The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners
An essential guide for the foundation degree and levels 4 and 5

The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners is a comprehensive and accessible course text for all students studying at levels 4 and 5, including on Foundation Degrees and Early Childhood Studies degrees. Designed and written by the Chair of the SEFDEY (Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degree in Early Years) Network and a team of expert contributors, this book covers the essential skills, knowledge and understanding you need to become an inspiring and effective early years practitioner.

Divided into four parts: The Student-Practitioner-Professional; The Learning and Development of Children 0-5; The Child, Family and Society; and The Senior Practitioner-Professional, the book covers all aspects of working with young children and engages you with theory that is explicitly linked to your practice. Throughout there is a strong emphasis on supporting your transition to undergraduate study, developing your academic skills and encouraging you to be an active learner. In every chapter, the book seeks to help you develop your professional identity and features:

• Activities to help you to reflect on your own practice
• ?Provocations? to promote discussion and debate
• Case study examples and photographs to illustrate key points
• ?From Research to Practice? boxes outlining key research in the field and implications for practice.

The book is supported by a companion website featuring, for students, links to useful websites and video material, and an interactive flashcard glossary. Online support for lecturers includes ideas for tasks and activities to use in class and the diagrams and images in the book available to download.

Section 1 The Student-Practitioner-Professional 1. Introduction to this book 2. Principles, Practice and Professionalism 3. Students’ emotional lives, personal lives and achievements 4. Becoming an undergraduate: The transition from level 3 to level 4/5 5. Work-based learning 6. Partnership with employers and developing the practice of staff 7. Research and ethics 8. Reflective practice – theoretical background 9. Reflective tools and work-based learning; developing professional identity Section 2 The Learning and Development of Children 0-5 10. The Foundation Years: Babies 11. The Foundation Years: 2-3 year olds 12. The Foundation Years: 4-5 year olds 13. Holistic Development: Children Playing 14. Holistic Development: Children Thinking 15. Holistic Development: Learning and Cognitive Development 16. Holistic Development: Children’s Creativity 17. Holistic Development: Communication, language and literacy 18. Holistic Development: Children’s Health and Well-Being 19. Holistic Development: The social and emotional needs of children 20. Holistic Development: The Physical Development of Children 21. Outdoors Section 3 The Child, Family and Society 22. Society’s expectations of children 23. The EYFS 24. Working with Parents 25. Safeguarding young children 26. Supporting inclusive practice in the early years 27. Equality, Diversity and Rights of the Child 28. SEND Section 4 The Senior Practitioner-Professional 29. Legal and professional responsibilities 30. Observation including listening to children 31. Leadership 32. Mentoring, coaching and supervision 33. Quality 34. The link between disadvantage and educational underachievement and the role of Early Years practitioners 35. The Big Picture: Policy 36. Working Collaboratively/Multi-professional Working 37. Conclusion

Lyn Trodd (editor) is Associate Dean, UK and International Collaboration in the School of Education at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. She is also Chair of the SEFDEY network.