Second Report on the Work of the Toddler Observation Group

The Mother/Toddler Group differs from the main work of the Clinic in that its primary aim is to teach toddler observation to the first year students. This teaching forms a continuum with the infant observation and the Well-Baby Clinic. We aim at providing a solid grounding in early child development through direct observation, as well as learning to observe interaction between toddlers and their mothers.

This year the group functioned without the students for the first two terms. Besides providing a continuous toddler group service, we used the time both to reassess our technique in running such a group and to build up a fund of recorded material for teaching later in the year. Although our primary concern was with the observational needs of the students, we had to create a balance between these and the requirements of the mothers and toddlers, who would not continue in the group unless their needs were also being met. One mother of the group of eight dropped out. No fathers attended this year but we have had a granny and an au pair standing in for the mothers.

Although the two staff members found the group of eight toddlers and their mothers easily manageable, the students at first complained of their difficulty in observing in such an extremely busy playgroup. However, once they began to formulate their observations in the seminars, they found that they felt less pressured by the ‘chaos’ of the play situation during the afternoons following the seminar. Observation was also aided by each student choosing to focus on a different child and recording detailed observations of all aspects of the chosen toddler. Thus, by applying their theoretical knowledge the students were helped to a wider awareness during the play sessions.

The mother/toddler couples are selected by Mrs Model from the Wall-Baby Clinic, and this provides the additional possibility of longitudinal study. Normal toddlers are usually selected, but this year we were asked to take a few children who were alr