Nursery World - Three-way talk (1)

Working with parents is an inseparable part of caring for the youngest children, says Jennie Lindon Early years practitioners and parents are all adults, but the friendly working relationship that you aim to develop would never start if not for the children. Early years settings strive to maintain positive relationships with parents and other family carers such as grandparents. But is it important never to overlook the very young members of the partnership.

Early years practitioners and parents are all adults, but the friendly working relationship that you aim to develop would never start if not for the children. Early years settings strive to maintain positive relationships with parents and other family carers such as grandparents. But is it important never to overlook the very young members of the partnership.

The specialist Elinor Goldschmied described the triangular relationship that needs to develop among an early years practitioner (primarily the key worker), a child's parent(s) and the young child. She chose the image of the triangle deliberately because each part of that shape is equally important and contributes to the strength of the whole. If anybody in the practitioner-parent-child triangle feels anxious, unhappy or under emotional threat, then everyone else will be affected.

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