Elinor Goldschmied

Goldschmied also developed the “Key Person approach” (KPA) within non maternal childcare settings for establishing meaningful attachment relationships within nurseries.

[3] During this period she observed babies and children in local orphanages barred from having toys or relationships with other human beings and sought change in this area.

[1] In 1948,[2] Goldschmied met Elda Mazzocchi Scarzella, the founder of a home for single mothers in Milan, called the Villaggio della Madre e del Fanciullo.

The first, Lasciatemi almeno giocare, discusses play and how it aids in the development of a child's motor and psycho-affective in situations of social distress and institutionalisation.

The other film was entitled L’adulto nel mondo dei più piccoli was created with assistance from residents of Trieste, and is centred on the role and function of an educator in the relationship with a child in a nursery.

[6] It led to the introduction of "heuristic play" to promote a relaxed form of play for babies under the age of two and for maintaining a special relationship with an individual member of staff;[1] Goldschmied had in 1948 introduced a "treasure basket" containing non-dangerous household items that vary in feel and texture and are presented in a low, open basket, which was theorised as an exploration activity that lasted for less than an hour with no physical intervention by an overseeing adult.

[2] Goldschmied also performed consultancy roles in the London boroughs of Hammersmith, Fulham, and Islington as well as in the Spanish community of Catalonia.

[1] In early 2018, her original treasure basket was discovered and the Goldschmied family loaned it to The Froebel Trust for display at the Foyle Special Collections room at the University of Roehampton.