Supporting Babies and Families Through Change
Baby Room Practice (0–18 Months)
A professional guidance document supporting emotionally secure, relationship-led practice during periods of change.
(Available now to read on the web page link above | Files available for download by: March 31st 2026)
What this document is
Supporting Babies and Families Through Change is a professional guidance document that explains how baby room practice supports babies and their families during periods of change — both planned and unplanned.
It recognises that for babies, change can be emotionally significant and may temporarily affect regulation, sleep, behaviour or engagement. Rather than viewing these responses as problems to fix, the document reframes them as developmentally appropriate reactions that require sensitive, consistent adult support.
The guidance focuses on maintaining emotional security through relationships, routines and calm, predictable responses. It supports practitioners to work thoughtfully with families, ensuring babies are not expected to “cope” independently during times of transition or uncertainty.
This document supports professional judgement and reflective practice.
It does not replace statutory guidance or local procedures.
Who this document is for
Baby room practitioners and key persons
EYFS leaders and room managers
SENDCos supporting babies during periods of change
Childminders working closely with families
Settings reviewing transition and settling practices
Practitioners preparing for inspection discussions around wellbeing
What this document helps you do
This document helps practitioners and leaders to:
Understand how change impacts babies emotionally and developmentally
Respond to distress, regression or increased support needs appropriately
Maintain routines and relationships during periods of uncertainty
Support families emotionally as well as practically
Slow down transitions when babies need more time
Use observation to guide responsive support during change
Articulate child-centred, EYFS-aligned transition practice confidently
It protects developmentally appropriate practice by ensuring relationships and wellbeing come before efficiency or timetables.
How this fits within our Baby (0–18 Months) framework
This document forms part of our wider Baby Room (0–18 months) Curriculum & Pedagogy framework, supporting emotionally secure practice across all aspects of baby provision.
It sits alongside related documents including:
Preparing for Transition to Toddler Room
Sharing Information with Sensitivity
Transition & Sleep Routines Record Pack
Supporting Emotional Regulation in Baby Rooms
Using Observation to Respond to Babies’ Needs
Together, these documents ensure that change is approached as a relational process, supporting babies and families with care, empathy and consistency.
This document is part of our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership (Professional), which provides full access to age-specific curriculum frameworks, planning guidance, assessment tools and leadership support.
(Available now to read on the web page link above | Files available for download by: March 31st 2026)
Related documents include:
Or read our ‘Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement’
Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Babies 0-18 months)
Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.
Pedagogical identity:
Relationship-led, care-centred baby practice where routines, interaction and sensory experience are the curriculum.
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👉 This section protects developmentally appropriate practice.
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👉 These documents support adult understanding — not expectations for babies.
Baby Curriculum Maps - Developmental progression across age bands (0–3 months | 3–6 months | 6-9 months | 9-12 months | 12-18 months)
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👉 Observation informs interaction, routines and environment.
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👉 The environment supports exploration, movement and communication.
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👉 Care routines are central to learning and wellbeing.
Transition & Sleep Routine Record Pack
Daily Transition Record
Individual Sleep Routine Profile
Review Template
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👉 Language is built through interaction, not instruction.
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👉 Planning supports adults — it never directs babies.
‘Intent - Implementation - Impact’ Reference Grids (Emotional, Communication, Physical, Sensory, Social, Problem-Solving, Independence)
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👉 Proportionate, sensitive and statutory practice.
Progress Check at Age 2 (looking ahead)
Report Template
Practitioner Guidance
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👉 Early support is relational, preventative and respectful.
SEND Identification & Next Steps Pack | Babies
What to Look For
What Evidence to Collect
Practical Next Steps
A practical Toolkit for Early Years Practitioners
Inclusion Through Environment & Interaction
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👉 Strong partnerships support consistency and trust.
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👉 Transitions are emotional, not academic.
Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members
Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.
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Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5
↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)
↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template
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EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List
Childminder Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List
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↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.
Looking for a different age group pathway?
Select the pathway that best reflects your role or the age group you work with. You do not need to use everything. (Some practitioners may use more than one pathway.)
What is Professional Membership?
Find our more about our Professional guidance for confident, reflective EYFS practice (Birth–5)
Latest EYFS Articles & Practical Guides | From Our Blog
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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context.
All resources, experiences and environment arrangements must be risk assessed by the setting and used in accordance with individual children’s developmental stages, needs and supervision requirements. Practitioners must apply professional judgement and adapt practice to their setting, cohort and current statutory requirements.
Safeguarding Notice
Safeguarding-related content is provided to support professional understanding and reflective practice. It does not replace a setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy, local authority procedures, statutory guidance, or the role and decision-making responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). All safeguarding concerns must be managed in line with current statutory requirements and local safeguarding partnership guidance.
Updated: January 2026