Aspect of Children's Development

K2D40 K2D41 K2D42

Observations:-

Who do you need to have permission from?

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Parents / Guardian.

The importance of checking your findings with other staff.

• Monitor and identify child's development gains and needs.
• Share and past on information.
• Confirm findings.
• Idea's for new activities.

Who do you share your findings with?

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Parents / Guardian.

Where to refer concerns you may have about children's development.

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Parents / Guardian.
• Special Education needs Co-ordinator (if required).

Policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and data protection.

• All information stays within the setting.
• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Head teacher.

K2H16 The laws governing safety in your home country, including the general responsibility for health and safety that applies to all colleagues and to employers.

Health & safety laws:-

A) Securing the health, safety and welfare of persons at work;

(B) Protecting persons other than persons at work against risks to health or safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work;

(C) Controlling the keeping and use of explosive or highly flammable or otherwise dangerous substances, and generally preventing the unlawful acquisition, possession and use of such substances; and

(D) Controlling the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substances from premises.

It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.

Health and safety within the school environment:-

Management of medication, every school must development a policy on the roles and responsibilities of the employers, parents, carers, governing bodies, head teachers and teachers.  The policy must include drawing up a health-plan for a pupil, confidentiality, record keeping, the storage, access and disposal of medication.  The plan should contain common conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and anaphylactic shock.

First aid, the school must ensure that there are adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities for providing first aid.  There should be minimum provisions in place:-

• Suitable first-aid container.
• Appointed member of staff to take charge of equipment.
• Adequate number of First-aiders and adequate number of containers.

First-aid provision should be available at all times including out of school activities.  The school must also develop a first-aid policy.

Safe practice in physical education must be monitored at all times.

School's security and safety the person who is responsible for the health and safety within the environment should ensure that all security measures are draw up within their policy.  The Head teacher or caretaker is responsible for securing the building and maintaining the security of the children. (K2S31 and K2S32 child protection policy).

Fire emergencies, regular drills to evacuate the building are held and timed including imposing different situations on children and staff.  An appointed member of staff will ensure that the building is clear, services i.e. water, electricity and gas are isolated, all doors are closed, call the emergency services. All fire equipment should be regularly checked and record sheets kept.

Accidents, all accidents must be recorded in a report book. If the accident is caused by faulty equipment the Head teacher must be informed, all faulty equipment should be either removed or isolated.

Once a term health and safety inspections of the premises should take place.

www.teachernet.gov.uk

K2C6 The Key features of effective communication and why it is important to model this when interacting with adults and children.

Communication Cycle:

1. Sender, will send the messages.
2. Medium, how you send the message.
3. Receiver, process and understanding message.
4. Feedback, reply.

Two way cycle.

Good communication is central to working with children and parents/carers. It involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding to what is being communicated by children, young people and those who are caring for them.

It is important to be able to communicate on a one to one basis and in a group context. Communication is a two way process and is not just about the words you use, but also your manner of speaking, body language and the effectiveness of how you listen. To communicate effectively you must take into account the culture and context of the person, for example where English is an addition language.

Also being aware of different ways of communication for example electronic channels, and that some children, young people or parents/carers may not understand what is being communicated.

Verbal Communication:

• Speaking.
• Using your tone of voice.
• Expressions i.e. pauses, stresses on words.
• Whispering.
• Greeting.
• Group communication.
• Formal or informal meetings.
• Telephone conversations.
• Written communication (letters, e-mail, notes, information)
• Reading.

Non verbal communication:

• Eye contact and movement.
• Facial expressions i.e. frowning, smiling.
• Hand gestures and movements.
• Body language and posture.
• Head movements i.e. nodding.
• Sign language.
• Touching or closeness i.e. invading someone's personal space.
• Appearance i.e. untidiness.
• Sounds i.e. laughing.

K2D70 How to meet the needs of all the children in your setting, including those with disabilities or special educational needs.

K2D76 The requirement and importance of physical play and how to help children who have limited physical play opportunities.

K2D80 The importance of regular physical activity and exercise to physical and mental health.

1. Why is physical play important?

1. • Healthy life style.
   • Knowledge and understanding of outside world.
   • Develops gross motor skills.
   • Develops hand to eye co-ordination.
   • Develops communication and language skills.
   • Helps in the development of their bones and muscles.
   • Encourages socialising and negotiations skills.
   • Encourages children to take risks and understand their own health and safety.
   • Fresh air.

1. List the different types of activities you can offer the children indoor and outdoor activities.

1. • Dancing action songs and rhymes.
   • Water play indoor/outdoor.
   • Sand pit.
   • Climbing equipment.
   • Digging.
   • Bikes, carts etc.
   • Loft and Wendy house.
   • Cooking.
   • Arts and crafts such as painting, modelling and play dough.
   • Balls and bats.
   • Hoops.
   • Construction toys.
   • Tyres, crates and pipes.
   • Home corner and wooden boat.

Take two of the above activities and explain what they help develop?

1. How can you help children who have limited physical play opportunities?

1. • Making space more room.
   • Re-arrange furniture and room for activities.
   • Walks in surrounding area/community.
   • Working with other local schools and outside community to arrange access to playgrounds, parks etc.

1. How can you adapt these activities for children with additional needs?

1. • Encourage child to take part in everything that you offer be adaptable and flexible with the activity.
   • Take activity or equipment to child's level.
   • Ensure that you are aware of the additional or special needs of said child.
   • Have appropriate space and equipment for child.
   • Depending on needs of the child have one to one carer.

K2H24 Good hygiene practice: avoiding of cross infection, disposal of waste, food handling, handling body fluids, issues concerning spread of HIV and AIDS virus and hepatitis.

Good hygiene practice:-

• Always wash hands after using the toilet, changing nappies, handling animals or handling rubbish.
• Always wash hands before handling or eating food, do not share food and drinks or eating utensils.

Ensure that all children use soap, water and dry with a clean towel or a hand dryer.

Disposal of nappies, food and other soiled items:-

• Dispose of food waste and other refuse in covered lined bins.  Ensure all spillages are wiped up immediately.
• Ensure all bins are clear and clean, disinfected daily and removed from the premises.
• Keep all refuse bins covered at all times.
• Please keep all recycled refuse in separate and allocated bins as per council's recycling requirements.
• All used nappies are bagged and sealed and put into the refuse bin straight away.

Stop injections; ensure that all coughs, sneezes or blow noses are into a tissue and that the tissue is disposed off correctly into a bin or flushed down the toilet.  Wash hands immediately after use.

Cuts and grazes; ensure that all adults/first aiders wear protective clothing (gloves).  Ensure all cuts and grazes are clean and have appropriate dressings.

Food Hygiene;

• Ensure all food is obtained from licensed sources.
• Cover all food property to stop the risk of contamination (never use food or drink that has any risk of being contaminated.)
• Do not use cracked or chipped crockery as germs may harbour within the cracks.
• Use separate knives and chopping boards for raw and cooked foods to prevent contamination.
• Do not handle food with bare hands, wear hairnet if necessary.
• Wash hands before and after handling food, or after using the toilet, sneezing or coughing.
• Avoid touching your nose, mouth, hair or eyes when handling food.
• Avoid coughing and sneezing.
• Disinfect and clean preparation area and dining area.
• Ensure food storage is correct, store cooked food away from uncooked, i.e. raw food stored at the bottom of the fridge.  Check that the fridge is at the correct temperature 03 centigrade.

Handling Animals;

• Ensure children wash hands after handling any animal.
• Do not let the animal lick their faces.
• Keep outside of the premises clean and clear of food scraps to limit the entering of wild animals.
• Check and clean outside area daily of animal faeces.
• Check areas where food refuse is stored for evidence of pest infestations, such as rodent droppings, cockroaches or stagnant water.
• Ensure all outside sandpits are covered daily to stop contamination.

Cleaning and maintenance;

• Clean and disinfect daily surfaces which have encounter more human contact i.e. door handles, staircase railings, tabletops and common areas.
• Clean and disinfect communal toys.
• Ensure all rooms are well ventilated.
• Clean and disinfect all cleaning materials immediately after use.
• Ensure correct equipment and procedures are used in conjunction with the Health and safety policy.
• Ensure correct mops are used to dispose of body fluids.  i.e. red mop for toilets and green for all other areas.

Following good hygiene practices will minimise the risk of infection from HIV or Hepatitis.  Persons can only become infected be direct contact with blood or bodily fluids through an open wound.

K2M11 Why it is important to reassure adults of the confidentially of shared information and the limits of this.

K2M12 Organisational policy regarding information exchange.

All parents have the right to see all the information on their child or children but the school may have to break that confidentiality when safeguarding the child or children who may be vulnerable to forms of abuse.

The school holds yearly induction meetings and curriculum evenings, but understand that they always get a good 'turn out' but do not achieve 100% attendance. So it is very important to them to take this into account, by producing regular news letters informing parents of events to come and reflecting on those which have happened.

Again the school understands that not all parents like to receive information in this way and that sometimes letters are not read, therefore they give parents good notice, give information in two or more ways. Information is repeated and highlighted and is always clear and legible.

Communication over the phone if the child becomes ill, injured, or suspected case of bullying or usually distressed is dealt with in a professional, reassuring but straight to the facts manner.

Face to face communication is always offered either after the school day finishes or with a pre-arranged appointment. The school understands that when dealing with parents they need to be efficient, friendly, and have all the facts.

The school understands that they constantly have to work at the parent / school relationship, by appearing friendly, consistent, professional, good at listening and understanding the children's and parent's needs.

K2D45 Children's development is holistic and each area is interconnected.

K2D46 That children develop at widely different rates, but in broadly the same sequence.

Nature V Nurture

Are we born genetically programmed or because of our experiences?

I feel that it is both nature and nurture that play an important role, but however I also believe that the environment, influences and care can be a deciding factor.

We are all made up from our parent's genes inheriting:

• Physical traits.
• Personality traits.
• Inherited illnesses.
• Characteristic.

We are all made up from our nurturing:

• Influences.
• Cultural influences.
• Environment.
• Social factors.
• Care.
• Experiences.

In conclusion I feel that they have an effect on the child in equal amounts.  Whilst inherited traits give a grounding in personality and ability, social factors such as extreme poverty will have a major effect on how the children will grow up.

K2C13 The importance of communicating positively with children and families.

How do we keep the line of communication open with children's families in a positive way?

• News letters.
• Parent evenings.
• Curriculum evenings and welcome pack.
• Verbally.
• Surveys.
• Website of school.
• Governors meetings.
• Passing over information at the beginning and end to day.
• Home link book or record book.
• Home / school agreement.
• Open days.
• Parent teacher association news letters, meetings and events.
• Parent helpers.
• Staff meetings.
• Notice board.
• Displays of children's work.
• Special occasions such as fetes, assemblies etc.
• Additional parent / teacher meetings if required.

K2C9 Communication difficulties that may exist and how these can be overcome.

K2C14 How children's ability to communicate can affect their behaviour.

The ways in which children's communication can affect their behaviour.

• Poor language skills (may be age related).
• Toilet training.
• No body listens.
• Frustration not being understood.
• Speech problems.
• Poor hearing or severe hearing loss.
• Poor reading and literacy skills.
• Expectations to high or to easy not geared to children's development needs.
• Exclusion of activities.
• Displays signs of withdrawal due to family issues, new sibling or bullying.
• Different culture, English as an additional language.
• Special educational needs or disability.

K2D71 Methods of providing children with reassurance and comfort and how to recognise signs of insecurity and anxiety.

K2D75 The importance of consistent routines for children's development.

K2D76 The requirement and importance of physical play and how to help children who have limited physical play opportunities.

The importance of consistent routines for children's development.

Why are routines important?

• Children know what is going on in the environment.
• To reassure the children so they have an understanding of the daily routines.
• Children have an understanding of what is expected from them.
• Children will feel secure within the environment giving them a feeling of being safe.
• Children have an understanding of expected behaviour.
• Help develop independence in allowing children to be involved in the daily routines.

List the different routines you have in your setting?

• Morning registration and group time.
• Snack time.
• Free play time.
• Dinner time.
• Structured learning time.
• Lead activities.
• Outside play.
• Quiet time.
• Assemblies.
• Physical education.

Why it is important for children to have quiet periods?

How does this help after a physical activity?

• Re-charges the children giving their bodies a rest.
• Calms them down for the next activity.
• Children can reflect on what they have been doing or learning giving them time to speak about their experiences.

All children will vary in how much rest they require due to their age or family routines and this should always be taking into consideration.