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Consequences

Early years settings need to have policies for when children argue or when behaviour gets out of hand, that the children themselves can understand, as Jennie Lindon explains Children learn how to behave through supportive daily experiences that are guided by adults who are concerned to set a good example themselves. This approach to children's behaviour can be outlined in your setting by a written policy which explains in practical language the key values that shape your team's approach and how these link with broad aims in your practice.

Children learn how to behave through supportive daily experiences that are guided by adults who are concerned to set a good example themselves. This approach to children's behaviour can be outlined in your setting by a written policy which explains in practical language the key values that shape your team's approach and how these link with broad aims in your practice.

You can highlight that adult guidance must support and not undermine children's emotional well-being. A policy can also describe broad expectations for children's behaviour, linked in a realistic way with their age and pattern of development.

Supporting children

Good practice includes alert observation by adults. When disagreements arise, children have the right to expect that adults will avoid jumping to conclusions about what happened and who started it. Children will not regard sanctions as a fair consequence if adults are unwilling to understand what led to the point when everyone started yelling.

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