BEHAVIOUR
Policy Statement:
Children flourish best when their personal, social and emotional needs are met and where there are clear and
developmentally appropriate expectations for their behaviour.
Children need to learn to consider the views and feelings, needs and rights, of others and the impact that their behaviour
has on people, places and objects. This is a developmental task that requires support, encouragement, teaching and setting
a good example. The child’s dignity should be maintained at all times.
All parents are provided with a copy of this policy and given the opportunity to discuss our approaches to behaviour
management. Parents are expected to encourage and reinforce nurturing behaviour, to be positive role models and follow
this procedure with their own and other children attending Wildlings Playgroup.
Procedure:
Land and Leaf Collective uses positive strategies for managing inconsiderate behaviour, by helping children to find solutions
in ways that are appropriate for the children’s ages and stages of development. Such solutions might include the
acknowledgement of feelings, an explanation about what was not acceptable about their behaviour and supporting children
to understand and gain control of their feelings so that they can learn a more appropriate response.
We have very few rules in our setting but we do expect all adults and children to accept them. The ground rules are:
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We will all care for each other
We will not do anything that might harm another person
We will not do anything that is dangerous or offensive
Children in forest school sessions are supported to establish appropriate ground rules for play within their group and to
discuss what they feel are appropriate ground rules.
Strategies that we use for maintaining ground rules and managing challenging or inconsiderate behaviour include:
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Explaining, discussing and maintaining the boundaries of behaviour for children in the woodland.
Acknowledging considerate behaviour such as kindness and willingness to share.
Supporting each child to develop self-esteem, confidence and feelings of competence.
Supporting each child to develop a sense of belonging in the group, so that they feel valued and welcome.
We avoid creating situations in which children receive attention only in return for inconsiderate behaviour.
When children behave in inconsiderate ways, we help them to understand the outcomes of their action and support
them in learning how to cope more appropriately.
Children are never sent away from the group by themselves or use a ‘naughty’ chair.
We never use physical punishment, such as smacking or shaking. Children are never threatened with these.
We do not use techniques intended to single out and humiliate individual children.
We will only ever use physical restraint, such as holding, to prevent physical injury to children.
In any cases of serious misbehaviour, such as racial or other abuse, we immediately make clear the
unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes, by means of explanations rather than personal blame.
We do not shout or raise our voices in a threatening way to respond to a child’s inconsiderate behaviour.
Policy created:
Latest review:
20/03/2021
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We recognise that very young children are unable to regulate their own emotions, such as fear, anger or distress,
and require gentle support to help them do this.
Common inconsiderate or hurtful behaviours of young children include tantrums, biting or fighting. We remain
calm, patient and offer comfort to intense emotions. We help children to manage their feelings and talk about them
to help resolve issues and promote understanding.
If tantrums, biting or fighting are frequent, we will try to find out the underlying cause – such as a change or
upheaval at home.
We do not engage in punitive responses to a young child’s rage.
We support social skills through modelling behaviour, activities, and stories. We aim to build self-esteem and
confidence in all children, recognising their emotional needs through a close and committed relationship with them.
We support children to understand the effect that their hurtful behaviour has had on another child; We do not force
children to say sorry, but encourage this when it is clear that they are genuinely sorry and wish to show this to the
person they have hurt.
If hurtful behaviour becomes problematic, we will work with parents/carers to identify the cause and find a solution
together.
Policy created:
Latest review:
20/03/2021