best way to do obs without photos

**5uper5tar** · 18-10-2009, 05:07 PM

The parents dont want me to take photos of their baby...bit odd about it they were. Anyhoo...I have been doing observations and her daily diary and need to put itall together but it just seems so boring, can you think of a way for me to show what she has been doing in a more interesting way than just an obs sheet..its really hard!x

**jemima** · 18-10-2009, 05:39 PM

How old is the baby? Is baby able to make marks with paint etc as you could include examples of the art you have done with the baby. That would be good for Creative Dvelopment, as for examples of PD, CLL, PSRN KUW & PSED I am a bit baffled and probably not the best person to help you out

**Zoomie** · 18-10-2009, 05:45 PM

someone else posted a similar problem and i recall the advice given was to do photo's but not of the child.

for instance child climb a ladder ... do a picture of the ladder.

hths

**sarah707** · 18-10-2009, 05:46 PM

I wonder why parents are concerned about photos - I'd try and talk through that one first.

If it's the recent abuse cases, you could share your confidentiality and safeguarding policies with them, talk them through your latest safeguarding course etc to try and set their minds at rest.

If it's for religious reasons, of course you must respect their wishes, but ought to know so that you can understand.

I would also get it written up somewhere and signed by parents for Ofsted to see you are following their wishes.

As for the learning journey, the trick is going to be to photograph things the child has done and include those.

So if the child looks in a mirror, take a photo of the mirror, describe what happened and link it to Psed - sense of self.

If the child draws a picture, photo of the picture and link to Cd or Pd.

Child takes an interest in something in the garden, photograph that and link to Kuw etc.

After a few months, call a meeting and show parents their child's learning journey so they can see what you are doing.

Ask for their opinion on how it's coming together and mention that you'd like them to reconsider as it would be lovely to have photos of their child as a memory of her time with you.

If they say no again, it's not a bother, you've got a nice learning journey to show Ofsted and for them to keep when they leave anyway.

Hth

**mama2three** · 21-10-2009, 10:13 PM

We had a similar problem with one of my key children at preschool. I still did photos as everyone else has said , just non-identifiable - so taken from behind him ,or just his hand holding the brush / just the welly in the puddle etc.

**Chanelle** · 22-10-2009, 12:43 AM

I havent had this problem with any of the parents I have had but I can imagine that it isnt very exciting with realms of paper.

If you do any creative picture with baby, I not sure how old she/he is but I would write the comments on the picture.

I know this doesnt really help much with all the active obs but at least you can make the crafty pictures a bit more exciting.

If you type the observations up you could maybe add clipart to the top corner or something ?

Other than that Im not sure.

I would talk to the parents about this and explain that by taking photos she will have many lovely memories to show baby when older. Explain that any photographs wont be stored on your computer, or developed at Boots for example. That they will be added to the written observations.
Then she may decide to have it done.

She may look at it differently then.

Good Luck !

**HomefromHome** · 22-10-2009, 05:03 AM

if they still dont agree after re-checking than do as suggested - take a pic of their hands doing work/exploration, from behind, and explain to parents that you can take pics without identifying the child. do you have anything you could show them??? i have written consent from one of my mums to show their childs learning journal so i can show prospective parents what i do. their's no personal info in it apart from lo's first name. (i dont show them the all about me forms only a blank one). i too have non-photo consent but mainly for not being allowed to post to mags etc. i have a listed photo consent form for various aspects, like aloow me to take photos for journal, for my coursework, for display in my home, in my personal phot albums (only if my dd was in the pic), to allow to send to ncma/local cm assoc/etc. they sign for twhat they agree with.
hth