NSPCC resources – hearing the voice of babies and infants

With the updated Working Together 2026 guidance placing a stronger emphasis on the voice of babies, infants, and non‑verbal children and reinforcing the expectation that practitioners maintain a consistently child‑centred approach, we thought it would be helpful to share a set of expert insight videos from the NSPCC.

The NSPCC resource The voice of the infant: expert insight videos | NSPCC Learning provides a concise and accessible overview of what we mean by the “voice of the child.” It reinforces that this is not limited to spoken words, but is about keeping the child at the centre of our practice, understanding their lived experience, and recognising all forms of communication.

Importantly, the videos highlight that for babies and very young children, their voice is expressed through non‑verbal communication, including behaviour, cues, and careful observation, not just speech. This is particularly relevant in supporting practitioners to reflect on how they interpret and respond to infants’ needs.

The resource includes the following short videos:

• What is the voice of the infant?
• Why is the voice of the infant important?
• How can practitioners listen to the infant’s voice?
• How can practitioners incorporate the voice of the infant into their work?
• Overcoming barriers to hearing the infant’s voice

These videos offer a helpful opportunity for reflection and discussion, supporting us to further embed child‑centred practice in our day‑to‑day work.
You can access the resources here: The voice of the infant: expert insight videos | NSPCC Learning