Early Years behaviour

As providers of Early Education, you will be aware of the importance of creating an environment that promotes positive behaviour and in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) your setting should have and be implementing a behaviour management policy. You are also required to have a named practitioner who is responsible for behaviour management. The role of the named practitioner is to give advice to other staff members and develop confidence and understanding in dealing with unwanted behaviour.

Promoting positive behaviour and support for wellbeing is a shared endeavour. This includes ensuring challenging and engaging activities for young children and promoting their increased involvement in positive and welcoming learning environment. This should maintain an inclusive approach for all children and their families.

When is behaviour 'a problem'?

All small children find ways to express their wishes and test their parents' and other significant adults' authority. Less verbal children are likely to resort to tantrums if frustrated - screaming, drumming feet, and hurling things around. More verbal children may whine and fuss and refuse to co-operate.

Children with additional needs have greater frustrations to bear, although they may not have an obvious disability. If they have learning difficulties they can find it harder to concentrate or to understand what is expected of them and harder to tell people what is upsetting them. If children cannot see or hear or have physical disabilities, they often struggle to communicate their needs. All these difficulties can lead to greater feelings of anxiety, frustration and rage, which they may then express through their behaviour.

When this happens, many parents can feel helpless and often exhausted. This may lead to the child's behaviour becoming more challenging. When the child comes to a setting, these behaviours may show up even more with the stress of the group environment. Settings may find that their usual rules and techniques do not work. It can also be very difficult to explain to other children why there are different behaviour rules for them.

Often parents feel that their child's behaviour is their fault. Sometimes they think it is something in the setting that is causing a problem. Sometimes practitioners feel that poor parenting and lack of understanding about the child's needs within normal development needs addressing. It can be difficult to identify the causes of inappropriate behaviour and to know how to respond for the best.

Normal development or additional needs?

Personal, social and emotional development is an aspect of learning that demonstrates the child's ability to cope with people and settings outside the family, including the development of independence skills, self-esteem and the ability to relate to others.

These are grouped in four areas in the outcomes for children:

• Getting emotional needs met
• Behaviour
• Relationship to others
• Feelings

The SEND Code of Practice is clear that where a child's progress is cause for concern, or where a child appears to be behind expected levels in these four areas, as in other areas of development, practitioners should consider all the information about the child's learning and development to inform decisions about whether or not a child has SEN. (Code of Practice 5.28)

Difficult or withdrawn behaviour does not necessarily mean that a child has SEN. However, where there are concerns, there should be an assessment to determine whether there are any causal factors such as an underlying learning or communication difficulty. If it is thought housing, family or other domestic circumstances may be contributing to the presenting behaviour, a multi-agency approach, supported by approaches such as the Early Help Assessment, should be adopted.

Examples of persistent behaviour in young children that might be problematic are:

• Screaming and tantrums
• Kicking and hitting adults and children
• Breaking things
• Biting people and objects
• Swearing
• Smearing faeces, urinating in odd places

Young children may have an occasional tantrum, which is normal for their age. It is only a problem if the tantrums get worse and they become unsafe to themselves and others. Some young children with additional needs might display some or all of these behaviours - it becomes problematic if it is persistent and severe.

Such behaviour can develop in children from as young as 18 months.

What are the causes of problematic behaviour?

Children can be affected by any of the following:

• Frustration, particularly if the child cannot physically do something and/or cannot communicate their needs
• Anxieties, fears and phobias. This can be an issue if the child cannot bear any change in routine or appears to be frightened of something.
• Lack of understanding. The child does not know what is expected or may take a long time to work out what is meant so may not respond.
• Unable to express emotions in words, so shows unhappiness or anger in their behaviour.
• Hyperactivity. A child may have excess energy and needs to be constantly on the move in the day and then cannot sleep at night.
• Discomfort. A child may not be able to bear certain noises or textures or might be hungry, thirsty or in pain and unable to communicate this.
• Misplaced attention. A child may have learned that a particular behaviour gets a welcome reaction - any kind of attention can be rewarding for a child, even if that attention is negative and is meant to stop them doing something.

Some behaviour difficulties are more likely in children with particular conditions or disabilities. For example, children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) find it very hard to stay still or to concentrate for very long and they are often impulsive, reacting before thinking through the consequences.

Some behaviours have their roots in genetic conditions which may lead to a child having an increased tendency to be obsessive or anxious, to over-eat, sleep badly or self-harm. If the child has a diagnosis of a genetic syndrome it is worth finding out more about the condition to see if they are at extra risk of developing particular behaviour patterns.

Although children with some conditions and disabilities are at increased risk of developing behaviours that are problematic, it is important to recognise that it is not a foregone conclusion - it is just an increased risk. They will not necessarily develop that behaviour and even if they do, they can be helped to reduce its frequency and minimise its effects.

As providers of early education you will be aware of the importance of creating an environment that promotes positive behaviour and in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) your setting should have and be implementing a behaviour management policy. You are also required to have a named practitioner who is responsible for behaviour management. The role of the named practitioner is to give advice to other staff members and develop confidence and understanding in dealing with unwanted behaviour. As part of NCC inclusion strategy we provide the nationally accredited programme called Norfolk Steps. This approach is adopted across the county in early years and schools.

One-day Step On training is provided for early years providers and is valid for two years. This training is a proactive response to establishing ethos and systems to support the inclusion of children with challenging or dangerous behaviours. Training includes establishing ethos, understanding behaviours, de-escalation, consistent responses, law and guidance, planning and documentation, repair and reflection.

Half-day Step On refresher training is required every 2 years and offers updated information about changes in legislation and local strategies. It also offers opportunity to refresh and reestablish ethos. If a practitioner does not attend the refresher training within the agreed timescale, they would be required to access the one day training again.

Individual consultations Occasionally individual consultations from a member of the Norfolk Steps team around specific issues can be accessed. Evidence that strategies for support have been tried and that practitioner/s have attended and hold an up to date certificate for Step On training will also be required should there be need to access this level of support. It is advisable to contact the Early Years Duty Desk to discuss before making a referral request.

Behaviour toolkit Linking to Step On training, a behaviour toolkit was developed for early years providers as an additional resource offering another tier of support. Although these are no longer provided in paper form, the updated forms contained within the toolkit can be found on the Norfolk Steps - forms and documentation page in this section.

It is really important to accept both the age of the child and the stage of their development when considering any management of behaviour. As adults if we have a clear understanding of both, we are more likely to have reasonable expectations of children. Understanding child development is essential to the process of helping children whose behaviour may not follow what is classified as 'the norm'. It is also important to consider our own behaviour and that of the adults around the child as research on children's character development suggests that the strongest influences on children's character development is modelling by adults, peers, and others. Simply they respond to what they see and hear.

Individual children develop at very different rates but they usually follow patterns closely related to their age, however developmental markers are only given as general guidance there will always be exceptions to the rule.

The following descriptors give some general expectations at different ages:

• Babies from birth to one year are not developmentally able to understand rules
• They respond to their feelings of hunger, tiredness etc and alert adults to these feelings
• They have no concept of 'bad' or 'good' behaviour as they act on instinct and are unaware of the world around them

Most children at 12 months:

• Do not understand they are a separate person
• Like to be with people they know well and may be upset with strangers
• Respond in different ways at different times to similar situation, they may laugh at something one day then cry or be upset by it the next day
• Can follow a simple instruction
• Will make sounds, call and shout to gain an adults attention

By 15 months, children are usually:

• More aware of themselves, but do not yet understand that others are separate beings
• Into everything, exploring without ideas of what is safe to do or touch
• Very possessive, particularly of people he/she loves, they do not like to see mum holding another child
• Easily distracted from behaviours which are unwanted, trying to reason with him/her will not work well. Their mood swings from joy to fury in seconds
• Easily frustrated and this sometimes results in shouting and throwing things

By 18 months a child is usually:

• More aware of him/herself as distinct from others
• Responsive (briefly) to being told 'no', but needs it to be repeated frequently, reinforced by actions, such as moving them away from danger
• Totally self centered, unconcerned about the effect their actions will have on others
• Very determined to have their own way, and are easily frustrated at not being able to do things for themselves

Sometimes a child at this age:

• Responds to frustration by throwing, screaming or shouting
• Tries to assert him/herself by refusing to comply with adults and showing defiance

A typical 2 year old:

• Has a clearer self-image, but still does not appreciate others as separate people
• May be able to play alone for up to 20 minutes, as long as they know a trusted adult is nearby
• Is very possessive of their own toys - everything is 'mine'. Sharing has not yet become a way of life, and needs to be treated as a developmental stage and not a punishable offence. He/she needs to be shown how to share by frequent and sensitive adult intervention. Its helpful to have more than two items of popular toys available at any one time
• Does not like to wait for demands to be met, impatience is normal
• Will have frequent tantrums when frustrated, even if you are not aware of the cause; can usually be distracted, but you need to guard against rewarding them for screaming by giving your attention and to teach them alternative positive ways to gain an adults attention
• Is now able to show and express feelings, of affection, fear, anger, distress
• Can now understand when others are upset, hurt, excited or happy and will respond appropriately

A typical 3 year old:

• Knows him/herself well and is becoming increasingly independent
• Is often resistant to being told what to do and how to do it, usually thinking they know best!
• Will go happily with people they know, and is much less worried about strangers, they are becoming more sociable and less shy
• Has usually developed the ability to wait when necessary but be realistic
• Is willing to discuss what he/she needs to do, and to negotiate appropriate behaviours and responses
• Usually has a good command of language and therefore is less likely to have a tantrum or behave rebelliously
• Has sudden mood swings and sometimes behaves in extreme ways without necessarily knowing the reason why
• Likes to be seen to be well behaved, and knows what to do when taken into a wide range of social situations
• Is able to appreciate what is going on around him and fit in with the feelings and moods of adults around him
• Has a real need for approval. Wants to be loved and appreciated by adults

A typical 4 year old:

• Can take part in discussions, negotiate and reason
• Is very friendly and can be helpful to both other children and adults
• Understands their own feelings and is therefore more likely to respond in a predictable way and to express feelings verbally
• Is much more self-controlled and can control bodily movements well
• Is less dependent on the main carer and likes to do things with other adults
• Is mostly able to behave appropriately in different situations, understanding what to do where and when
• Likes to play in a small group, not necessarily with friends, but with those showing an interest in the same activity; he/she can move between groups happily and independently
• Takes turns in group games with other children, but usually needs an adult to keep the structure of the game and ensure consistency
• Enjoys imaginative play, and can continue for considerable lengths of time with complicated ideas
• Understands yesterday, today and tomorrow, as well as now, before, later
• Will argue the case and put their own ideas quite strongly
• Sometimes blame others for their own misbehaviour and denies their own part in it; this is part of a need for approval and a growing awareness of consequences
• Will sometimes behave badly as a way to gain a reaction from an adult. Any attention can be seen as better than none
• May swear and use forbidden language, again as a way to gain attention

During the year between 4 and 5:

• Although they may seem very confident, sociable and talkative, children are trying to make sense of the world and their part in it
• Self-assurance develops and activities are more purposeful
• Children are more inclined to follow a thing through to the end
• Being able to wait, take turns and to share with others is so much part of behaviour that they no longer need to think about it
• Children are sometimes stubborn, argumentative and aggressive with adults and other children
• A child who is unwell or tired still needs the help and security of a trusted adult

A typical 5 year old:

• Is more independent, more self-contained and more self-controlled
• Needs the approval of adults to support their self-esteem
• Knows, and feel ashamed when their behaviour is unacceptable
• Will sometimes be overactive, aggressive and argumentative
• Will argue with parents, but not usually with teachers or other adults when denied something
• Will engage in negotiation and bargaining; this is still useful as a way of ensuring good behaviour
• Is not so easily distracted from anger or frustration
• Needs to be given ways to regain control when angry; 'quiet time' supported by an adults usually helps
• Enjoys games which enable them to be competitive as individuals rather than in teams
• Still needs adult intervention to adjudicate in arguments
• Likes to assert themselves by boasting and sometimes threatening others
• Loves to be the best and can be very purposeful and persistent to achieve this

Reference: Garner, M, Featherstone. S, Hardy, M 2005 Including Children with Behaviour and Attention Difficulties in the Early Years Foundation Stage, Black Publishers Ltd, London

The documents below are useful tools to use once practitioners have accessed Step On training where they are explained in more detail. If you have accessed Step On training and require some further guidance on how best to use any of these forms, please contact the Early Years Duty Desk.