Nursery World - Learning & Development: Physical Development

What impact do male practitioners have on the design and delivery of Physical Development? Dr Lala Manners shares the findings from a series of interviews with early years practitioners.

Men in childcare and the status of Physical Development (PD) as a Prime Area are current hot topics. In a small-scale qualitative study, I aimed to investigate issues surrounding men who design and deliver physical activity sessions across a range of settings.

Twenty participants were chosen: 12 male and five female practitioners, and three female heads of settings. Each was given four questions in advance; in-depth interviews then took place over a two-month period and all were recorded in full. Participants were encouraged to email after the data gathering to discuss any issues further. Here are the findings.

QUESTION ONE

Do men have a unique role to play in supporting children's PD?

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