By Maureen Hunt

Helping Every Child to Thrive in the Early Years shows how a personalised and relationship-based approach to education and care can help overcome the ‘disadvantage gap’ in the early years. It examines the challenges that children from disadvantaged backgrounds face and looks at what settings and practitioners can do to enable every child to succeed.

Drawing on the latest research and using the insight gained from many years of working in early education the book considers the impact that disadvantage can have on children’s development and argues that building strong relationships with children and families is key to closing the gap.

Chapters cover:

• The different kinds and effects of disadvantage
• The importance of having a clear vision and shared values
• The culture of early years and how it has shaped practice
• Developing strong parent partnerships
• Supporting children with additional needs
• Smooth transitions

Full of practical advice and supporting anecdotes and case studies, this is essential reading for early years practitioners, setting managers and teachers working with children in Reception and KS1.

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Published by: Routledge
No of Pages: 102
Publication Date: 16th June 2022
ISBN: 978-0367860202

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Maureen Hunt is an independent education consultant specialising in Early Years with a background in Early Years and Infant education in Southampton, where she taught for over 22 years in four nursery and Infant schools, 15 of which were in leadership roles.

Maureen subsequently worked for Action for Children as a project leader for Cornwall Children’s Fund, developing new and innovative services in Cornwall to improve children’s engagement in school. Following this Maureen worked as a Regional Lead for Cornwall LA children’s services, where she was responsible for leading a multiagency team in family services and developed and ran six Children’s centres in South East Cornwall. Alongside her independent consultancy business Maureen is currently the Early Years Lead for Achievement for All where she is responsible for the design and the delivery of their award-winning early years programme; “Achieving Early” and leads on all the early years work for the charity.

Maureen writes articles for National publications including – Nursery World, Home Childcarer, Every Child Journal and PACEY and is currently writing a book on early years practice.

Maureen holds a B.ED, a Master’s degree in Education Management, the NPQH and the National Award for Special Educational Needs co-ordination.

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See more of Maureen on EY Matters
Maureen recorded  a special workshop/presentation for theEY Matters Continual Online Conference, ‘Emotional Wellbeing, Supporting Children’ and also made an appearance in our #BrewEdEYOnline 4.