Children start in early years settings at a variety of ages. Some as early as a few months old, and others a little later, at maybe 2 or 3 years old. However, despite the differing ages of when children start in settings, a strategy that many settings implement to help with the settling in process is asking for a family photograph for a family display board or book.
Parents are often asked to provide a photograph as part of the settling in process, or sometimes at those busy drop off and pick up times, and staff dutifully wait for the photographs to either be brought in or to be emailed across. Often, time ticks away and that family picture never arrives. Have we ever stopped to wonder why this is? It is doubtful that any parent is purposefully not providing a photograph.
‘Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry, it’s slipped my mind, I’ll bring one tomorrow’, is a phrase I have heard more times than I can count, but still, that photograph doesn’t come. Although some might wonder why this is such a big of an ask, I think we really need to consider what are the barriers?
First and foremost, does that family have a photograph of them altogether? Not everyone can afford lovely professional photoshoots and therefore, lots of family pictures include a vital missing person - the one taking the photographs.
What about a selfie then? But selfies taken for social media posts with comedy filters, a little blurry and with someone cut out of the side are likely to be pushed aside by parents as ‘unsuitable’ for the setting family board.
A photograph to be displayed for all to see might cause anxiety for some parents.
Parents who are dropping off at 7.30 a.m. and picking up at 6.30 p.m. might not have the time, physically or mentally, to be carrying out additional tasks, particularly if they are navigating a return to work.
And some families just might not have the facilities to take photographs, or to print or email them to the setting.
So now we have thought about these barriers, what can we do? If you find that you are not receiving family photographs, could you take a quick photograph at drop off or pick up instead? Or could your board be about your setting family, as children and practitioners? If you are a setting that uses an online sharing platform, could you download a photograph from there and use that for the board?
Reflect on the importance of a child’s family and how underrepresentation can cause feelings of upset, anger and loneliness. All children should feel like they belong and should be represented in their environment. A child without a family picture on the family display is like a child not having a peg or drawer or being welcomed into the setting with a smile. It’s not conceivable that we would allow any of those things to happen.
It might also be helpful to consider how your family board is used with the children in the setting or class? What learning are you hoping to encourage? Is it effective in its current format?
Or are the photographs displayed for children to stumble across?
For younger children, family books are often more successful because children can hold them, look through them, carry them around and share with their practitioners, much like their favourite story book.
I have also seen some lovely examples where the children have drawn themselves and their family members, making a stick puppet or attaching to a wooden block, spoon or peg person. This allows the children to handle them and re-enact experiences and use language.
Families, no matter their make up or size, are integral to a child. If we are choosing to create displays or books depicting and celebrating all families, then all children must be involved. Let’s make sure that all children feel as though their family, and by association the child themselves, matter.
Jo Watkins
