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Incredible Years Toddler Basic

September 2018 to March 2024

Incredible Years Toddler Basic is an established evidence-based parenting programme, promoting positive attachment between parents/carers and their toddlers aged 12-36 months, so that children feel loved, safe and secure.

Participants learn how to manage their child’s emotions, how to help their toddlers handle separations and emotional regulation issues by using predictable routines. It can support parents/carers who would like to become more confident with their parenting skills with a view to developing safer and stronger relationships with their child.

It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2024 by Barnardos.

How this project was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme

The course covered 8 key topics:

Part 1 – Child-directed play promotes positive relationships
Part 2 – Promoting toddler’s language with child-directed coaching
Part 3 – Social and emotional coaching
Part 4 – The art of praise and encouragement
Part 5 – Spontaneous incentives for toddlers
Part 6 – Handling separations and reunions
Part 7 – Positive discipline – effective limit setting
Part 8 – Positive discipline – handling misbehaviour

These were delivered through two-hour sessions over 13 weeks by two trained group facilitators who promote peer support and shared learning.

Feedback

"The course has changed my perspective on how to deal with young children. I already apply most of what I have learnt on the course in my everyday life. Thank you very much."

"The course has changed my life. I have changed so much as a parent and by letting my daughter enjoy and have the freedom to make her own play choices, I am more relaxed and enjoying every minute of this parenting journey."

"The Incredible Years team really looked after us. They would always check on us each week to see how we were doing as sometimes the homework could be challenging to fit in, but they would always understand and make us feel so valued."

"Incredible Years has really helped me to see the world from my child’s point and what her needs really are rather then me guessing and thinking that she is being difficult just to annoy me. Praising was something that I didn’t do much of and I’m so glad  I choose to see positives rather then negatives."

Background, impact and findings

Further reading

Download the 'project on a page'

Download this snapshot of the Incredible Years Toddler Basic project, with headline stats, background, impact and learning (PDF).

Mobilising Early Years Research for a Brighter Future: Social and Emotional Wellbeing

In this webinar, the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub and Better Start Bradford, explore evaluation findings relating to the Little Minds Matter, Baby Steps, Incredible Years and Personalised Midwifery projects

Find out more about The Incredible Years

The Incredible Years® offers a variety of evidence-based early intervention programs for parents, teachers, early childhood educators, counselors, and other professionals who work with children ages 0-12

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