During my time as a team leader at a nursery, we introduced a practice called WIFLE.

You might be wondering, what is a WIFLE?

It stands for "What I Feel Like Expressing."

We integrated WIFLE into our senior management meetings, either starting or ending each session with it. This practice provided us with opportunities to express our personal or work-related feelings without interruptions.

Initially, this was challenging for me as I wasn't very vocal, and my colleagues had to encourage me to share. I often feared being judged or not feeling heard, but WIFLE created a safe space for open communication and further discussion if needed.

We later extended WIFLE to our team meetings, and it became my responsibility to encourage participation. This tool proved valuable, as it often revealed common concerns within the team, allowing us to address and resolve them collectively.

I found WIFLE incredibly useful. Although I'm still more comfortable expressing myself in writing through emails or messages, I've significantly improved in verbal communication. I've learned that no concern is too trivial and that it's important not to keep things bottled up. We all make mistakes, but it's how we address them that matters.

This blog was written by Sarah. Watch her video message about safeguarding at your setting, HERE.

AUTHOR:- Sarah is an early years senior practitioner with over 25 years of experience in early years education, supporting children, families, and staff across various age groups. She has led an outstanding Ofsted inspection and implemented rigorous safeguarding procedures. A passionate advocate for child safety in sport, Sarah champions safeguarding practices in grassroots football and brings her lived experience as a parent of two. She is part of the team at On the Button, delivering Well-being, Safeguarding and Complaint Management Software to early years settings across the UK.

At On the Button, we support early years settings with powerful tools to strengthen EYFS safeguarding, promote early years well-being, and streamline EYFS complaint management. Our software is designed by sector professionals who understand the pressures and responsibilities of working with children. Whether you're leading a nursery team or supporting children one-to-one, On the Button helps ensure no sign of concern goes unnoticed.