James McTaggart

Muddy, outdoor play! Our #DLL @ioe.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk MA Early Years Education students observed children getting muddy in a Reception classroom. Let the children #play! #OutdoorPlay #ItAllStartsWithPlay #WeAreIOE #LoveUCL

No evenings this week, just proof-reading, but the lovely cover Routledge have made will keep me going!

For a balanced review of the evidence (and how little we actually know) Peter Etchells book, Unlocked, is very helpful

peteetchells.com/unlocked-book

"Capacity" is a barrier or a gateway for CYP exercising their rights under the UNCRC

But what is it? Much discussion is based on simple (outdated!) models of child development.

Here's how I think that changes across the main theories - it makes a difference to what capacity is & how to assess?

And on how policy attempts to "level the playing field" easily become unhelpful interventions to try and homogenise the children #ICELT2025

Such a useful keynote from Sue Dockett and Bob Perry at #ICELT2025 on international research on transitions to school (and the sticky spread of "schoolification" of #earlyyears)

We are delighted to invite abstract submissions for iHV Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Conference 2026, which is taking place on 6 May 2026 in #Bournemouth.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to showcase your work on a national platform.
ihv.org.uk/news-and-vie...
#iHVEBP2026 #HealthVisiting

Love this! We can usually involve. We can usually listen. And we can always observe. Children and young people always have expertise to share with us and each other.

Never assume your little one is too young to begin absorbing the adult language around them - either spoken aloud in the home or delivered via TV, music, or other media.

They understand more than you think.

This adorable little language learner was shared to IG by growingupkoreanamerican.

Participation ROCCS!

But adult myths about capacity get in the way

That’s what children told us, and here’s a resource they helped us to make so adults can reflect on the myths and change their practice

More in the thread – feel free to use as long as you give us feedback!

Delighted to share more of this work a year on from the day that the UNCRC was incorporated into Scots Law. Please read the whole thread to see parts of the resource and a short video!

Thanks for your early help signposting research and resources! @camillelw.bsky.social @lyse-e.bsky.social @anniecoxy.bsky.social @cathygunning.bsky.social @lauralundy.bsky.social @profnic.bsky.social @louca-mai.bsky.social @flipb.bsky.social @lizdobsonuk.bsky.social

We'd love it if you had a look and let us know what you think! @cypcs.bsky.social ‪@unicef.org @together-sacr.bsky.social @celcis.org @childreninscotland.bsky.social @childrenparliament.bsky.social @officialsyp.bsky.social @cycjscotland.bsky.social @beckyporty.bsky.social

Participation ROCCS!

But adult myths about capacity get in the way

That’s what children told us, and here’s a resource they helped us to make so adults can reflect on the myths and change their practice

More in the thread – feel free to use as long as you give us feedback!

And here is a short film with more samples

If you’d like to try it out, just get in touch – happy to share in return for feedback!

4/4

And here is some of what the children said about this myth to help create the resource

3/4

The children helped make a reflection tool to help professionals and policy-makers think about capacity

To make it playful & kind, Mythical Mungo and Capacity Callum explore each myth and how it impacts on their practice and on outcomes

Are you more Mungo or Callum?

Here’s an example 2/4

The UNCRC supports children’s rights to give consent, to be consulted & to complain

But often adult myths about their capacity get in the way

@jochamberlain.bsky.social‬ and I researched with children what they think of this and what might help

Some resulting resources - feel free to use! 🧵 1/4

Quote reads Families were being referred to different services, waiting on lists, only to be told it wasn’t the right service for them. Dr Liz Gregory. Round photo of Liz with a green background and BPS and Psychology Matters logos

How can we improve access to services for children & their families?

Psychologist Dr Liz Gregory developed the N.E.S.T (Nurturing, Empowering, Safe, & Trusted) framework which 'Matches families with services that best meet their need.'

Because #PsychologyMatters: www.bps.org.uk/blog/psychol...

"do teachers need to love their students? I think the answer is “yes” - but that this isn’t the burden we might think it is. That’s because pedagogical love isn’t so much about liking every student as it is about the skill of paying attention"

Brushstrokes and breakthroughs: how can gallery-based art therapy improve young people’s mental health? buff.ly/xjMjWZt

#MentalHealth #ArtTherapy #YouthMentalHealth #Art #Galleries

🧵 THREAD

Your review in TLS the other week was superb on some of the politics behind and within the wild claims.

We asked children & young people what they made of common adult myths about their capacity - this one got some strong reactions, and great ideas for creating some resources

The adventures of Mythical Mungo and Capacity Callum begin! Which one are you?

The children & young people had a lot to say on this, privileged to have had the opportunity to listen to their views and hear what they think needs to be done. Next step is to follow through on what they’ve asked and share this and the resources we are developing far and wide.

Enacting the UNCRC means children have rights to consent, to be consulted, and to complain. But often adult myths about their capacity get in the way.

@jochamberlain.bsky.social‬ and I asked children & young people what they thought of these myths - here is what we learned!

Quote reads With ever-increasing demand for already stretched services, it's essential we have a workforce fit for the future to enable better, and more equal, access to services for all. Yana Yaneva, BPS Scottish Branch Chair. Photo of the Scottish Parliament, Psychology Matters and BPS logos.

Our manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election launches today.

It outlines three priority areas alongside evidence-based recommendations that should form part of the new Scottish govt's agenda across education, health & justice.

Because #PsychologyMatters: www.bps.org.uk/news/psychol...

It's worth remembering that what we encounter as children's needs is about their response to the environment we are asked to put them in. They need something different because the system isn't designed around the outliers. If the system was more flexible, we could meet more needs. #inclusion #EduSky

Secondary schools! Can you help? We're looking for research participants

We're looking for UK secondary schools to help us with a project about self-diagnosis. For more info or to express interest, please DM me or email Nina at nina.higson-sweeney@psych.ox.ac.uk

I’m looking for a small number of secondary schools to help us with a research study exploring self-diagnosis of mental health problems in young people

For more info or to express interest, please email @nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social:

nina.higson-sweeney [at] psych.ox.ac.uk

Or DM us! Thank you 🙏🏼

I will once they’ve told me!

“It has to be about more than compliance if we want change”