Dr Amanda Norman

Biography

Dr Amanda Norman. EdD; Med; PGD Psych (conv); PGD (Froebel); EYP; SFHEA; PGC/DE; PGC (Therapeutic Play); BSc (Hons); NCS (Prof Psych/Counselling)

Contact details: amanda.norman@winchester.ac.uk

• UoA23 Co-lead
• Co-lead: CREATE research centre and early years cluster
• Co-chair of Early Years Working Group: Alliance4Children
• Editorial Board Member: Norland Educare Research Journal
• Executive Committee Member: International Froebel Society
• Froebelian Travelling Tutor/Consultant: Froebel Trust
• Co-Convener: British Sociological Association Childhood Study Group
• Previous: Advisory Group Early Years Member: SCiP Alliance Thriving Through Childhood and Beyond Project (service children)

Dr Amanda Norman’s teaching and research is rooted in developmental psychology, relational pedagogies, infancy studies, therapeutic play, and auto/biographical inquiry.

From professional experiences of working in social services, co-leading a day nursery for 25 years, and lecturing in both further and higher education for more than twenty years her research is intentionally multi-disciplinary. From her doctoral work (2012) examining the emotional and symbolic communicative relationships between professionals and infants, a trajectory that bridged empirical educational research, underpinned by development psychology, attachment and emotional labour was established. Since then, she has cultivated a research and teaching profile that continues to interrogate how children’s experiences, relational interactions, and play practices shape developmental trajectories. By successfully publishing in both extensive and respected international publishers, including sole authored books, peer review and professional articles and chapters Dr Norman is a leading figure and contributes to ongoing debates at the intersection of child development, therapeutic approaches, and early education.

Dr Norman’s research expertise, whilst familiar with a wide range of methodologies, having completed a PG conversions psychology programme, several years after completing a BSc in Health and studies of Religion. and a master’s in counselling and special education, is predominately interpretivist, biographical, ethnographic, and phenomenological. This has also been evident in developing and successfully securing funded projects (Winnicott Trust (2023-4, and a BA small grant, 2024-6), specifically on rest and sleep routines and rituals within a Froebelian philosophy, culminating in two international conference presentations and currently writing an associated monograph. In addition, Amanda was also PI for a play project for families living in unconventional spaces, beyond traditional homes and on creative sites), secured by successfully receiving a Participatory fund from the University of Winchester (2026), with the website developed, housing the project within the webpage, www.amandascalmscapes.com

Leadership has also extended to being a co-lead for Alliance 4 Children and this has culminated in numerous reports, including two significant Play Reports, aligning with Play England in recognising the value of play for young children. The development of A National Play Report: Building A Creative Britain, with contributions from 30 stakeholders, in 2024 and then developed with the Power 2 Play report, 2025 both resulted in a launch at the House of Lords, and featured on ITV regional News (2024 and 2025), with another held in 2026. This is in addition to contributing author to over 13 APPG reports, as well as contributing to national and international conferences.

Teaching Excellence and Contribution

From thirty years of experience, teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students across education, psychology, health, and social sciences Dr Norman has led programmes, convened multiple modules on child development from cross-disciplinary perspectives, taught on early years master’s provision, and successfully supervised PhD and EdD students (several to completion) working on topics including play pedagogies and childhood wellbeing. In addition, she is also a trained consultant, with the Froebel Trust and regularly lead on specialist Froebel programmes across England and Wales, delivering to head early years leads, head teachers, early years teams and primary teachers. From widening to this to an international audience Dr Norman is also an executive member of the International Froebel Society, co-leading webinars and supporting international conferences.

Leadership, Collegiality, and Research Culture

As a member of the leadership team within CREATE Research Centre, and early years cluster lead, alongside UoA23 co-lead, Dr Norman has actively fostered a research culture, mentoring early career researchers, leading interdisciplinary initiatives, and facilitating international collaborations. These have included specific relationships with colleagues in Ontario, Canada and New Zealand.

Teaching Excellence and Contribution

From thirty years of experience, teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students across education, psychology, health, and social sciences Dr Norman has led programmes, convened multiple modules on child development from cross-disciplinary perspectives, taught on early years master’s provision, and successfully supervised PhD and EdD students (several to completion) working on topics including play pedagogies and childhood wellbeing. In addition, she is also a trained consultant, with the Froebel Trust and regularly lead on specialist Froebel programmes across England and Wales, delivering to head early years leads, head teachers, early years teams and primary teachers. From widening to this to an international audience Dr Norman is also an executive member of the International Froebel Society, co-leading webinars and supporting international conferences.

Dr Norman’s teaching philosophy is underpinned in relational, reflective, and research-led approaches, and this is highlighted within invited editorial articles, webinar invites and key notes at conference events.  

Engagement with Early Years and Professional Expertise

As a professional in the early years sector Dr Norman has undertaken roles and continues to work directly with children and families through therapeutic and research roles, including part‑time counselling within the Mother in Mind organisation, previously counselling part time within a FE college for adolescents and adults. This practice-oriented grounding shapes her ongoing research into restorative care, therapeutic play, and relational development. This has been showcased in various spaces and been supported by stakeholders working professionally with children (PTUK; TACTYC; A4C; Twins Trust; BSA (childhood)). This has been complemented by serving as a panel judge for the European Play Awards and maintaining links with the International Play Association. Additionally, being the early years advisor member for SCiP Alliance, and developing a pilot project with Stormbreak (mental health through movement across primary schools) ActiveBEDS (Luton) in co-creating Stormbreak Play, a toolkit for educators to support children’s emotional wellbeing through movement.

Publication List

Book Publications

Norman, (2027) Parenting and Twins. London Routledge (Contracted and Forthcoming).

Norman, A (2027) Rock-a-Bye-Baby: Restorative Care Routines and Rituals within a Froebelian Perspective Monograph. London. Routledge. (Contracted and Forthcoming).

Norman, A and Guard, C. (ed) (2025) Being with Babies: Belonging in early years settings. London Routledge.

Norman, A (2024) Motherland. Lived Places US Publications.

Norman, A. (2024) The Baby Room. Lived Places US Publications.

Norman, A (2023) Transitional Objects in Early Childhood. London. Routledge.

Norman, A (2023) Using a Person-Centred Approach in Early Years Practice: A therapeutic guide for students and practitioners. London. Routledge

Norman, A. (20222) Bouncy Bearhaviour. A play therapeutic book on transitions. Londin. Pegasus

Norman, A (2022) Historical Perspectives on Infant care. London. Bloomsbury.

Norman, A (2019) Conception to Two: Development, Policy and Practice. London. Taylor and Francis.

Chapter Publications

Norman, A (2026) Quality Matters in education. UK. TACTYC.

Norman, A (2026) Play and Wellbeing in Primary School. In Wellbeing and Education. Emerald.

Norman, A (2026) Maternal Boundaries of Othermothers and Community Mothers. Woven Threads Building Bonds in Other mothering and Community Mothering Edited by Jane Alberdeston, Dorsía Smith Silva, and Dannabang Kuwabong US. Demeter Press.

Norman, A (2026) Matrescence with Multiples. Infant and Family Mental Health and Wellbeing. Routledge. London

Norman, A and James, C (2026) Matrescence:  public and private spiritual perspectives of new mother’s rites and rituals within 21st century Britain at Women and Rituals London. Women and Religion in Britan today: Rituals Vernon Press.

Norman, A (2025) Transitional Objects in Quinones, and Delaune, The Interdependence of Wellbeing: Possibilities for infant and toddler pedagogies and policies. New Zealand

Norman, A (2023) Working with Infants. In Hayes, C. (2022) Practitioner SEFDEY Handbook. London. Routledge.

Norman, A (2022) Spiritual Humanism and Motherhood (an auto-ethnographical approach). In Bennett, Y. (2021) Women and Religion in Britain Today. London. Palgrave McMillan.

Norman, A (2022) Baby Signing: Infant Care. In Wall, K., Arnott, L. & Hall, E. (2022) Theory and Practice of Voice in Early Childhood: A Guide for the Early Years. London. Palgrave McMillian.

Norman, A (2019) Title: The value of obituaries in understanding lives. In Parnell, J. (2019) New and Alternative Ways of Writing lives Biographical research approaches. London. Palgrave McMillan.

Lead of Journal Publication

Women’s History Today (2024) Childcare. Summer Special Edition. Co-Lead. WHN at Women’s History Today Summer 2024 – Women's History Network (womenshistorynetwork.org)

Journal Article Publications

Norman, A. and James, C (2026) Parenting and Rituals. Birth and Parent Education. IJBPE. Guest Editors.

Norman, A. (2025) Mothers’ voices within the epistolary mode: The historical/contemporary nexus in the maternity letters of The Women’s Cooperative Guild (1915) and The Mothership Writers Group (2021). Autobiography Review (Submitted)

Norman, A (2026) Parenting and Nighttime Care. Early years Educator.

Norman, A. (2025) ‘Wellbeing and Play, Norland Educare Research Journal, submitted

Norman, A. (2024) ‘Alloparenting – a historical perspective on infant “loving” care relationships’, Norland Educare Research Journal, 2(1), article number 4. Available at: https://doi.org/10.60512/repository.norland.ac.uk.00000035

Norman, A (2023) Museums and student visits. Early years Educator. 23 (23)

Norman, A (2022) Narratives through Nature (part 2) Early Years Educator. 23 (9)

Norman, A (2022) Narratives through Nature Early Years Educator. 23(8)

Norman, A (2022) A Mentoring Project (part 2) Early Years Educator.  23 (8)

Norman, A (2022) A Mentoring Project Early Years Educator. 23 (7) 25-27

Norman (2023) Parent Partnerships and Person-Centred Approach. (Early Years Hub) Chartered College of Teaching UK.

Norman, A (2023) Spiritual Childbirth and Trust. Autobiography Review.

A.Scherer and A. Norman (2023) Sleep ‘self help’ books: autobiographical evaluations and personal entanglements with reading professional advice books on young children’s sleep. An exploration of the journey through early parenting and managing sleep through two mothers-as-researchers perspectives.. European Auto/Biography Journal Vol. 12 (2023): EJLW

10. Scherer and A. Norman (2023) The sleeping voices: Evaluating parenting ‘self-help’ books, narratives of rule, routine and ritual. Children and Society. At https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12714

Norman, A (2020) Creating Calmscapes with Classical music. Early Years Educator. 21(9) 32-34

Byrne, J & A, Norman (2020) A transformative model of continuing professional development in a day nursery: practitioners’ perspectives on the implementation of symbolic gesturing, Professional Development in Education, DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2020.1744687

Norman, A & J, Byrne (2019) Symbolic gesturing: creating opportunities for emotional connections between practitioners and infants in day care, Early Child Development and Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2019.1659787

Norman, A (2019) What a Feeling! Early Years Educator. 21 (10) 35-37

Norman, A (2016) Take a risk with Froebel. Early Years Educator. 17 (11) 34-36

Norman, A (2015) Focusing on the details. Early Years Educator. 17 (4) 28-30                   

Norman, A (2015) Rhyming with Froebel. Early Years Educator. 17 (3) 32-34

Norman, A (2015) Signs of the Community. Early Years Educator. 16 (11) 21-23               

Norman, A (2015) Observing discovery play. Early Years Educator. 16 (9) 27-30

Norman, A. (2011) The boy on the beach: building community through play, Cambridge Journal of Education, 41:2, 241-242, DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2011.575279

Children’s Alliance Reports: Co-founder member and Contributing author

Lead Author

Power2Play: The Electric Playground (2025) Lead Autor on Policy Informed Report Alliance 4 Children

Power2Play: (2025) Lead Autor on Policy Informed Report Alliance 4 Children

Play: A Creative Britain (2024) Lead Autor on Policy Informed Report at The Power of Play: Building a Creative Britain - Childrens Alliance

Contributory Author (named).

Eye View Series report: Family Support. (2023) WGI (childrensalliance.org.uk) Contributing author (Published)

Eye View Series report: A Preconception Care Strategy. (2023) WGI (childrensalliance.org.uk) Contributing author (Published)

Family and Community (2022) WGI (childrensalliance.org.uk) Contributing author

The mental health of children and young people (2022) WGI (childrensalliance.org.uk)

The Health and Well-being of children in the Early Years (2021) WG1-EarlyYears-Oct2021.pdf (childrensalliance.org.uk)

The Physical Health of Children and Young People Report (2021) WG1-EarlyYears-Oct2021.pdf (childrensalliance.org.uk)

All Party Parliamentary Published Reports: Contributory author (named)

 CLARK, H., et al (2024) Adverse Childhood Experiences. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

Clark, H., Royal, P., WEST, H., McGlone, P. F., Walker, A. P. S., Devine, S. L., Barlow, J., Albon, D. D., Elfer, D. P., Norman, D. A., Sigman, D. A., Graham, C., Hutchinson, C., Harris, D. G., Upton, L., Thomas, J., Jephcott, M., Whewell, E., Lumsden, E., Revell, E., Hodgson, A., Salt, K., Lochrie, P., Brown, P. F., Murray, D. A., Murray, D. P., Lubrano, M., Day, K. and Gribble, J. (2020) Wellbeing and nurture: physical and emotional security in childhood. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

 Clark, H., Royal, P., WEST, H., Randall, D. V., Silk, P. M., Patnail, D. A., Shahid, S., Yelling, D. M., Coleman, N., Wright, C., Kay, S., Bagnall, P., Sigman, D. A., Adams, S., Albon, D. D., Murray, D. A., Murray, D. P., Hodgson, A., Hill, R., Whewell, E., Palmer, G., Lee, D., Javor, A., Lubrano, M., Salt MBE, K., Lochrie, P., Thomas, J., Jephcott, M., Norman, D. A., Manners, D. L., Pearson, J., Murray, J. and Howells, D. K. (2019) Mental Health Through Movement. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

 CLARK, H., ROYAL, P., WEST, H., Jephcott, M., Norman, A.,T HOMAS, J., Glazzard, J., Smith, S., Albon, D., Javor, A., Flint, S., Hutchinson, C., McGlone, F., Day, K., Brown, F., Lewis, L., Salt, K. (2019) Children's mental health beyond the green paper: the role of practice based evidence. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

 CLARK, H., ROYAL, P., WEST, H., Randell, V., Norman, A., et al (2018) Mental health in childhood. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

Conference Paper presentations and Talks

1. Norman (2026) Transitional Objects. Kinderly UK. Invited Guest.
2. Norman (2025) Rest and Sleep. International Froebel Society. Ehrfurt Germany
3. Norman (2025) Rest and Sleep in the Home. Autobiography Studies. Reading UK
4. Norman (2025) Matrescence and Social Media. University of Winchester. UK. Invited Presentation.
5. Norman (2025) Transitional Objects and Early Years Practice. University of Winchester. Organiser and Symposium Event.
6. Norman (02.2025) Rest and Sleep. Times Radio. Darryl Morris
7. Norman (2024) Matrescence and Autoethnography. South Coast Autoethnography Group.
8. Norman (2024) Transitional Objects and Sustainability. European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. Brighton, UK. Paper presentation.
9. Norman (2023) Autobiography of a student project: Connecting learning with placement and New Beginnings. BSA Auto/Biography Invited seminar. Online. Invited Speaker. Paper presentation.
10. Norman (26.12.2023) Twin Talk. Radio Solent Steve Harris Breakfast Show. UK.
11. Norman (2023) New Beginnings: maternal letters International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Conference, July 2023, UK. Paper presentation.
12. Norman (2023) Children of Today Conference. Invited speaker for the early years. Worcester University and Children’s Alliance
13. Norman (2023) Mothers experiences of Forced adoption (1970s) SHCY (Ontario, Canada)
14. Norman (2023) Transitional Objects and Flourishing Voices. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. online, UK. Paper presentation.
15. Norman (2022) Practice Boxes: Connecting learning with placement and New Beginnings. BSA Auto/Biography Annual Conference. Oxford. UK. Paper presentation.
16. Norman (2022) Reflections in Infant Care. Invited Key Notes. Early years Leaders. BELMAS Funded Programme.

A.Norman (2022) Beach Babes: An Oral History of childhood and play living on the coast within a Froebelian lens. BSA Auto/Biography Annual Conference. Oxford. UK. Paper presentation.

A.Norman (2022) Transitional Objects. BSA Auto/Biography Annual Conference. Oxford. UK. Paper presentation.

1. Norman (2022) Maternal lives from past to present. Maternal Bodies. Women’s History. Foundling Museum. London, UK. Paper presentation.

A.Norman (04.01.2022) Twin Talk. Radio Solent Steve Harris Breakfast Show. UK.

1. Norman (2021) Transitional Objects. Winnicott Trust. UK. Accessible https://winnicott-trust.org.uk/posters/ Recorded poster presentation.
2. Norman (2021) Troubles lives: maternal letters. Annual Conference. SSCIP. Historical Childhoods International Conference. Sep. 2021. Australia, Paper presentation
3. Norman (2021) Troubles lives: maternal letters International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Conference, July 2021, UK. Paper presentation.
4. Norman and W. Crocker, (North Western University, Ontario, Canada) (2021) Narratives of Nature (Froebel lens): Student voices British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. online, UK. Paper presentation.
5. Norman (2019) Practitioner’s narratives using symbolic gesturing though a Froebelian lens. International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Conference, July 2019, Oxford, UK. Paper presentation.
6. Norman (2019) Narratives of Nature and Froebel. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
7. Norman and M. Levereux (2019) A Breath of Fresh Air. Infants and health outdoors.  British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
8. Norman (2018) Past present and Future lives: the obituary in education. International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Christmas Conference, London, UK. Paper presentation.
9. Norman (2017) Rhyming with Froebel: A way of exploring emotions. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A.Norman and K.Morris (2016) Values in early Years. LT Cornelius Annual Conference. University of Winchester. UK. Paper presentation.

1. Norman (2016) Taking A risk with Froebel: A way of exploring emotions. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
2. Norman (2015) Fairy Stories and Emotional Literacy. ILT. August: Paper presentation
3. Norman (2014) Discovery Play and the role of the practitioner:  Using a non-directive approach while observing children at play. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
4. Norman (2012) Symbolic Gesturing: How practitioner’s narratives within research can inform practice. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
5. Norman (2010) Symbolic gesturing in early education.  European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, September 2010, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.
6. Norman (2011) Enhancing the student experience through peer mentoring relationships across sites of learning, Roehampton RU Cert internal conference. London, England. Paper presentation.
7. Norman, C. Griffin, and S. Flannery Quinn (2010) Enhancing the student experience through peer mentoring relationships across sites of learning, Roehampton Annual Learning and Teaching Conference. London, England. Paper presentation.
8. Griffin, S. Flannery Quinn, & A. Norman (2010) Facilitating a Peer Mentoring Programme Using a Community of Learning Model, Staff and Educational Development Teaching and Learning Assessment Conference. Leeds, UK. Paper presentation.
9. Flannery Quinn, C. Griffin, & A. Norman (2010) Understanding the development of professional knowledge and dispositions of students in a university-based early childhood studies peer mentoring programme: Recognising emotion, identity, and learning through informal dialogues in a community of learning, Roehampton Educational Research Conference. London, England. Paper presentation.

Chaired Conferences

A.Norman (2023) Invited Chair for the Froebel Trust Conference Panel A. Annual Conference Symposium 2 UK.

A.Norman (2019) Exploring Health and Well Being in childhood. University of Winchester. UK.

A.Norman (2017) International Communities. Early Years Research Centre. University of Winchester. UK.

Reviewer of Journal/s: 

The Journal of Early Childhood Research

The Journal of Auto/Biography Review

Pastoral Care in Education Journal

Norland Educare Research Journal

Women’s History Now

Grant Reviewer

The Nuffield Trust: Small Grants 2023

The Froebel Trust: Grants 2021 – 2023

The Welcome Trust: Early Research Career

Successful Grants

British Academy (small grant) (2024-2026) Rest and Sleep Rituals and Routines. £9,500.00.

University of Winchester (2023) Transitional Objects. £3000.00

University of Winchester (2022-3) Experiential boxes and Journals for Student Placement enhancement. Learning Teaching and Innovation Funds (LTIF) Competitive Grant. One year with the employment of a RA. £3000.00

Squiggle Foundation (2022-2024) Transitional objects in Early Childhood. £4000.00

Western University, Canada (2018-2020) Narratives in Nature Collaboration with Western University, Ontario, Canada, and University of Winchester. Western University small grants fund (24 months) £4000.00

University of Winchester (2018) Competitive funds from TEL From Pregnancy to Three: Development Policy and Practice. University of Winchester Project Grant (12 months) £4000

Bournemouth LA small grants (2016) Narratives through Froebel – observations and interviews. Nursery School. Bournemouth Early years ed TT group Successful (18 months). £6000

Bournemouth and Poole Early Years small grants (2015) Discovery Play. Observations and video analysis within nursery setting. EYP LEA competitive grant Successful (12 months). £4000

Previous and current membership

• Squiggle Trust (Winnicott Trust)
• APPG Conception to Two: The First 1001 Days
• APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods
• SEFDEY
• National Oral History Society
• Member of Twins Trust
• Member of TACTYC
• Member of BERA
• Member of Association for Childhood Education International
• Member of PTUK
• EYPS Network
• Member of The British Psychology Society (BPS)
• Member of AiMH
• British Sociology member (Auto/Biographical Study Group)
• The International Journal of Birth & Parent Education member