Nursery World - A Unique Child: Health and well-being

Getting parents on board a healthy eating initiative when it is at odds with their long-time habits is a tricky process requiring sensitive communication, as Alison Tonkin, Cath Alderson and Gill Roberts explain.

In order to promote the outcomes of Every Child Matters, early years practitioners must sometimes tackle sensitive issues. Practitioners need to look for solutions in areas of health, welfare and learning that will ensure that all children are included.

Inclusion has been defined as 'a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging', while best practice 'welcome(s) children from all backgrounds' (CACHE, 2005).

There may, however, be differences between practitioners' own ideas of best practice and the ideas of the families and communities that they serve. The Early Years Foundation Stage refers to the need for 'maintaining a respectful dialogue with parents whose views about behaviour or child rearing differ radically from your own' (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007).

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