In this episode of The Early Years Together, Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young explore what high‑quality interactions really mean in early childhood education, and why they are so important for children’s learning and development.

The conversation unpacks what high‑quality interactions look like in practice—being attuned, present, and genuinely interested in children’s ideas. Deborah and Jacqueline discuss the role of language, “serve and return” exchanges, and giving children time to think and respond. They also discuss Sustained Shared Thinking, sharing practical examples of how adults and children can think together to deepen understanding.

The episode offers accessible tips for practitioners and parents, showing how everyday moments, care routines, and play can support communication and connection.

Subscribe, share, and step into a podcast made for reflective early years practice.

Episode Two References:

Mashburn, A.J., Pianta, R.C., Hamre, B.K., Downer, J.T., Barbarin, O.A., Bryant, D., et al. (2008). Measures of classroom quality in prekindergarten and children’s development of academic, language, and social skills. Child Development, 79(3), 732–749.

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Muttock, S., Sylva, K., Gilden, R. and Bell, D., 2002. Researching effective pedagogy in the early years (Vol. 356). London: Department for Education and Skills.

Music composed by Luke Young (LinkedIn profile https://bit.ly/lukeyoung)

In the debut episode of The Early Years Together, hosts Deborah Brown and Dr. Jacqueline Young open the doors to a warm, reflective space designed for everyone who cares about early childhood. With over six decades of experience between them, they explore why the early years matter—from rapid brain development and milestone moments to the lifelong impact of early experiences.

You’ll hear how stress, disadvantage and early language gaps can shape a child’s future, and why high‑quality early years practice is more crucial than ever. Deborah and Jacqueline also spotlight the growing pressure on educators, the shortage of accessible professional development, and the many trusted resources available to support practitioners.

Whether you’re an educator, parent or student, this episode offers bite‑size insights, real‑world context and thoughtful conversation to accompany you on your daily routine.

Subscribe, share, and step into a podcast made for reflective early years practice.

Episode One References:

Joshi, H. and Fitzsimons, E. (2016) ‘The Millennium Cohort Study: the making of a multi-purpose resource for social science and policy’, Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 7(4), pp. 409–430. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14301/llcs.v7i4.410.

Shore, R. (1997) Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development. New York: Families and Work Institute.