Dr Mona Sakr shares insight into ongoing research around baby room provision, aiming to bring together evidence on what quality provision looks like for 0-2-year-olds. The article introduces a small-scale study which sparked the current wider research, and the podcast episode expands on the current research.

Read Mona’s article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/experiences-of-baby-room-leaders/

Mona and her team are presenting further insight into their research at The Voice of Early Childhood 2025 Conference – find out more here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-conference-2025/

Episode break down:

00:00 – Why is more baby room research needed? 06:20 – Babies in the context of their family 07:40 – A dialogue with the sector 14:00 – Should you have a curriculum in the baby room? 16:30 – A baby is always learning 18:20 – Does learning ever end? 21:00 – Deeper interactions, questioning and noticing 24:55– Baby rooms as stressful environments 28:00 – Baby rooms as sleepy and subdued spaces 29:45 – Following a baby’s natural curiosity 32:45 – What is mind-mindedness? 39:10 – Conference workshop 39:50 – Influencing policy through research 43:07 – Working at the local level 45:30 – Shifting our language as a sector

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Quality provision for 0–2 year olds in English nurseries 50:39 Share

The Voice of Early Childhood

Why is more baby room research needed?

How do babies fit into their family context?

What does a dialogue with the sector look like?

Should there be a curriculum in the baby room?

Is a baby always learning?

Does learning ever end for babies?

How can we engage in deeper interactions with babies?

Are baby rooms often stressful environments?

Can baby rooms be sleepy and subdued spaces?

How can we follow a baby’s natural curiosity?

What is mind-mindedness?

How can research influence policy?

What does working at the local level entail?

How can we shift our language in the sector?

Shownotes Transcript

Quality provision for 0–2 year olds in English nurseries