2/18) which demonstrates the power of play in building resilience:

"play is children's inborn learning drive - it's how evolution designed them to develop human capacities they'll need to flourish throughout life. 'Messing about' in the great outdoors develops children's powers of creativity, adaptability and problem-solving; it's also about how they hone their social skills of communication and collaboration with their peers; and it's essential for the development of personal qualities like perseverance, self-control and the emotional resilience they need for long term mental health and well being"

I am more comfortable with the idea that we try to fix the society that the child is in rather than fix the child. The documentary spoke of being trauma informed where the focus is not on what is wrong with you but what has happened to you. A sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree, however the medical nature of the documentary didn't sit well with me. In my research I have identified several case studies where Lead Practitioners shared early childhood experiences which have impacted upon the way the understand and show love in their practice with children in early years. Not all who had adverse childhood experiences showed reluctance or reservation around showing love to children in their care, in the same way those who had childhood's free from adverse childhood experiences did not all naturally show love and affection. These experiences certainly formed their understanding of love but there were also other factors. These case studies make me question whether a checklist of experiences is enough to say that a child will have problems when they are older. I just think it isn't as simple as that. 

I liked the phrase "Naming the scary thing makes us feel safer" that was used by one of the researchers featured in the documentary. This I agree with. In my study participants used 92 different words to describe love to avoid actually saying it. Many commented on not being "allowed" to love children, with many examples of practitioners saying Lead Practitioners had told them off for demonstrating love to children in their care. Frequently adhering to 'policy and guidelines' came up, in my study, as a reason for a reluctance to support love-led practice. And it is true there is relatively little mention of love in policies and guidelines, however it is also relevant to note that it is difficult to find a warning against loving children in policies. Maybe policy makers just need to 'name the scary thing' love and let us all get on with loving the children in our care. Love makes us nervous, nervous in case of child protection issues, but surely children who experience real love will learn to know the difference and build resilience and trust in adults who truly care and love them. 

These are bold claims, I know, and I genuinely agreed with the sentiment of this documentary, however, I would just caution against putting all our eggs in the one basket. Understanding how ACE's impact upon future health is an important thing, but there are many other ways of building resilience in children other than medical interventions. The facilitator at the Children in Scotland event where I saw the documentary made the point that many have said that this is "just the latest fad". I hope not, I hope people working with children and young people can find the courage to not only support children who have had ACEs but also to love them a little.  Love is a powerful emotion, it is not at all fluffy or romantic, it can change a child's life. So let's name the scary thing - it is just LOVE.

Read more about ACEs https://acestoohigh.com/

Reference list

Joy, Eileen (2018). The Problem with Checklists in Child Protection Work. Blog Re-Imagining Social Work in Potearoa, New Zealand. 

www.reimaginingsocialwork.nz/2018/03/the-problem-with-checklists-in-child-protection-work/

(accessed 28 April 2018).

Palmer, Sue (2018) The Silence of the Weans. Blog: http://www.upstart.scot/blog/ (accessed 1/5/18)

Reflections on why I should be there.....

Please indulge me as I have been reflecting a lot on how I came to be doing this PhD. Those close to me know that I am continually questioning my academic ability and still think it was a huge mistake that I got into the University of Edinburgh in the first place.

My supervisor, Professor John Davis, took a chance on me in 2004 when he accepted me onto the BA Childhood Studies at the University of Edinburgh. At that point I seriously doubted whether I had the academic ability to complete a degree. But he believed I could so I gave it a go. I received a Merit for that degree, but still I did not believe I should be there. He then encouraged me to go onto the Masters in Childhood Studies. This took me out of the cocoon that was Moray House in the evening with 35 fellow students who were like me, working practitioners, into the 'real' university at George Square Campus with many students doing a whole variety of subjects. I really doubted myself at that point. But I made it through that degree as well. There then followed a series of qualifications with Edinburgh College to qualify me as a teacher which again I got on with and passed.

But still I did not believe I should be doing Higher Education qualifications. You might at this point, be reading this and think, for goodness sake woman, you are perfectly capable but this lack of self belief goes back to my school days. Now don't get me wrong, no one told me I wasn't clever, no one said I wasn't capable and I came out at the end with a set of 6 'O' grades and a couple of Highers. But nothing to shout about. But I was a pupil who just got on with her work and did okay, so there was never a focus on going to University, I was very much directed into the world of work. I found myself in Business Administration from office junior to Local Administrator. I was fairly successful. And I completed my HNC Business Studies. Now there was somewhere I felt I should be. That was me, successful. I was never going to go to University, so I never thought about it, never thought I was missing out on anything.

I did always have a hankering to be a teacher, but knowing I didn't have good enough grades for University so it just wasn't something I thought about. And I had a good job as the Local Administrator of a Social Work Centre. But, whilst I was confident in my role as the Local Administrator, I was never fully confident in areas such as budgeting, writing reports etc. I managed, but I was never confident. I never joined in heated debates about things, had no real opinion on politics. Was just not something I did. I just did not feel that confident in my wider knowledge of the world.

Then I had my children. I didn't suddenly become super confident or anything, but I did have the opportunity to return to study. I began a short course in childcare. This was the start of something amazing. Suddenly, I found confidence in my writing, I began (although it took a good few years) to voice my opinions on what I thought about what we were learning. Through a number of different childcare qualifications I found myself being accepted onto the BA Childhood Studies. By that point I had some experience working in childcare and had a grounding in child development theory and practice. I had always been successful in the business world, but this was different I understood this subject, I was passionate about it, I couldn't wait to learn more.

But still I felt like I shouldn't be at the University of Edinburgh, because I didn't get in with the right qualifications. I only had Higher English, no Higher Maths. And don't get me started on how I lacked in confident with maths, still do but I am not frighted of numbers any more. Where did this feeling of inadequacy come from. At school I was the middle of the road pupil. Nothing to worry about. I wasn't struggling and I wasn't amazing, so I was just left to get on with it. I worked hard, and I did okay. Not brilliant but okay. I don't blame the school environment at all, in some respects it is still the same today. Limited resources mean that often the children who are really struggling get the help and those who look like they could excel get extra support. Meaning the kids in the middle, who are doing okay get less support. I know this is not the case everywhere but often it is. I was one of those middle of the road kids.

But suddenly I had people like Prof Davis and Dr McNair telling me I was good and encouraging me to go further. Prof Davis has already been talking about what "we" can do next, once I complete my PhD. Which just blows my mind, he is the person who inspires me, can't imagine I would ever be good enough to actually do a piece of work with him. But gradually through my PhD I am growing in confidence and I am beginning to realise I am becoming that expert in my field. Quiet, Jane Robertson, who was the middle of the road child academically, is becoming an expert in the field of childhood practice. I have finally developed opinions which are supported by academic study and political discussion.

The BA Childhood Studies (now Childhood Practice) has given many people, like myself, the opportunity to go to University. People who just did okay at school. It has taken me to the point where I am reflecting in this blog to realise that everyone, given the right opportunity can reach their full potential. And that does not need to be University, this is not me saying that, but I think everyone should be given encouragement and support to reach their potential, to make their dreams a reality. I became a lecturer so I did become a teacher, my degree showed me that I had an interest in policy and legislation and now I am a Policy Manager advising the Scottish Government on early learning and childcare.

So maybe it is time that I realised I should be at University. Time to acknowledge I am an expert in my field. And to stop this "self deprecating nonsense" that Professor Davis keeps telling me I do.

We need to tell all of the children we work with in early learning and childcare, that they can reach for the stars, not just the ones who struggle and not just the ones who are amazing.

Oh and telling them that we love them is a good place to start!

Thank you for allowing my reflective indulgence.

Have a good and prosperous 2018!