How can the lived experience of practitioners illuminate the complexities of emotional and ethical care in managing a day care nursery?

Much of the policy and practice surrounding early years work in nursery day care emphasises the school readiness of young children, with less focus on the complexity of emotional and ethical demands. Through case studies and her personal lived experience as an education practitioner, caring for infants from 6 weeks to 2 years, author Amanda Norman details the emotional labour, celebrations, and challenges of working with our youngest community members.

The Baby Room explores the implementation of a Person-Centred Care (PCC) approach, and discusses how this can be used to create a sense of belonging and community, ultimately shaping the social identity of professionals. Addressing topics such as principles of a therapeutic relationship, the role of supervision, and teamwork, this book is ideal reading for students of Education and Early Childhood Studies, Psychology, Sociology, and practitioners of Infant Education.

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright Page
• Abstract
• An author’s message
• Author’s background
• Language
• Contents
• Introduction
  • Infant (student) lens
  • Co-practitioners (colleagues) lens
  • Autobiographical (personal) lens
  • Theoretical lens
• 1 A Person-Centered Approach to communities of practice and belonging in formal day care
  • Key points for consideration from the chapter
  • Learning objectives
  • My journey to developing and practicing a PCA
  • Integrating counselling approaches into formal day care settings
  • CRIB: connecting principles with everyday practice
    • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
      • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
    • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • The history of a PCA
  • Working together in the baby room of a formal day care
• 2 A community of infants: Working in the baby room in formal day care in England
  • A case study exploration into a community of infants
  • Learning objective
  • Case study 1
    • Introduction to the infant
    • Reflections of practice
      • Diaper changing
      • Feeding
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
  • Case study 2
    • Introduction to the infant
    • Reflections of practice
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
  • Case study 3
    • Introduction to the infant
    • Reflections of practice
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
  • Case study 4
    • Introduction to the infant
    • Reflections of practice
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
  • Case study 5
    • Introduction to the infant
    • Reflections of practice
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
  • Case study 6
    • Introduction to the infants
    • Reflections of practice
    • Reflective accounts within a Person-Centered Approach
• 3 A personal approach to a PCA of working ethically with infants
  • Learning objective
  • How do I care for infants and what is my position and influences?
  • What is my ethical position and how do I draw on this in framing how I work in the baby room?
  • The ethics of care
  • How does this all connect with a PCA? A person-centered educational space
  • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
    • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
    • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • Creating Person-Centered caring communities in formal early years education and care settings
• 4 A community of practice: PCA supervision in the baby room
  • Learning objectives
  • Person-centered thinking
  • The distinction between appraisals and supervision
  • Group supervision
  • Approaching supervision in a PCA way
  • Approaching supervision: listening
  • Approaching supervision: a collaboration
  • Approaching supervision
    • An example of a supervision session
  • Supporting the supervisors
  • Including observations as part of supporting supervision and practice
  • The treasure baskets
  • The supervision meeting: plenary play session and findings
  • Practice of supervision and reflections
  • Reflection in action
• 5 A community of practice: Teamworking in the baby room
  • Learning objective
  • A community of practice: teamworking in the baby room
  • Why use a Person-Centered Approach (PCA)
  • An example of using The Johari Window model in practice
    • Stage 1: forming
    • Stage 2: storming
    • Stage 3: norming
    • Stage 4: performing
  • A Person-Centered Approach to resolution
  • Why is Tuckman relevant to the baby room?
  • Person-centered teams
    • The value of working-together teams
    • Leading a team though a PCA involves leaders who are
    • Summary of team beliefs and values with a PCA
• Conclusion
  • Picture portraits to practice: an application of including a PCA
  • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
    • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • A Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to a CRIB of Care
    • Baby room relationships in formal day care
  • Picture portrait 1
    • Context
    • Focused questions
  • Picture portrait 2
    • Context
    • Focused questions
  • Picture portrait 3
    • Context
    • Focused questions
  • Picture portrait 4
    • Context
    • Focused questions
  • Picture portrait 5
    • Context
    • Focused questions
• Recommended discussion topics
  • Leading practice
  • Working with parents
  • Supervision
  • Working with infants
  • Discussion topics
    • To consider
    • Case study
    • Consider what could be happening
• References
• Recommended further readings
• Index

Amanda Norman EdD is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies (Early Years) at the University of Winchester.