Early Years Training

Looking After the People Who Look After Children Training & Wellbeing Session

A practical, reflective 2-hour* wellbeing session designed specifically for Early Years teams.

The session explores:

• the emotional demands of working in Early Years

• recognising signs of stress and emotional overload

• caring without carrying everything

• healthy professional boundaries

• practical emotional regulation strategies

• supportive listening and team relationships

• staff wellbeing as an organisational as well as individual responsibility

• links to the EYFS and current Ofsted expectations

The session is interactive and reflective, but it is not a counselling group. Participants are invited to reflect on their own wellbeing, and reflect on every day scenarios, but they are never expected to disclose personal information.

*suggested time but can be adapted

What the Session Includes

The in-house session includes:

• interactive discussion

• practical reflection exercises

• realistic Early Years scenarios

• simple emotional regulation techniques

• a participant follow-along training pack

• opportunities for team reflection

• practical takeaway actions

• certificate of attendance

Bespoke Early Years Wellbeing Training

Every Early Years setting is different.

Some teams may be experiencing pressure around workload or morale. Others may want support around boundaries, difficult conversations, team relationships or the emotional impact of safeguarding work.

For this reason, I also offer bespoke training sessions tailored to the needs of individual settings.

Before the session, I will speak with the manager or leadership team to understand the particular needs and priorities of the setting.

Bespoke sessions may include themes such as:

• staff wellbeing and emotional resilience

• preventing emotional exhaustion and burnout

• professional boundaries

• supporting each other within teams

• difficult conversations with parents

• communication and team relationships

• reflective practice

• recognising stress and overload

• emotional regulation

• managing the emotional impact of safeguarding work

• supporting staff through periods of change

• building a more supportive workplace culture

Training is shaped around the needs of the setting while remaining within the areas of Early Years wellbeing, reflective practice and counselling-informed support.

Training shaped around the needs of your setting, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Supporting Managers and Leaders

Staff wellbeing is not solely an individual responsibility.

Managers and leaders play an important role in creating environments where staff feel able to speak openly, ask for support and carry out their roles effectively.

Training can therefore also include a leadership focus around:

• recognising signs of staff overload

• supporting staff without taking on a counselling role

• creating opportunities for reflection

• staff supervision

• workload and expectations

• team morale

• professional boundaries

• psychologically safer conversations

• creating a culture where staff feel valued and supported

Staff Wellbeing and Ofsted

Staff wellbeing is recognised within the Ofsted Early Years Inspection Toolkit for use from September 2026.

Within the Leadership and Governance evaluation area, Ofsted specifically identifies:

“leaders taking into account the workload and wellbeing of their staff”

as one of the factors that contributes to effective leadership and governance.

When gathering evidence about staff wellbeing and workload, inspectors consider the extent to which leaders and governors:

• take account of staff wellbeing

• make sure workload is manageable

• avoid creating unnecessary burdens

• use staff time effectively

• ensure staff feel valued

• support staff to carry out their roles to a high standard

• promote high morale.

The toolkit also expects leaders to provide regular, relevant professional learning and to establish a culture of continual improvement.

This training does not prepare settings to “perform” for Ofsted.

Instead, it supports genuine reflection and development in areas already recognised within the inspection framework.

Why Adult Wellbeing Matters for Children

Early Years practitioners spend much of their day helping children understand and regulate their emotions.

The Ofsted toolkit places importance on:

• warm and positive relationships

• children’s emotional development

• self-regulation

• kindness, care and respect

• practitioners acting as positive role models.

Supporting practitioner wellbeing can therefore sit alongside wider work around relationships, emotional development and the quality of everyday interactions with children.