Skills for building relationships: Supporting children, supporting each other (4-part series)
One of the most important skills for building healthy relationships id the ability to move through disagreements and conflicts in collaborative way, listening to all voices and working towards satisfying outcomes.
Topics that will be covered:
Session 1:
- Active listening, reframing and understanding needs behind words and behaviours of children who enter disagreements
- Moving beyond "I had it first" and other conflict-inducing behaviours - developmentally-appropriate responses to children's disagreements and conflicts.
Session 2:
- Tools for mediating children's conflicts: when to step in, when to wait
- Skills for collaborative problem solving: turning conflicts into opportunities for connection, collaboration and building relationships.
Session 3:
- Managing disagreements within team: from diverse opinions to understanding.
- Listening to understand as intentional practice.
Session 4:
- Collaborative group decisions: how to consider all voices and arrive at an outcome.
- Tools for managing tension and self-regulating.
- No future dates available.
About the presenters
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Anna Banas
Anna Banas is an Early Childhood Education consultant, parent coach and researcher, drawing on over a decade of experience in the sector. She works with educators, parents and caregivers to deepen connection, nurture belonging and bring relational‑developmental insight into everyday early childhood practice.
Anna has also lectured and published on topics such as children’s emotional regulation, conflict and peacemaking in early childhood settings, communication and the transition into care. Her expertise blends attachment‑informed and nonviolent communication approaches with practical, evidence‑guided pedagogy.
In her consultancy and workshop work, Anna supports early childhood teams and parent communities by offering clear, accessible tools and ideas grounded in relational‑developmental psychology. Her approach emphasises that from the very first hellos through to lasting bonds, ecologies of safety and connection are the foundation of children’s growth and wellbeing.Her work is informed by Pikler pedagogy, relational-developmental approach of Dr Neufeld, Polyvagal Theory and Nonviolent Communication.