Child Centred Approach

Within childcare a child centred approach underpins good practice. During a transitional period it is the setting’s responsibility to change the way that they do things to cater for the individual child. It is not good practice to force a child out of their comfort zone and change them to make them fit in with the setting. A child centred approach involves putting the child first. Each child is treated on an individual basis and this means that their needs will be different. An example of this could be a child with additional learning needs. The child may need an individual transitional plan that caters to their specific needs. If these needs were not met then this may make the transitional period more difficult. Therefore it is vital that
They may eat different foods or the parents may have specific roles, for example the father may be in control and decision making would primarily go through him. These differences may have an impact on how the setting approaches the parents and/or how they cater for the child. Showing respect for the child’s family cultures can be achieved by carrying out home visits, where the practitioner can gather some background information on the child and family. The setting could also invite parents in to talk about their culture or invite them to make the different food dishes so that the other children can try and learn about them. Working closely with parents is important because they have a right to be involved in their child’s care and education. It is important to recognise parents as the child’s first educators and respect their contribution. This can be done by involving all parents, even those who seem to be more difficult than others. A setting has a responsibility to keep parents involved by informing them of the child’s progress throughout the term, their day to day well-being and showing them the different activities they have been taking part
This involves ensuring that they are healthy, safe and that their general wellbeing is positive. The obligation to meet children’s needs and uphold their rights is upheld by The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) fifty four articles. These articles protect children and their rights, these articles are implemented all around the world. These articles can be seen being promoted within practice in many different ways for example by ensuring that the children are not discriminated against. In article 2 of the UNCRC, it states that all children regardless of their race, age, religion, abilities, sex, what family they come from, whether they are wealthy or not, all children should be treated equally. (UNICEF, DA 12/10/15) It is important that articles such as this are promoted because children have a right to feel valued and safe within the setting. This can be achieved by celebrating children’s differences and promoting individuality. This can be done through means of festival celebration, certificates and all about me activities, where children discuss what makes them special and who they are as an individual. In article 12, the UNCRC states that adults should respect the views of the child. Within the setting it is important that practitioners allow children to express their opinions and feelings. The UNCRC article is designed to allow children to voice their