Author: Ali

This comprehensive 1-hour staff meeting template guides early years practitioners through transforming everyday care routines into meaningful relationship-building opportunities. The resource challenges the perception that physical care tasks interrupt teaching, instead repositioning them as essential educational practices. Teams work through practical activities including a carousel reflection examining eight realistic caring moment scenarios (from nappy changes to mealtimes), analysing respectful interactions through video examples from St Pauls Nursery School, and defining what care means to them. The template emphasises Birth to 5 Matters guidance on respectful caregiving, where practitioners work with children rather than doing things to them, recognising each child as a free and equal human being. Each scenario prompts teams to consider children’s dignity, voice, autonomy, and individual needs within group routines. With references to Carol Garboden Murray’s work and EEF evidence-informed approaches, this resource includes follow-up activities such as observing care practices across the setting, watching videos on promoting self-care, and supervision prompts to embed learning into practice.