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Abstract

This empirical dissertation is an exploration of the views of early-years practitioners on how the Covid-19 pandemic is potentially influencing children's personal, social and emotional development (PSED). Children's emotional wellbeing is a current global concern. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that the UK government has had to introduce national restrictions on peoples movements and restrained the ability to mix outside the family household. Within the early year's foundation stage (EYFS), the national curriculum for early education, the key person's role is essential in supporting children's emotional wellbeing to build a strong foundation for children's personal social and emotional development (PSED). Early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings have experienced closures and restrictions to all children apart from children of key workers, including doctors, nurses, and Teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the literature reports, this has led to many children experiencing a discontinuity of care, and concerns have been raised about children's emotional wellbeing. Drawing from attachment theory, this research explores why the key person approach is essential in supporting children experiencing the stressful events associated with the safety measures in place and continual changes of the pandemic. Through the use of a questionnaire, the research gathered the views of practising Early-years practitioners who continued to work in ECEC settings during the pandemic. The key findings detailed how practitioners supported relational attachments with children. They raised concerns about children's behavioural development but also recognised that some children’s PSED had developed during the pandemic as they had made new friends. The study concludes that the practitioners used multiple strategies to support children’s relational attachments, identifying that children were provided with a consistent, safe emotional environment to try and reduce the impact of the pandemic on their PSED.

Course: Early Childhood Studies - BA (Hons)

Date Deposited: 2022-04-08

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13882.html