Legal Requirements for Working With Children

Legal Requirements for Working With Children Identify the current legal requirements covering those working with children. Kindegartens, childminders, preschools, schools must be guided after Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which is required by OFSTED. The EYFS requirements includes: the seven areas of learning and development; the early learning goals which must be achieved by the end of Reception school; the assessment requirements for assessing young children to ascertain their achievements and how and when practitioners have to discuss childrens progress with their parents. In the EYFS there are outcomes for each Area of Learning (ELG) which children have to achieve according to their age. Ill write few goals for each area: 1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development – children must be support and encourage to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others, to understand their feelings, to have confidence in their own abilities. Early Learning goals are: to be confident and enjoying playing in group; to form a good relationship with teachers and children; to work as a part of a class: take turns, sharing, nice behaviuor to be interested and motivate to learn. 2. Communication and Language – involves giving children opportunities to express themselves, to listen and speak in different situations. Early Learning goals are: interact with others, taking turns in conversation; use talk to express their feelings; listen and repeat words, phrases. 3. Literacy this goal aims to provide children with a large range of poems books and other reading materials and we have to encourage them to look in the books, to read and to write. The Early goals are: to hold book in right way and to turn pages; to explore sounds, words and phrases; to retell what they have read; to link sounds to letters of the alphabet. 4. Mathematics – children must be provided with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in describing shapes, spaces, measures, counting, using numbers, to understand the concept between â€Å"big† and â€Å"small† , â€Å"short† , â€Å"long† , â€Å"heavy† , â€Å"light† to notice shapes and patterns in pictures to represent numbers using fingers, sticks or other objects; to show an interest in representing numbers, shapes. 5. Understanding the World – this area involves to guide children to understand the world and community they live in through opportunities to explore, observe the environment, places, people, technology. The Early Learnings gols are: to ask questions about why things happen and how to work; to notice detailed features of objects in their environment; to match parts of objects that fit together; to understand and to know how things are used in different ways. 6. Expressive arts and design – involves providing children with a wide rage of media and materials to explore and play with it, as well to share their ideas, thoughts and feelings through a variety of art, dance, music movement, design and technology. For this area few goals are: to sing songs, to make music and dance and then to experiment with ways of changing them; being imaginative using what they have learned about media and materials in original ways; to express their feelings, thoughts through music, paint, craft. 7. Physical development – involves helping and encouraging children to be active and interactive and to improve their skills of coordination, manipulation and movement. As well we have to encourage children for healthy food choice. Childrens goals must be: move with control and safety in large or small movements; handle tools, objects, build towers from blocks; walk around, under, over, climbing equipment; children have to manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs such as: dressing/undressing, washing hands/face, going to the toilet independently. Understand the need for valuing individuality and how this can be supported in the child care setting. Usually in the setting there are children from different cultural backgrounds and all settings requires Children act 1989 which take account of childrens religion, cultural background, racial origin and linguistic background. All children have the right to a cultural identity and settings should recognise, respect and value the cultural identity of that child. Children learn quickly though playing, images, stories, songs that why practitioners should promote in the setting with positive images of all people, reflecting the wider society. Also, we have to ensure that people are shown in a positive light. For children, to understand diversity of society, one of the activity is to collect baby dolls from different ethnicities or to add to the doll house a ramp or a dollwith a wheelchair or crutches. Another way to support children to understand diversity is to ensure the dressing corner with clothes from different ethnicities. As well we can use images that can encourage positive discussion and perception of the world. Im working in Jewish setting and we have a topic â€Å"Festivals of light† which we discuss about different celebrations around the world and we have different activities according to these festivals. Below I will write a weekly planning for this topic for three areas of development. Personal, social, emotional development Physical development Expressive and design Monday Introducing the topic, circle time, talking about different celebrations around the world (Christmas, Chanukah, Diwali) Climbing steps to decorate the classroom with decorations. To make globes=liquid glue+glitter Tuesday Talking about different people celebrating different festivals. Who is celebrating from our class Chanukah, Christmas? Holding hands each other and dancing in the circle. Painting big candles= candle shape+yellow paint Wednesday How do we celebrate this festival in our own family? Dressing up and undressing with festivals clothes. Making Christmas tree=print circles on tree shape Thursday Talking about giving presents to our friends, be nice, kind with each other. Wrap presents with colourful paper. Decorating gift boxes with stickers Friday We make a summary of the topic. Party! Moving whole body: stamp feet, claps hands, twist, turn around, jump. fireworks=on black paper=paint=cotton sticks But respecting and valuing individuality is not just respecting childrens culture, also including children with special needs. All children have a right to a high quality childcare provision that meets their individual needs. And as a practitioner, we have to identify and remove the environmental barriers, for example: in consultation with childs parents, practitioners need to find out what lightings is good for a child with visual impairment. Or if a child uses crutches to move, the furniture in the setting should be altered to a better position to be more space and to put fewer activities in the same time but to be changed more frequently. Or if a child, or even a parent who uses wheelchair cannot get in the setting, a ramp need be built from concrete. 3.3 Identify the benefits of consistency with regard to positive and negative behaviour. Disciplining children take dedications and effort. Childrens character and their behaviour are forming from a very early age and consistency is the key to managing positive and negative behaviour. If we are offering positive consequences for good behaviours will encourager them to continue to have that behavior. But if we will provide negative consequences for misbehaviours will discourage the child to do that again. Also, consequences work best when applied immediately. Children understand better when they receive immediate feedback for their negative or positive behaviors. There are few points to encourage childrens good behavior: To be a good role model children usually copies adults actions; to show and say how we feel- we have to tell honestly how his behaviour affect us; to listen and communicate with children to understand their needs, to explain to them our expectations; to make the child feeling important- to ask him for help (â€Å"Please, can you help me to tidy up the toys†) and then to praise him. Another strategies to promote a positive behaviour are: Rewards systems-works well for young children, to help them manage their behaviors. We can use sticker charts which it should be displayed prominently in the classroom. For older children, sticker chart can work in another way: for example, if they earned three stickers they can have their favorite activity. Praise-is effective strategy which increase positive behaviors. Children love to get attention from adults and is good to let them know that we noticed how they are playing independently, waiting patiently, getting along with others or other positive behaviors. Positive reinforcement is a technique of behavior modification that is used to encourage good behavior. Positive reinforcement doesnt need to be a clear item, can be: giving a hug; using praises; giving a high five; or telling to another adult while the child is listening how proud you are of childs behavior. One of the best ways to provide a positive behavior is to allow children to help build the consequences if the rules are broken. Children are adept at pushing boundaries and its teacher responsibility to set the boundaries and to say â€Å"no† when children exhibit negative behaviors. Its very important to explain with a normal tone of voice to a child why they shouldnt repeat the behavior and teaching them how to behave. If they are pushing too much the boundaries, as adult, we have to apply immediately a negative consequence to deter them from repeating mishbehaviour. As I said, consistency is a key of addressing negative behaviour. As long we remind to the child of the consequences all the time they behave negatively, they soon will learn what is acceptable and what is not? Time-out is a good strategy for childrens disciplines and should be used as a consequence and not a punishment. The time out is effective because removes the child from all reinforcements that may encourage mishbehaviors and we need to have a specific place for time-out free of distractions and can provide to child with opportunity to calm down and to think at his behavior. We can use a timer and usually oneminute per oneyear of age. 3.4 Discuss ways in which conflict can be managed between children, and children and adults. Many children have difficulty with sharing, taking turns or finding appropriate ways to get their unmet needs. In this situation, teachers issue is how to manage a childs behaviour and to resolve a conflict. Is important in the nursery to be set few rules for childrens mishbehaviors and to ensure that are clear. Is good to involve children in making the rules and we have to explain why the rules are important. Usually children in nurseries have misbehavior such as bite or kick other children because of frustration or curiosity, but it can be it can be painful for children and adults involved. In this situation we have to: hug the child who was hurt and to give the minimal attention to the child who the aggressor; explain in simple words/sentences that biting/kicking is not good; and reminds to the child that he has to use words to ask for what he wants, rather than using aggression. There are few simple steps that adults can use immediately to assist children and learning them how to resolve a conflict: Help children to calm down- children when are faced with conflict, they can be full of emotions and not ready to cooperate with adult that why adult first need to speak with child using a calm voice; Discuss wants and needs- all children who are implicated in a conflict need to have a chance to say what they want or what they need. We have to listen the child and to approve nodding, to say short phrases or repeating what he said: â€Å"You really wanted that toy, but Jack had it in his hands?† Define the problem- after the child had a chance to say what he wants or what he needs, you will have to make this â€Å"want† or â€Å"need† into one neutral statement saying: â€Å"Hmmm, I see that both off you want to play with the same toy† Help the child to find a solution- in many cases it can be more ease just to tell children what they should do, but its not an opportunity to learn them how to solve their own problems. Children can learn this skill just from trial and error. That why we have to support and encourage children to find solutions to solve a conflict and both parties should be involved coming with solutions. Take a look at the solution- not all solutions that children suggest can work, and if a problem will continue adult need to begin the process over. Adult need to stay nearby to support the solution and praise the children when problem was solved: â€Å"Well done children, I see you found a way to take turns with the toy†. Reference list: Department for Education. (2012). The Learning And Development Requirements. Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. 1 (2), 3-10. Department of education. (2012). Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The learning and development requirements. 1 (1), 6-31. Innis, G. (2013). Young children can learn how to resolve conflicts with adult guidance and support. Available: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/young_children_can_learn_how_to_resolve_conflicts_with_adult_guidance_and_s. Last accessed 30.10.2014. Morin, A (2014). Discipline Kids with Positive and Negative Consequences. Available: http://discipline.about.com/od/disciplinebasics/a/Discipline-Kids-With-Positive-And-Negative-Consequences.htm. Last accessed 29.10.2014. Raising Children Network. (2006). Encouraging good behaviour. Available: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/encouraging_good_behaviour.html. Last accessed 29.10.2014. Road, A. (2004). OBSERVING CHILD BEHAVIOUR. Available: http://www.newchildcare.co.uk/page6.html. Last accessed 01.11.2014. Smith,M. (2010). Valuing and respecting individuality. Develop positive relationships with children, young people and others involved in their care. 3.5 (3), 154-157. Thornes, N.. (2012). Basic Behaviour Theory and Techniques. Analysing the Antecedents and Consequences of a Behaviour. 5 (1), 50-64. Walker, M(2011). Childrenyoung peoples workforce. 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd.. 52-63. Legal Requirements for Working with Children Legal Requirements for Working with Children To summarise the current legal requirements for those working with children. This should include reference to the 6 learning goals and how they could be implemented in a child care setting. History The Childcare Act 2006 became a law on 11 July 2006, and it is the first ever legislation exclusively concerned with early years and childcare, ‘according to‘: [1] â€Å"Northamptonshire.gov.ukâ€Å". This Act is concerned with providing positive outcomes for a child at risk of poverty, focusing on child matters like (safety, health, economic wellbeing, enjoying and achieving a positive contribution) and is also concerned with bringing the inequalities that may exist between children. The Act introduces the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for terms regarding children aged up to 5 years and this is a frame work that aims to support child care providers in delivering integrated early education and care for children. Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The Childcare Act 2006 provides for the early years foundation stage learning and development. THE EARLY LEARNING GOAL This is knowledge, skills and understand which young children should have acquired by end of the academic year until they reach the age of 5. The areas covered under the learning goals are set below: [2] www.gov.uk/government. Personal, social and emotional development Self-confidence and self-awareness: Children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others. They can speak among regular friends in a group, and share their ideas, and will choose the means they need for their chosen activities. They say when they do or don’t need help. Managing feelings and behaviour: Children can talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. For instance, ‘washing hands before eating.’ Making relationships: Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children. Understanding the world People and communities: Get children to talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. This method can open children’s mind about different culture maybe and so forth. The world: Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes. Technology: To make children aware of different technology is offered in different places and depending on situations is needed such as laptops at home and in schools they have computers for instance. This is good to keep children mind entertained with information on technologies. Physical development Moving and handling: Keep in track of children’s body control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing or colouring and so forth. Literacy Reading: Can children read and understand simple sentences? The phonic system is used to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. With practice children can pick up words and say them easily next time. This can demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read. Writing: Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple  sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly  and others are phonetically plausible. Mathematics Numbers: Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20. Anything after 20 will be difficult for young children so with practice this can be done. Shape, space and measures: Children use everyday language to talk about size,  weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects  and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore  characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to  describe them. Expressive arts and design Exploring and using media and materials: Children like to look at their song on TV and listen to the song and sing it at the same time. They can also safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture,  form and function. Being imaginative: Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in  original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. For example, they can sing back to their friends the song they have learned by watching it in the TV. Explain what is meant by respecting and valuing individuality, and devise plan of how this can be implemented in the child care setting, a table format may be used in this task. Each member of staff within a childcare setting has a responsibility for the children in their care for the children’s well-being, learning and development. Each child therefore is valued and respected by all staff showing that they respect each child as a individual, realising each child has different strengths and weaknesses. By valuing and respecting children, positive relationships can be build up between staff, parents and children, this shows good practise by the setting, and if the setting has a proportion of children from different culture background, there could be a set day each month where a world day celebrates a particular child’s culture. This includes food, religion, cloths, songs etc†¦ and involves the rest of children by knowing and researching about different cultures. ACTION HOW BY WHOM ACHIEVED BY COMPLETED ALL STAFF TO EXPLAIN IN SETTING THE DIFFERENT CULTURES. The child care setting should be filled with images that encourage positive discussions and perceptions of the world offering different cultures and positive role models. Every child contributes to their culture. Get parents also involved in this task to see and observe how their children value others and respect them. Set the date completed of this task. REALIZE THE STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES OF CHILDREN. Providing good routines when children are interacting in a formal environment such as sitting down in a one place and have lunch together using the right cutlery and table manners, talking politely to each other and instilling good hygiene habits like washing hands or plates. This action can be observed from the staff and parents. Children achieve this themselves. Set the date completed of this task. Evaluate the benefits of consistency with regards to positive and negative behaviour and identify strategies that can be used to encourage positive behaviour in the child care setting. Making Consistency More Effective in negative/positive behaviour. If parents shows consistency in disciplining the child then this is a good thing, For example, if a younger child is hit by an older child and no consistency in punishment is being taken against the older child then he she will repeat it but if rigorous punishment is taken all the time then the child thinks twice on repeating their negative behaviour and the same can be said about positive behaviour. For example, If kids have to wait two weeks to earn a reward, it may not reinforce good behaviours today. Offering an immediate positive consequence will increase the chances the child will repeat that behaviour. Strategy (1) QUIET TIME. Quiet time, is a perfect time for children to just sit quietly and calm down and it helps staff to simply get on with work with minimum disruption. A child can be taken to quiet time without the whole class knowing and it is most effective when staff simply, quietly and calmly walk up to a child and ask them to come to quiet time. Quiet time is not about making a child feel bad but an opportunity for a child to be taken out of a disruptive situation and as a consequence for unwanted behaviour. This way staff are far more likely to end unwanted behaviour rather than temporarily distract a child from it. [3] Strategy (2) INTERACTION Read books with children, or play games with them. This is a great way to interact with them. Strategy (3) ROLEPLAY Role play examples of appropriate behaviours to teach children how to succeed in social interactions. Give children scenarios such as â€Å"What if you want a toy that someone else is using?† Discuss possibilities and help children try out their ideas. For example: â€Å"Can I use that puzzle when you’re done?† or â€Å"can I borrow your book when you are finished?† Strategy (4) WATCH CLOSELY Give great yet positive re-marks when a child does good like, ‘I’ve noticed you said hello to your friend’. ‘Well done for this so I will give you a sticker of achievement for this.’ Strategy (5) BEING SPECIFIC Be specific with feedback when giving attention, so children understand what behaviour is appropriate. Try: â€Å"The two of you were so helpful working together to bring chairs to the table.† instead of â€Å"Good job.† Describe the process involved in managing conflict between children and adults. You should at least refer to at least one behavioural theorist in you answer. What is conflict? Killen and Nucci define conflict as two children independently pursuing personal goals that happen to bring them into conflict (Arsenio Cooperman, 1996). [4] Conflict is a common occurrence for children. Many have asked â€Å"Is conflict healthy or unhealthy?† When looking at discipline, should conflict be seen as misbehaviour or a learning experience? Piaget believed that conflict in children was healthy, and if worked through, would help children to overcome their egocentric thought patterns (Arsenio Cooperman, 1996). Many young children have difficulty sharing, waiting their turn, or finding appropriate ways to get their needs fulfilled. Conflicts between children can be a daily occurrence with preschoolers and Michigan State University Extension states that â€Å"guiding children’s behaviour is an ongoing process.†[5] There are some worthy steps that adults can begin using immediately to assist children in learning how to resolve conflict. The steps take practice by the children who are learning them and patience by the adult who is modelling and teaching the steps. Help children calm down. Often when children are faced with conflict they are full of emotion and are not ready to begin a process of calmness. Approaching the child gently at his/hers eye level and use soft touch. Acknowledge that there is an issue and suggest some ways to calm down. â€Å"I see that you have a problem. It looks like you might need to take a few deep breaths to relax a little.† Stay neutral! When adults attempt to find blame in a conflict the situation can easily escalate strong emotions. Children at this point need to feel they are being heard in order to calm down. Talk about wants and needs. All children who are involved in a conflict need to have an opportunity to express what it is that they want or need. Stay focused on the ‘want’ and don’t focus on what happened. Reflect what the child is feeling by acknowledging his feelings with a head nod, short phrases, or repeating what he is saying in a clear manner. â€Å"You really wanted that toy and Joey had it in his hand.† Give the child’s feeling a name. â€Å"It is frustrating to want something that someone else has.† Define the problem. After getting the child to voice his want or need you will have to turn the issue into one neutral statement. Repeat what the children involved in the conflict are saying in a clear statement. â€Å"Hmmm, I see that two children want to play with the same toy.† WORD COUNT: 2027 REFERENCES: [1] Northamptonshire.gov.uk. [2]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.PDF. [3]http://www.parenta.com/2010/10/22/quiet-time-positive-promote-good-behaviour/. [4]http://www.kon.org/urc/dennis.html. [5]http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/young_children_can_learn_how_to_resolve_conflicts_with_adult_guidance_and_s.