Have you ever wondered how a different approach to the simple nappy change routine in a nursery baby room can lead to a whole host of improved experiences for all, across the setting?
This case study highlights how a more holistic and respectful approach to nappy changing routines at The Barn led to development of secure attachments with caregivers and enhanced social interaction, communication and language, through positive interactions.
As a necessary part of a baby's daily routine, nappy changing can be seen as a chore, something to be done quickly, especially in a busy baby room where a ‘conveyer-belt’ changing routine is considered the most effective and best practice.
"Respectful Care"
As my setting’s Quality Practice Manager, I asked myself if nappy changing could be more in line with our nursery ethos; our ethos surrounds the unique child, following their interests, allowing them the autonomy to make choices and have their voice heard. We wish for the children in our care to be confident, resilient, independent and be active in their
own learning and development.
So, I decided to adapt the nappy changing routine to encompass this ethos by offering the highest level of ‘respectful care’, a term penned by Dr Emmi Pikler, a family paediatrician in Budapest in the 1930’s.