A focus of interest

Photographs of the child’s focus

As you saw in the video that introduced In-the-Picture in the opening section, the approach uses photographs of the child’s focus of interest during the activity that you observe. In this section you are going to explore in a little more detail what this involves and also complete an activity in which you think about what photograph you might choose.

There are four boxes, First person narrative, photographs of child's focus, reflective discussions and sharing photographs. Lines join them to each other. First Person narrative links to reflective discussions and photographs of child's focus, whilst these last two both link to sharing photographs as well. Photograph of child’s focus is highlighted.. 

What is a photograph of a child’s focus of interest? 

A focus of interest might be something that a child is looking at or playing with. It might hold their attention for an extended period of time or it might be an item which is returned to. It could be an item in the general environment or it might be something which you or the child has brought with them. 

In the initial studies with very young children, these photos were generally an item without the child in the image or largely absent from it. The picture was not of people but things. In the second set of research projects with slightly older children the child was often included in the photograph of them involved with an object with another child or children. 

As you will explore further in the next section, the purpose of these photographs is to offer a way into understanding the child’s priorities. The images are not evidence of an interest, activity or behaviour. They are not taken as proof but as a starting point for discussion. 

Examples below include a wall of lights, a shaggy dog that was prominent in a child’s bedroom and some LED rope light. In these three pictures or the images on the video, the child is not there or not clearly seen but people have also taken pictures which clearly include the children involved in an activity; for example two children with a bowl of paint or playing with a giant four in a row, or looking into a washing machine. 

                     

                                            


Taking the photographs

Photographs are taken as inconspicuously as possible. They can capture the child in the moment, as some of the images above suggest, but they can also be taken when the child is not in a space. For example, toys can be collected together and be photographed at a convenient time after the observation but prior to sharing them with the child. It is evident that some practitioners find it hard to move away from the idea of the photographs as being evidence of some kind, perhaps as a formal record which needs to be held as part of case documentation. This is not the purpose of the images. They do not need to be kept after they have been shared with the child in the next phase. Having said this, many practitioners choose to leave photos with the families. Some choose to print them out, or add them to a monthly report or create a small book of images for the family to keep. Some parents will ask for particular photos because it represents a side of their child that is a delight to see

Last modified: Wednesday, 23 November 2022, 2:59 PM