Nursery World - Lockdown Babies: Supporting children with SEND and their parents

Jo Parkes looks at the impact on settings from the increase in children requiring more support from staff, and how they are navigating the best ways to help parents.

Illustration: Laura Wood

In the post-pandemic era, settings are experiencing pressures from many directions, not least from families who are turning to them for support.

Commentators report that many parents are worried about their children’s development, alongside experiencing their own difficulties with mental health and finances.

Josephine Burke, a parenting consultant and art psychotherapist specialising in under-fives, has gained concerning insights into this while trying to develop support plans for children, in partnership with early years settings.

Burke, who has worked for child and adolescent mental health services and in private practice in Gloucestershire and London, believes that a feeling of hopelessness and burnout is pervasive as settings try to meet this need beyond their capacity.

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