Research projects
The Early Years research group broadly aims to empower children, young people and families by increasing understanding and provision of health, education and social services in the wider cultural context of their lives.
Two key research strands underpin our work:
- Young children as producers and consumers of digital media for entertainment and educational purposes
- Inclusion and participation for marginalised and stigmatised groups of children, young people and families.
The Erasmus Plus winning project ‘Democracy through Drama (DEMO:DRAM) seeks to address a range of issues essential for democratic classrooms and schools that are facilitated by competent teachers aiming to increase student civic engagement and democratic awareness and participation.
Projects
Researching infant interactions during early childhood education mealtimes in Mid-Wales
Within the UK, there are various issues associated with eating disorders that contribute to health problems for many o...
Welsh and Māori storytelling with Chwedlau and Purākau
We are interested in how the re-telling of national and tribal legends, that are often about geographical areas in Wal...
The role of early childhood education in supporting refugee and immigrant children in New Zealand
This project explored the role of early childhood education (ECE) and pedagogical strategies in supporting a sense of ...
Exploring nurse responses to spontaneous breastfeeding episodes during routine infant health checks in Finland
As a research group, we are interested in the lived experiences of breastfeeding interactions, and how these are initi...
Rethinking cross university approaches to training for doctoral supervision using STEAM provocations to promote fair, secure and just global societies
The terms cross-, multi-, inter- and trans- (disciplinary practice and working) are used interchangeably in research a...
Socially Distant Stories from Beyond the Screen
The Socially Distant Stories is an ethnographic exploration about the impact of a hybrid theatre in education approach ...
Resisting hyperreality?: talking to young children about YouTube and YouTube Kids
Investigating how young children watch, understand and engage with digital content on YouTube and YouTube kids. ...
Using rhythmanalysis to explore the synchronicities and disruptions in children’s everyday lives in England and Greece during the 2020 lockdown
A small-scale international project focus ing on children’s experiences at home during the C...
Postgraduate Researchers Mental Health and Well-Being
Investigating the experiences of postgraduate researchers and the effects of those experiences on their mental healt...
Independent Evaluation of FosterTalk Membership Services
Evaluating the influence that fostering support programme, FosterTalk, has on foster carer retention and developing re...
Exploring home schooling experiences for children with SEND and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic
This study aims to build on previous research about home schooling / home education more generally to explore and reco...
Conductive education
Investigating a unified, integrated approach to educating children with disabilities
A Rhythmic Analysis of Teaching & Learning in HE: Space, Time, Affect
The pilot project set out to capture the rhythmic fluctuations and orientations of BCU’s campuses.
Photographs as a tool for young children with Down Syndrome
Creating a common assessment tool that could be used by all professionals in a way that empowers parents and children.
Exploring Children’s Wellbeing through Music and Singing
Exploring children's right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music a...
Cross-cultural approaches for teachers across Europe
To examine how drama in schools can be used to explore different subjects to create democratic spaces.
Evaluating the work of the Big Brum Theatre in Education Company
The Human Spaces research project is a small scale evaluative case study.
Pupil-led anti-bullying interventions
The project harnesses the child’s voice to help resolve their specific experiences of school bullying.
Technobabies: the use of technology by children aged 0-3 years
This project aims to understand how the very youngest children (0 - 3 year olds) are using touchscreen technology in h...