Cardiff's Early Years Conference 2026

Designed for headteachers, leaders and early years practitioners working with children aged 2–7, this conference offers inspiring keynote speakers, interactive workshops and meaningful networking opportunities. Join us to share ideas, deepen your understanding and strengthen your practice in early education.

We’re delighted to welcome our guest speakers:

Pete Moorhouse – Early Years Creative Consultant, Froebel Tutor, and Author. Pete is internationally recognised for his work on creativity and sculpture in the early years, championing open-ended exploration, creative thinking and design processes that empower children as confident, curious learners. His keynote will inspire practitioners to embrace creativity as a foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.

Cheryl Warren – Award-Winning Specialist Trainer and Consultant in Neurodiversity within Early Years. With extensive experience supporting settings to create inclusive, nurturing environments, Cheryl brings a wealth of knowledge about understanding and responding to neurodiverse needs. Her engaging session will explore practical strategies for supporting children with a range of neurological profiles, ensuring every child feels seen, valued and supported to flourish.

This years workshops include:

• The Three Enablers - Embedding Them in the Curriculum for Wales and Supporting Children with ALN with Sam Taylor and Early Years Inclusion Team - Explore how the three enablers of learning can be effectively woven into the Curriculum for Wales to support all learners, including those with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). This session will offer practical strategies and examples to create inclusive, responsive and developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
• More Than Picture Books: Meaningful Representation in Early Years Stories with Ian Timbrell - Stories shape how children see themselves and others – but not all books send the messages we intend. In this interactive workshop, Ian Timbrell explores how early years practitioners can choose age-appropriate books that reflect the real diversity of families and communities. Together, we’ll look at what quality representation really means, how to spot tokenism and stereotypes, and which books might do more harm than good. You’ll leave with practical strategies for evaluating picture books, ideas for inclusive storytimes, and confidence in talking about difference with young children in a natural, developmentally appropriate way.
• Cooking Without a Kitchen with Grangetown Nursery - Discover creative ways to “cook up a storm” with young children, no traditional kitchen required! Learn how to use air fryers and halogen cookers safely and effectively to support a range of skills including maths, communication, collaboration and fine motor development. A fun, hands-on workshop full of practical ideas.
• Creativity - Hands On! with Pete Moorhouse - Dive into a dynamic, practical session celebrating creativity in the early years. This workshop will explore how hands-on, open-ended experiences inspire curiosity, problem-solving and self-expression, providing plenty of ideas to take back to your setting.
• Schemas - Observing, Understanding and Responding to Children’s Patterns of Behaviour and Thinking with Rhianne Stephens & Becki Cullen - Deepen your understanding of schemas and how they influence children’s play and learning. Through real-life examples and discussion, you’ll learn to observe, interpret and respond to these patterns to extend learning and support development in meaningful ways.
• Getting the Balance Right. Following Interests and Fascinations vs. Planning and Provision with Annamaria Bevan - How can we strike the right balance between following children’s interests and providing planned opportunities? This reflective session will explore ways to meet the needs of all children while maintaining a responsive, engaging and well-thought-out early years environment.

**PLEASE NOTE**

Once your admission payment has been received, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to select the two workshops you would like to attend. Please note that each workshop has a limited capacity and once all spaces have been filled, those options will no longer be available.

THIS EVENT IS NON REFUNDABLE.

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Host or Publisher Ely and Caerau Integrated Children's Centre