Join us for this episode about navigating the food landscape, the relationship between food and wellbeing, and the importance of nutrition in the early years. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 15 May.

Louise Mercieca, a nutritional therapist and early years nutrition consultant, emphasises the intricate relationship between food and our overall wellbeing. Moving beyond simply labelling food as 'good' or 'bad', she urges a focus on how different foods affect us. Highlighting the critical impact of early years nutrition on children's long-term health, she stresses the value of educating children about the connection between food and health and engaging them in projects such as allotments and community farms. Louise also addresses the influence of the food industry and the importance of taking ownership over our food choices.

Chapters

Want to hear more from Louise?

Website: https://www.thehealthkick.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisemercieca/

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us for this episode about positive parenting, making changes and setting boundaries in challenging environments. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 1 May.

In this episode we meet with Kathy Bowers to talk about parenting, communication and relationship improvement work. Kathy discusses her experience in social care and family support work, highlighting the importance of experience, knowledge, and training in dealing with challenging cases. She emphasises the value of being open and learning from families, as well as asking questions to understand their situations better.

Kathy has worked as a nursery nurse, family support worker, and practitioner in children's settings. She has worked directly with families, including teenagers, to improve their relationships and create harmony. Kathy also discusses the challenges of parenting, including the need for consistency, setting boundaries, and managing emotions. She encourages parents not to compare themselves to others and to learn from their mistakes.

Want to hear more from Kathy?

Website: https://www.life-change-coaching.co.uk/about-kathy

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

In this episode we meet with Dr Helen Bilton, Author and Professor of Outdoor Learning and Play, to talk about recapturing the lost value of play and independent problem-solving, as well as how different early years settings can support outdoor learning. We also touch on the courses Helen has written for FutureLearn on Supporting Successful Learning in Primary Schools and in Secondary Schools, which explore how we can teach children to navigate risk and how we can reflect upon our own attitudes and perceptions of the outdoors.

Want to hear more from Helen?

Website: https://www.drhelenbilton.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drhelenbilton

FutureLearn Courses:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/supporting-learning-primary https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/supporting-learning-secondary

Want to skip ahead?

PART 1:

(0:00-03:15) Introduction to Helen: how her love of outdoor play developed and her book writing journey

(03:15-05:35) What makes ‘outdoor play’ magical and the ‘can-do’ environment

(05:35-09:38) The battle of evidencing outdoor play’s benefits and bias associated with it

(09:38-11:15) How the modern world doesn’t prepare us for the outdoors and our fear of losing comfort

(11:15-12:48) How settings can navigate children’s preparedness for the outdoors

(12:48-17:35) Families’ anxiety of children being ‘on show’, the need to re-think education and language associated with the outdoors

(17:35-20:54) How technology has affected outdoor education & the importance of being ‘present’ outdoors

[CACHE Alumni ad break]

PART 2:

(21:14-26:40) How settings without access to an outdoor space can support outdoor learning

(26:40-32:50) FutureLearn courses on ‘supporting successful learning in primary and secondary schools’ - reflecting on our own attitudes & teaching children to navigate ‘risk’

(32:50-36:45) Challenging own viewpoints and recognising cultural differences in perceptions of ‘outdoor learning’

PART 3:

(36:45-47:00) The lost value of outdoor play and problem-solving, and modern conveniences

(47:00-52:00) Wellbeing and resilience

(52:00-57:08) Tips on how to easily create an outdoor space and final notes

---------------------

Don't forget that you can watch this episode on our website, as well as other video-versions of our previous episodes.

---------------------

You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Welcome to the latest episode of POD-CACHE, the award-winning professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni.

Join us for this fascinating conversation with Bethan Harding MBE, a seasoned education professional working to pioneer the 'Winning With Numbers' teaching platform.

In this episode, Bethan shares her professional journey and brings real-world insights from her experiences in various school systems, including the US, and discusses her instrumental role in establishing teaching hubs and support.

We explore Bethan’s dedicated efforts towards the development and support of tools for number fluency and the episode covers in-depth discussions on 'Winning With Numbers'.

Designed to revolutionise primary maths education, this platform provides a comprehensive array of resources for teachers, parents, and students with the objective of making maths simple yet engaging. Bethan highlights the necessity of fostering a strong foundation in education and instilling fluency and confidence in subjects from an early age.

Find Winning With Numbers on their website at https://www.wwnumbers.com/ or on their social media pages;

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_WWNumbers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwnumbers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_wwnumbers LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-harding-a84b682a/

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

• Mindfulness is about being in the present moment with awareness and without judgement.
• Practising mindfulness can improve focus, reduce stress and anxiety, and enhance social and emotional learning.
• Mindfulness can be introduced in early years settings through activities such as mindful walks, breathing exercises, and journaling.
• There is a connection between mindfulness and yoga, and both can be beneficial for practitioners and children.
• Promoting mindfulness in early years education can support children's overall wellbeing and help them develop self-regulation skills. Mental health is as important as physical health and should be prioritised.
• Common mental health issues include anxiety, depression, and stress.
• Stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health can prevent individuals from seeking help.
• There are various support systems and resources available for individuals facing mental health challenges.
• Self-care and coping strategies play a crucial role in maintaining mental well-being.

Find Mindfulness in Early Years on the Routledge website here; https://ww.routledge.com/Mindfulness-in-Early-Years-Strategies-and-Approaches-to-Nurturing-Young/Mukadam/p/book/9780367142087

or via Amazon here;

Mindfulness in Early Years: Strategies and Approaches to Nurturing Young Minds: Amazon.co.uk: Mukadam, Yasmin: 9780367142087: Books

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us as we learn about behaviour as communication in care with Victoria Bartle. Find out more about the conversation below, and subscribe for more interesting conversations in care, health, early years and education. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 7 February.

This journey into Victoria's day-to-day provides a comprehensive insight into understanding and interpreting the delicate balance in care-receiving and care-giving situations. From tackling discrimination at work to understanding the vital role of non-verbal communication in care settings, Victoria's journey helps us to understand our impact in the professional, social, and personal sphere.

Uncover the physical and emotional issues surrounding people's experiences of disability as Victoria covers the holistic impact of her everyday hurdles.

Learn from her experiences dealing with the complexities of the healthcare and social systems to explore a fresh perspective on the emotional backdrop and behaviours exhibited by people receiving care to help build effective care strategies rooted in humanity and empathy.

As Victoria shares the raw reality of balancing her desire for control and the necessity to rely on others, she offers precious insights for carers to enhance their technique, forming a beneficial relationship based on clear boundaries, mutual respect, and good communication. Listen in and gain a deeper understanding of the need for excellent communication skills and self-awareness in care-giving encounters.

Want to hear more from Victoria?

Find her on the CACHE Alumni website, her LinkedIn page, via her work with Newcastle University or on her website.

If you'd like to see this podcast as a live video, you can see Victoria and her slides on the (members only) events and video learning page of the CACHE Alumni website, alongside lots of other great CPD.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us as we meet with Lucy Norris and learn about the Wizzybug. Find out more about the conversation below, and subscribe for more interesting conversations in care, health, early years and education. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 24 January.

00:00 Introduction

00:46 Introducing Lucy Norris and Designability

01:18 What is Wizzybug?

02:46 Age Range for Wizzybug

04:33 Importance of Independent Movement

06:28 Benefits of Wizzybug for Children and Families

08:43 Developmental Milestones and Agency

09:56 Equal Footing with Peers

10:18 Why is Support with Powered Mobility not Widely Available in Early Years?

12:07 Motor Skills and Spatial Awareness

13:32 Story of a Child's Experience with Wizzybug

14:05 Transitioning to Powered Mobility

16:19 Developmental Benefits of Early Mobility

19:38 Loan Scheme and Loan Extension

20:36 Removing Barriers to Applying for support

23:46 Empowerment and Transitioning to Mobility Aids

26:50 Multimodal Mobility and Range of Equipment

28:16 Transitioning to Powered Mobility as an Adult

33:15 How to refer parents to Wizzybug

37:46 Measuring and Setting Up Wizzybugs

42:56 Funding and Support for Wizzybugs

45:22 When Wizzybug is Not Suitable

45:55 Thank You - More Help from CACHE Alumni

Summary Lucy Norris, Partnerships and Engagement Officer for the charity Designability, discusses the Wizzybug, a small powered wheelchair designed for young children with mobility challenges. The Wizzybug enables children to move independently and participate more fully in social activities. In this episode, Lucy and Dawn talk about the importance of independent movement for child development and the benefits of early mobility. Lucy also addresses the current barriers to accessing mobility equipment and talks about the loan scheme provided by Designability.

Takeaways

• The Wizzybug is a small powered wheelchair designed for young children with mobility challenges, enabling them to move independently and participate more fully in social activities.
• Independent movement is crucial for child development, unlocking potential in areas such as language skills, spatial awareness, and self-identity.
• The Wizzybug loan scheme provides free access to the equipment, with families borrowing it for as long as their child needs it.

Find Wizzybug on the Designability website here; https://designability.org.uk/assistive-solutions/wizzybug/

Or on their social media pages; Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us for this throwback episode of POD-CACHE and re-listen to Dr Helen Williams' wisdom on making maths playful. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 10 January.

0:00 Introduction to Dr Helen J Williams and her journey with maths

2:30 Moving from a dislike to a love of maths

4:50 Maths' evolution since the 80s and use of manipulatives in maths teaching

7:42 The challenges of applying more practical approaches

9:20 Challenging perceptions of being good vs. bad at maths and how taking risks translates into development

11:50 Problem-solving and Pirate's Gold problem

14:45 Break

15:00 How practitioners can recapture the joy of maths

18:40 Resources available for teaching maths

20:40 Shape and space (geometry) and recalling vs. applying knowledge

27:18 Progress in understanding how primary school children learn maths

30:20 What is subitising and what activities can help children develop the skill

33:00 Helen talks about her book 'Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7' and final notes

Dawn's been leaning into the magic of Christmas, reading The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus, and can't help thinking back to this magical conversation with Dr Helen Williams about making maths more playful.

Join us as we listen back to this popular episode from Season 4 of POD-CACHE and take some time to look through our catalogue on your favourite podcast platform. Are there other gems that you've missed?

Dr Helen J Williams is the author of the award-winning 'Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7', who shares her journey towards becoming passionate about mathematics and her mission to change perceptions of maths as a dry and uninteresting subject. Dr. Williams also provides practical recommendations for educators and families on how to make maths lessons more fun and engaging for young children.

You can hear more from Helen on her twitter @helenjwc

Links mentioned in podcast:

British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics - https://bsrlm.org.uk/

Association of Teachers of Mathematics - https://www.atm.org.uk/

Early Childhood Mathematics Group - https://earlymaths.org/

NRICH Maths Resources - https://nrich.maths.org/

Helen's Book - Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review.

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.