Empowering everyone in early childhood to work in harmony

On June 26th 2024 Dr Natalie Canning presented her Empowerment Framework at a breakfast event held in the British Library in London. The organisations who attended the event neatly illustrated how ‘early childhood’ is an umbrella term, with representatives that work with babies, pregnant mothers, early childhood and care settings, and childminders as well as early childhood researchers, practitioners, policy influencers and members of the EC@OU team. The work being done by these groups reaches across the UK nations and beyond.

 

Grant Gordon from the Ethos Foundation captured this breadth in his introduction to the event as he outlined the context within which the Foundation was established and by highlighting the lack of real change in this context since its creation. Natalie then presented the Empowerment Framework, focussing on the potential it has to amplify children’s voices and how that can be a force for change. The presentations provided a catalyst for some lively discussions which showed the passion and expertise of everyone in the room, and which again drew attention to the diversity of issues that ‘early childhood’ represents. Questions were asked about school readiness, diversity and representation, curriculum design and workforce morale, whilst all the time looking at how to put the child at the centre of all the work that is done.

Listening to the presentations, questions and conversations I became aware of how everyone in the room was passionate about early childhood and had a particular issue, theme, situation or aspect that really motivated them. Everyone wanted to give voice to that passion but we were mindful that we needed  to focus on a unifying theme. It was like an orchestra tuning up, each instrument is important and essential to creating the finished work but at that point each one is focussed on perfecting their own piece and this creates a discordant noise that distracts and rather than a tune that engages and appeals. It needs a conductor and clear direction to bring all the sounds together into one clear and organised melody that resonates with the audience, connecting to them and getting their attention.

The work being done with our youngest children and their families covers education, care, social justice, professional identities, inclusion, representation, wellbeing, welfare, and more. The importance of each of these is undeniable, if we want the best future outcomes for all children then all these areas must be acknowledged and valued and there needs to be a clear agenda that the work in all these arenas can agree on and work towards together. To continue the orchestra metaphor we need the sheet music that shows us the music, the part  each us is playing, where we work together and where our solo opportunities are. The breadth and flexibility of the Empowerment Framework and its potential to support every child could provide the perfect opening bars for us all to play our part together.

 

You can find out more about the Empowerment Framework here:

TACTYC OCC-Paper-14-N-Canning.pdf (open.ac.uk)

 

 

 

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