Recommendations for new or expanded topics arising from the child consultation:

Extended information on the child’s microsystem: Further data on the child’s wider

family network was already recommended as a result of the consultations with

advisory groups. Based on the parent and child consultations, it is recommended that

this topic be extended further to include questions on the child’s friends and pets –

and more detail on their relationships with siblings. The inclusion of one or two

questions on pets would also help address the theme of the ‘natural world’.

More information on play, especially outdoor and risky play: Again, a theme that

also arose in the consultations with the advisory groups and parents, and

strengthened by the themes of ‘prominence of play’ and ‘the natural world’ from the

children.

New information on participation in organised activities and special events: The

practice of increased engagement and attendance at organised activities and events

also arose in the parent consultation, who seemed to feel that their 3-year-olds had

reached an age where they would benefit from such experiences. This seems to be

reinforced by the consultations with children, perhaps reflecting the timing of the

consultation in the run-up to Christmas. As other celebrations and gift-giving was

also a feature of the children’s interests, the DCEDIY team suggest a question on

whether the family celebrates special occasions.

An additional theme of picky eating emerged quite strongly from the parent focus

groups, and it is interesting to see that ‘food’ was also a theme coming from the

children themselves. However, the additional items on picky eating and feeding

strategies recommended on foot of the parent consultations should be sufficient.

1.8 Consultation with Parents