Supporting Children and Young People Essay Example for Free

Supporting Children and Young People Essay P1. Describe how one activity/experience supports the communication and intellectual development of a child or young person. (P8) I recently sat with a group of children aged 2-4 years in the book corner during group time, the children were all participating in a story/singing activity also using puppets. There were two of these which the children participated in, they were; five little ducklings and the other was, There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. For the activity one child held the book, another child held the main puppet and the other children in the group each had a puppet or two to hold. The children then all sang the song There was an old lady who swallowed a fly ,the lady also swallows other animals so the children enjoy letting there puppet get eaten by the old lady. This activity would support communication and intellectual development, because the children all need to communicate with each other deciding who is going to take what role; the song/story also helps develop listening skills. The children need to listen and think about what comes next and decide when it is their turn to either hide their duckling or let the old lady swallow their animal this is the intellectual part of the activity. Every child is different but this activity may cover a specific aspect to support a child’s individual communicational or intellectual development need. P2. Describe how one resource or type of equipment supports the physical development of a child or young person. (p8) I have chosen to set up an obstacle course for the children to complete making decisions about ways to travel from one end of the number line to the other, they will be taking the risk to balance along tyres trying not fall off. They will then need to walk along the wooden bridge down the steps collecting a conker from the bowl, posting it down the drain pipe, watching it roll out into the empty container. This activity is aimed to support a specific Childs interests and needs aged 3-4 years. This activity will support physical development through both fine motor skills and gross motor skills allowing them to take a risk and challenge within the health and safety boundaries. By this I mean that I have not created something that will be dangerous yes they may wobble and take a tumble but the obstacle course I have created is within safety regulations. The fine motor skills will be completed by picking up the conkers and using their hand to roll them down the drain pipe. The gross motor skills will be completed through their movements both across the tyres and bridge as well as using there travelling techniques such as hopping running jumping across the number spots. During this activity the children will also be using their intellectual skills to think about the ways they will travel along and judging how risky it is to go across the tyres. Here is a plan I have drawn of how the obstacle course would look. P3. Identify ways the practitioner can support the emotional development of the child or young person.(P8) Practitioners can support the emotional development of a child by building up a relationship with the parents. They could send home fact sheets and all about me books for the parents and children to create; including photos, pictures, drawings and information about the child’s key interests. This could be information about their favourite things such as what they like to eat, characters they are interested in, what they like to do at home , where they like to play for example outside or in the sand pit. Practitioners have the important role of making sure that all children’s needs are met as every child is different not all children will need the same support. It is the practitioner’s job to support the Childs emotional development they may use singing and stories, whilst comforting the child as a distraction from being upset and thinking about home. Each child is given a practitioner who is known as their key worker. The key worker is the practitioner who has majority of responsibility of making sure the child’s development needs are being met but also having a strong bond with the child to be able to give one to one attention to for emotional support. Furthermore the practitioner can use the information found from the parents about the child to help them to settle , they can take their key interests into consideration and plan activities based around the key interest to support the development of the child. For example when the child has to separate from carer they may be rather emotional but you could take a key interest such as â€Å"likes to play with trains† into consideration and get out the train set using this as a distraction. Also use appropriate language such as â€Å"mummy will be back after lunch don’t worry† , talk about the fun things you have planned to do that day asking the child wha t they would like to where they want to play. P4. Describe ways the practitioner can use care routines to support the development of children aged 0-3 years. (P8) There are several ways Practitioners can are routines to support the development for children aged 0-3 years. It is important that you communicate with a child whilst changing them. Discuss what you’re doing â€Å"I’m going to wipe your bottom make sure that it is nice and clean so it’s not sore.† When dressing them say what your doing allowing the child to know what’s going on. Sing songs to the children, if they are slightly older have a conversation with them. Practitioners use encouraging language during step by step daily routines such as, before snack and meal times don’t forget to wash your hands with soap. Sometimes we use little rhymes and songs to encourage and help the children with the routine. For example wash, wash, wash your hands, wash, wash, wash your hands, let’s wash the germs away. Do the same with drying their hands. This helps to support the child’s independence allowing them to do it for themselves with a practitioner’s encouragement before collecting their own cups, plates and name cards for meal times. Practitioners can also support development through care routines by allowing the child to have a try at wiping their own bottom after going to the toilet, reminding them to flush the chain and wash their hands not forgetting to use soap. When potty training practitioners should give lots of praise and acknowledge that the child has tried to use the toilet even with help or if they have had no accidents, but also comforting the child if they do have an accident. Perhaps use sticker charts as encouragement. P5. Describe how the setting can effectively support the child through one transition.(P8) I am currently in a position where I am supporting a child through a transition. They are moving from the baby room into the big room consisting of children aged 2-4years. Each child will have their own individual plan with information about ways we can support them through their transition. It will need to include care plans, routines, key interests and useful tips in ways which we can help and support the child through their transition. Practitioners will support the children through their transition on the understanding that every child is different and one transition may be more successful and the child may settle sooner than expected. However it could also be the total opposite and another child may take longer to settle than another, but this proves the differences between children’s development stages. I have experienced such ways of supporting a transition, rather than carrying the child around all the time allow encourage them to walk holding your hand. Allow them to come for cuddles and except that they may want to be with you whilst they are through into the new room. I have recently supported a child where when they were near the gate to the baby room they thought about going back in but I diverted their attention by using some of their key interests to engage them in an activity instead. To support a child’s transition you need to prepare for them to be emotional and need 1:1 support. To begin with allow the child to come through and have meal times at the table with the big children, and then once they seem to settle encourage them to come through for half an hour to an hour a day increasing the length of the stay one they are stable in the room. Perhaps start with using their key interests allowing them to want to come through, play and engage with the older children. When the child is through into the new room allow them to explore give them options and choices ask them where they would like to play, who they would like to play with. P6. Describe how effective communication supports all areas of development (P8). Practitioners and parents can support children’s all round development through effective communication. By this I mean being a good role model as children pick up on what you say and do. Also speak clearly to the children allow them to have their say and take time to listen to them, use eye contact ,facial expressions and don’t interrupt when they are talking as this could is likely to knock their confidence and self-esteem. When talking to the child think about the tone of voice you need and the way you need to respond to a situation but using a cross tone of voice all the time will affect the child and think that they have done something wrong causing their confidence and self-esteem to be lowered. Practitioners and parents need to have time to communicate whether it be a quick chat at drop off and collection times or a parent consultation, but it is important that they share relevant information about the child to help support the child’s development. Furthermore practitioners try their best to support the children’s development in all areas to do this they need to think about the ways they say and do things and the way to respond to the child. If a child was to pronounce something incorrectly it is not appropriate for the practitioner to respond to the child by saying â€Å"that’s wrong you say it like this†. As that will knock the child’s confidence and put them off talking. The correct way to help them would be to repeat what the child has said but repeat it correctly for the child to hear how you say it correctly and then they will pick up on that. For example if a child was to say â€Å"nana pwease† you as a practitioner would say â€Å"yes you can have a banana as you used your manners and said please†. This helps the child to hear how you say the phrase correctly. It is down to the parents/carers and practitioners to effectively communicate with the children which will support them through all round development. Practitioners will plan around the child’s individual needs looking at their strengths and weaknesses selecting an area in which they will need to progress and ways in which the setting can support them as an individual. P7. Describe the role of three other professionals whom you may work with. One of the professionals whom I may work with would be a speech and language therapist. Their role is to work with individual children who have been referred by doctors and early years workers due to parents and practitioners concern of their speech and language development, to improve their speech. Speech and language therapists are the people who alongside practitioners will use their skills to support the child needs. As a practitioner I use my knowledge and give the opportunity for all children to join in â€Å"Mr Big mouth† activity which is a sound game. Speech therapists will work with the individual child on a one to one basis maybe twice a week for an hour to help with the child’s speech development. Another professional whom I may work with would be a health visitor.