Cache Unit 1

Unit 1 – An introduction to working with children
E1 – Describe three different types of settings which provide care and education for children in your area. This must include one example from * Statutory sector * Voluntary sector * Private sector
E2 – Describe how each of the types of settings identifies in E1 aims to support children and their people.
There are many services available to parents with young children. These services provide care and education. These services divide in too three main sections, Private provision, Voluntary provisions and statutory provisions. There are many off these provisions available in different areas with many options in each category to choose from. An example of a Private provision would be a private nursery or school, also a crèche or a nanny. A statutory provision would be children’s centre, foster care or a state primary or secondary school. An example of a voluntary provision would be, play school or an after school club.
Gateway primary school is a primary school in the statutory sector. ‘These are services that have to be available by law, i.e. legislation has been passed which requires either the government or local authorities to provide them.’ (Tassoni 2007: 3) The provision of care and education available from the school is education and care for the child between nine and three. There are also after school and before school activities provide outside of school time. It aims to support the children by providing them with education. It builds in their understanding of social behaviour as they are around people all the time but also provide them with an education which is compulsory. Gateway aims to support families by having regular parents evening and making phone calls home to parents to inform them off their child’s behaviour and progress.
Dean Close is an example of a private school, it is also a day and boarding school. ‘A school supported by a private organization or private individuals rather than by the government.’ http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=1&gs_ri=serp&pq=example%20of%20a%20private%20sector%20with%20childcare&cp=20&gs_id=2f&xhr=t&q=what+is+a+private+school&pf=p&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&oq=what+is+a+private+sc&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b73698d67822f0fc&biw=1280&bih=709 14.1.13You either have to pay a termly or yearly fee to attend a private school. ‘A school supported wholly by the payment of fees.’ http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=1&gs_ri=serp&pq=example%20of%20a%20private%20sector%20with%20childcare&cp=20&gs_id=2f&xhr=t&q=what+is+a+private+school&pf=p&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&oq=what+is+a+private+sc&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b73698d67822f0fc&biw=1280&bih=709 14.1.13 Dean close offers a wider opportunity to learn as each class is of a smaller number of pupils so there is more opportunities for one on one confrontation and help, which helps progress in further understanding in secondary education. It aims to support the children and family by keeping a continual relationship with each individual student on a personal basis and frequently getting in touch with the parents about their child’s progress and sending home grade cards so they also have a visual record.
Rainbows is an example of a voluntary provision. ‘The voluntary sector or community sector is the sphere of social activity undertaken by organizations that are not for profit and non-governmental’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_sector 14.1.13 The person who runs the club does not get payed for running the provision they do it at their will and in their own time. This provision provides care for young children in early evening’s maybe when their parents are still at work or for the child’s benefit. The provision aims to provide all children with the same opportunities as each other by giving everyone the opportunity to attend.
E3 – Describe the main legislation in your country that supports the rights of children.
In the UK the main legislation that supports children is United Nations convention of the rights of children also known as the UNCRC. This act was drawn up in 1989. Here are just four of the laws within the convention. It is too endorse the principle of non-discrimination, Re-enforce the importance of fundamental human dignity, it highlights and defends the families role in children’s life and seeks respect for children. The convention gives young people and children under the age of eighteen their own special rights. Article 2 in this convention says ‘The right to be protected from all form of discrimination.’ (Tassoni 2007: 7) This can support children in a primary school as they may be discriminated against in a certain sport due to a disability. Another article in the convention supporting children is article 3 ‘The best interest of the children to be the primary consideration I all actions concerning children’ (Tassoni 2007: 7). This supports the child as it allows the children to have the best opportunity provided to them by the teachers in their planning and the child’s school life.
E4 Describe the recognised principles and values that underpin working with children.
Well known and recognised principles and values of working which underpin working with children are; Being healthy, Staying safe, Enjoying and achieving, Making a positive contribution and achieving economic well being. We help children understand about being healthy through PSHE. PSHE ‘makes a major contribution to the health and achievement of children and young people. It contributes to the welfare and safety of children and young people.’ http://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1003 7.1.13 12:11.
Being healthy is encouraged and promoted by school. Schools provide physical health such as P.E and after school activities. This promotes a healthy lifestyle as you are encouraging exercise. In placement we have one games lesson a week and one P.E lesson a week. Also occasionally they have a dance lesson. They make the children walk to swimming on a Thursday encouraging them to walk places instead of travelling in a car. They also have regular access to fresh air during playtimes.
Helping the children stay safe is an important principle that unpins working with children. It is very important to keep the child safe from danger and harm. My placement does this by having all the teachers wear name card and a recognised school logo on and al visitors must sign in to the visitor’s book and wear a visitor’s badge. They also have electronic pin code locks on the gate and main doors into the school. When they go swimming all members of staff have to wear high visible jackets so the children and spot a teacher to strangers while walking to the destination.
Enjoying and achieving is another value under pinned by working with children. Allowing children to have the option and opportunity to express their ideas and feelings about subjects and topics in circle time and PSHE. The children believing they are being valued and respected makes they enjoy their time being there as they are feeling they are listened to.(E5) They will wish to participate more as they enjoy expressing their opinion and will enjoy their time there. If the children enjoy their time at school they will achieve more as they want to be there and have fun.
E6 Describe three professional skills that will support your work with children.

One professional skill you use in a childcare setting or working with children is differentiation. Differentiation ‘is a way of thinking about teaching and learning.’ http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept00/vol58/num01/Reconcilable_Differences%C2%A2_Standards-Based_Teaching_and_Differentiation.aspx 7.1.13 11:16. This skill is important when working with children as you have to make sure the teaching suites every child’s learning preference. The way of learning is different for every child so you have to be able to adjust your learning techniques to help each individual child learn. In my placement I have used differentiation in many different occasions. Some children like to learn using resources E.G in maths some children find it easier and more helpful if they use plastic cubes or bead lines to help them count while some other children just like to work straight into their book using only their fingers. This is differentiation as I am supplying and helping the children who like to use different resources to help them and is then allowing the child who like to use their fingers too use them with no other resources but giving them the option.
Another professional skill practitioners use when working with children is being reliable. This skill is important in a child care setting as you maybe needed to help organise the classroom for the day ahead. Being reliable shows you are committed and you enjoy and want to be there. When working with children being reliable helps the children as they are used to seeing you every day or on certain days and expected you to be there. If you do not turn up one day the child may felon edge as they don’t have you there and wonder where you are. At placement I am reliable as I turn up on time when I am expected to and do little jobs and tasks around the classroom before the day commences to help organisation.
Patience is a professional skill you need to help your work with children. You need patience to help the children understand work. If a particular child needs extras help in understanding a piece of work you need to be able to explain it in many ways until the child is capable of completing the work. ‘Time taken for different students from the same understanding a particular concept could vary. Some of the students just can’t grasp the subject.’ http://www.buzzle.com/articles/good-teacher-qualities.html 7.1.13 11:52. You need patience as if the child cannot understand the work in the many different ways you have explained and you begin to get stressed it will have affect on the child and they will become stressed. The child will not want to take part in the work or want to participate in that particular subject again due to previous experience. Patience is important in helping the child feel comfortable in the classroom and lessons. In placement I am patience with the children. I help the children understand work if they don’t understand a set task. I will explain the work in different ways. If the child begins to get stressed I’ll give them a minute break and tell them to explain to me what they don’t understand. I will help the child feel as comfortable and relaxed as they can during a difficult task by being patient and not getting stressed with them. I will allow them do the task they can within the lesson if they further to find a particular task difficult.
To be able to differentiate is a professional skill practitioners need to be able to use when working with children. Differentiation is to be able to adapt the learning techniques such as different sheets or resources to meet the needs of individual children. In placement I use differentiation as I supply different ability groups with different resources they want to use to help them which will be different to another group or children.
E7 Describe how study skills can support your learning during your training.
Skills are abilities people have to help contribute with their learning. There are four main learning skills; Kinaesthetic, auditory, visual, and reading and writing. Kinaesthetic learner is where a person learns by doing and activity for example doing an experiment in science instead of writing from a book. Auditory learners learn from hearing information. They would benefit more from listening to the teachers give information then having to copy write from a text book. A visual learner is the opposite to the kinaesthetic because they learn by watching someone do something rather than doing it themselves. Reading and writing learners would learn better if they read the information and made their own notes on the topic to help them learn. The auditory way of learning helps me learn in college. I like to listen to the lecturers and make my own notes of what I believe is relevant to me and help me excel in my learning. This also helps me in placement as I listen to the teacher I am working with and know what I have to do rather than just going ahead and doing it. Also I feel that auditory learning helps me too. In college if I can’t complete and activity someone will show me how to do it and me watching them do it helps me to understand where to start and carry on. In placement this helps me majorly as if I don’t know how to work one of the primary schools computer programme watching someone show me how to work it helps me understand and know how to do it, and how to show the children.
D1 – Explain why the practitioner should develop and maintain appropriate relationships with parents and other professionals.
Developing appropriate relationships with parents and other professionals is important. It provides a good communication like in case anything is important or anything happens within the family unit the school should be aware off. This then links to having good relationships with other practitioners so you can pass on the information where appropriate to allow the issue to be made aware.
I would begin to develop a relationship with parents by informing them of their child’s progress regularly, and informing them of any issue that arise at school. At my setting I am begging to develop this relationship by involving myself with the parents and having conversations and passing on good news on how the child did a good piece of work or an accident that has happened. I will maintain this relationship by being reliable and being there for the parents when they need to talk about the child’s behaviour or a family issue. I have achieved this so far by passing on information to a parent about an upcoming school trip and the costs of it.
You would begin to develop and appropriate relationship with a colleague by sharing planning techniques and providing help in the class room with particular children. With working with another practitioner in your setting helps when you have to work with a child with a particular need when they are more experienced in that area. They can show you how to handle a situation when the child is misbehaving or how to calm the child down. This supportive relationship shows you are willing to help a colleague. I have achieved this by helping out in another class room when they have been a teaching assistant down.
D2 -Discuss the characteristics of working in a multi-agency team.

A multi agency team is ‘Staff from different professional backgrounds, such as education support, children's centres, health and social care under a single manager who oversees support for children, young people and families within the local community.’ http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social_health/services_for_children/multi-agency_teams/default.asp 22/11/12 11:20

It is important all staff working within the multi-agency compare and communicate information with each oher, to provide the best outcome for children and their families. For example, if a teaher at a school thought a child was being abused at home they would tell the head of school who would then go ahead and contact social services to look further into the case and contact further professionals such as GP’S. At placement the school provide a speech therapist to a certain child or children who need that extra care and help in developing their speech. IT is important for the teachers to communicate with the therapist and vice a versa to gain information and receive feed back on the progress of the child. This provides the best outcome for the child as the parents become informed and can help further with the development.

Gaining support of the other colleagues working in the team is important. It is important as other colleagues may be more advanced and experienced then you so helps you gain experience. You may need to communicate with other professionals working in your team to go ahead further in and investigation. In a school setting gaining support from colleagues means you can receive help and give help in a situations of a misbehaved child from a member of staff who is specialized in that area or have more experience in that behaviors. In placement with autistic children there is always a member of staff who knows more about the need and child available to help when they begin to misbehave.
C – Explain why the early years practitioner should listen to children’s views and value their opinion.
Listening to children’s views is important as it is a legislation for working with children ‘Listening to children is one of the rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 12). Listening to children is also an intrinsic part of the EYFS, other early years legislation as well as best practice.’ https://www.pre-school.org.uk/practitioners/quality-improvement/681/listening-to-children 14.1.13. This makes the child feel respected and valued and like you want to listen to what they have to say and believe. It will make them believe you pay attention to them and are interested allowing that relationship and bond to form where the child will feel comfortable to come and talk to you (E5). In placement I have listened to a child’s view at placement during a religious education lesson. They were telling me their views and opinions of a religion and I had to listen to them and respect their opinion and decision on what they want to think on to gain the respect from the child. It is important I listened to child to make them feel their opinion is valued and listened too and not just theirs only. Taking the time out to listen to the child improved their self esteem as they know they are not wrong in thinking that as it is their opinion and their belief and no one is right or wrong just have different views.’ Listening to your child boosts their self-esteem and enables them to feel worthy and loved.’ http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Children_need_you_to_listen_to_them 14.1.13.
Valuing children opinions allows them to know they are not wrong or right in what they want to believe or what they think. Respecting a child’s opinion whether it is different to your will allow the child to respect themselves and be more confident in sharing and expressing it. In showing an interest will allow the child to be more outspoken and interested allowing teachers to know about the Childs likes and dislikes helping in planning and developing activities to fit their views and opinions. Children will feel achievement knowing their opinion and view has been shared and accepted. This boosts their self esteem feel they have achieved something.
B – Explain why it is important that practitioners understand the limits and boundaries of their role when working with children.
Limits are ‘A point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass.’ http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=what+are+limiits+&oq=what+are+limiits+&gs_l=serp.3..0i13l10.8177.12305.1.12677.17.14.0.2.2.0.1284.3495.2j5j1j0j1j1j0j1.11.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.VL-CbRH3X7o&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b626e77c3d9f15de&biw=1280&bih=709 15.1.13. Boundaries are ‘A line that marks the limits of an area; a dividing line’ http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=http://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=what+are+limiits+&oq=what+are+limiits+&gs_l=serp.3..0i13l10.8177.12305.1.12677.17.14.0.2.2.0.1284.3495.2j5j1j0j1j1j0j1.11.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.VL-CbRH3X7o&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b626e77c3d9f15de&biw=1280&bih=709en&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=what+are+boundaries&oq=what+are+boundaries&gs_l=serp.3..0l10.108382.112592.2.112820.18.9.6.3.4.2.1031.2550.3j4j6-1j1.9.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.rgMLWAiHaVk&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b626e77c3d9f15de&biw=1280&bih=709 15.1.13.
Four important limits and boundaries you have to consider are Health and safety, managing children’s behaviour, child protection and confidentiality. Children’s behaviour is a limit for a level 3 practitioner when working with children. You have to be aware of your own actions when dealing with a child’s behaviour. You have to think about how you are playing with the child, helping the child and dealing with un-wanted behaviour. If you do not fully understand the rules and behaviour expected you should observe other more experienced practitioners too see how they handle situations. At placement it is important I understand this boundary to react in a reasonable way. If a child at placement is misbehaving and disobeying instructions given, it is important I do not grab a child and pull him about to get him under control. I don’t cross that boundary by calmly sitting the child down and allowing him the time to calm down. If you grab a child due to lack of patience may lead to the child becoming wary of you and feeling scared, upset and not confident around you leading to less self esteem and mental instability.
Confidentiality is also another limit need to be considered when working with children. You are not allowed to breech the confidentiality of children you are working with or the parents and families. Keeping children safe is an important law unpinning working with children so you must not put children or family at risk of danger or harm. At placement we have a confidentiality policy in protecting children that needs to be followed to protect the child’s safety. It is important for me and staff working there to only talk about children within the school setting and to people who it is relevant to and who the child has contact with. You are not allowed to pass on information about a child’s home life or personal illness to family or friends as it may be over heard and putting the child in harm or dangers way. You must also keep all observations and assessments private as well as they may contain sensitive information on the child.
Health and safety of the children is everyone’s responsibility making it a limit and boundary you do not cross to put the children in danger. You need to know what to do and where to report it of you see a hazard around the school and how to safety and securely shut school gates and doors. You need to follow the placement policy on health and safety including minor and major accidents and hygiene. In placement when we attend a first aid incident you have to wear loves no matter the injury to prevent cross contamination of bacteria and body fluids. This is keeping the child safe from infections and disease. Not wearing the loves provide and safety discarding them after use is not following your roles and responsibilities and crossing your limits and boundaries when working with children.
A – Reflect on the importance of a child centred approach in early years settings.
‘The child centred approach promotes the right of the children to make choose, make connections and communicate.’ http://growing-places.org.uk 15.1.13.
Forest school is a child centred approach and is a rather new initiative. Forest school aim to provide children to have their own choice and freedom in choosing what they want to explore and learn. The child is free and has the opportunity for themselves to explore and roam in a different environment. This meets the description of a child centred approach as the children can choose the activities what they want to do and make the connections to subjects learnt in school and the outdoor environment. They can communicate with teachers and peers through objects and ways of movement. This is provided in a setting as once a week the year threes and fours make a two hourly trip to the forest. A positive of forest school is the children gain education and skills in the outdoors choosing their activities based on their confidence. ‘Forest School has been defined in Britain as an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence through hands-on learning in a woodland environment.’ http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf/$file/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf 15.1.13. Children gained greater understanding of consequences through their actions and how they were responded too in this environment. ‘Children gained increased awareness of consequences of their actions on peers through team activities such as sharing tools and participating in play.’ http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf/$file/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf 15.1.13. For example they would gain awareness of not sharing a tool as then they would not be wanted to play with or be given tools in the future. A disadvantage of forest school is the children not having a choice in their preferred way of learning. For children who have a preferred way of learning to be kinaesthetic learner will be beneficial but for children who learner better in an indoor environment through auditory this is at their disadvantage.
A recent research which suggests a new way of learning would be Reggio Emilia. This piece of research is based on giving the children the opportunity for creative thinking, free play, exploration, following their interests and exploration and discovery. It meets the child centred approach through the opportunity for the children to choose the play they participate in through the free play allows the child to communicate through following their interests and sharing ideas and by allowing the children to explore and make connections with everyday life through what they find through exploring. This research can be put into practice in a setting through allowing the time in the day for free play too see how it affects the children in how they approach their choice of play and too also allow them the opportunity to explore on their own choices a d see what interests the child. This allows the teacher to form more of an understanding of the child and gain more information on the child. A positive of Reggio Emilia research is ‘Adults begin to understand each child and plan learning experiences which he or she ill enjoy and benefit from.’ (Tassoni 2007:289) Another positive is all children’s progress is recorded in many different ways. ‘Samples of work at different stages, photos of work in progress, comments by adults working with the children, transcripts of children’s discussions’. (Tassoni 2007:289). There are drawbacks to Reggio Emilia. Free play and exploration will only benefit those learners who have a preferred way of learning to be kinaesthetic. Auditory learners only learn through ‘Auditory learners learn best through listening.’ http://www.brightknowledge.org/knowledge-bank/study-support/learning-styles/are-you-an-auditory-learner 15.1.13.
All of these new approaches to learning and research have their advantages and drawback but all will allow the children to learn in a different way and gain experience. All styles of learning will suit different children but each individual will learn to adapt and will pick up new life skills through the child centred approach of allowing them to choose and have a say of the way they learn and communicate.