CHC30113 Certificate III
in Early Childhood Education and Care
CHC50113 Diploma of
Early Childhood Education and Care
Physical and Emotional Wellbeing
Version 3.0 Produced 9 March 2018
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Compliant Learning Resources
Version control & document history
Date
Summary of modifications made
Version
8 January 2014
Version 1 final produced following validation.
1.0
11 September 2014
Major wording changes throughout.
1.1
9 March 2017
Streamlined for CHC50113 and CHC30113; updated intranet links and logins; minor changes to wording and formatting.
2.0
23 March 2017
Updated links; minor changes to formatting.
2.1
9 March 2018
Version 3 final produced with the following modifications:
- Updated information about the National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standards (NQS).
- Updated information on the ECA Code of Ethics.
- Fixed broken links.
- Added References section.
- Removed Conclusions section.
- Minor changes in wording and formatting.
3.0
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This is an interactive table of contents. If you are viewing this document in Acrobat, clicking on a heading will transfer you to that page. If you have this document open in Word, you will need to hold down the Control key while clicking for this to work.
1. Enrolment - Beginning to Belong 19
4. Supporting Children Through Transition and Change 33
5. Events that Can Impact on a Child's Routine 34
6. Supporting Children Through Grief 35
7. Hospitalisation and Children 36
8. Building Emotionally Resilient Children 37
II. WAYS CHILDREN COMMUNICATE 41
1. How a Child Expresses Feelings 41
2. Acknowledging Children's Feelings 42
4. Modelling Appropriate Communication 45
5. Comfort Children and Deal with Emotional Outbursts 46
6. Appropriate Interactions with Babies and Toddlers 47
7. Assessing and Responding Appropriately to Babies’ Needs 50
8. Recognising Signs of Distress 51
11. Practices and Routines Used by Families 62
12. Culturally Sensitive Caregiving Practices 65
III. PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO REST 66
1. Needs for Rest and Sleep/Rest Patterns 66
3. Alternatives to Sleep Time 72
4. Appropriate Quiet Play Activities 73
5. National Quality Framework and Rest Time 74
7. Tips for Sleep and Rest Time 76
8. Average Sleep Requirements for Children 0-12 years 77
IV. NAPPY CHANGING AND TOILETING 89
1. Preparing for a Nappy Change 89
4. Building Self-Help Skills: Toileting 95
6. Dealing with Toileting Accidents 96
1. Introducing Hygiene to Children of Different Ages 98
2. Hygiene Activities for Children 100
3. Clothing Needs and Preferences of Children and Families 101
4. Building Self-help Skills: Dressing/Undressing 102
2. Cleaning and Sterilising Baby Bottles 107
5. Inappropriate Toddler Table Manners 114
6. What You Can Do to Assist Your Toddler 116
8. Guidelines for Infection Control 117
9. Common Types of Diseases in Childcare Services and Ways in Which These Diseases Can Be Spread 118
11. Safe and Unsafe Practices for Working with Babies 126
12. Implement WHS Procedures 127
13. Safe Housekeeping Practices 128
14. Contribute to Safe Work Practices 132
VII. EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF BABIES 133
2. Brain Development in Babies and Toddlers 141
3. Critical Periods of Brain Development 144
4. Impacts of Positive and Negative Early Childhood Experiences 146
5. Language Development for Infants 0-12 Months 148
VIII. PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES LEARNING 156
2. Providing Verbal Encouragement 159
3. Creating a Climate of Encouragement 160
4. Provide Opportunities for Practice 161
5. Planned and Spontaneous Experiences 161
6. Building Self-Help Skills with Everyday Opportunities 162
7. Packing Away and Caring for the Environment to Assist in Building Self-Help Skills 163
8. Opportunities to Develop Self- Knowledge and Awareness 164
9. Modelling a Positive Self-Image 164
10. Create Safe and Supportive Environments that Promote Wellbeing and Development 164
11. Help Children Learn Social and Emotional Skills and Manage Their Own Behaviour 165
12. Identify Children and Families Who May Be in Need of Additional Support 165
13. Link Families with Support and Information Services for Mental Health and Wellbeing 165
14. Develop Organisational Strategies that Support Wellbeing 166
17. Common Self-Help Milestones 167
18. Encouraging Independence 168
IX. PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 169
2. Velocity of Growth in the First Two Years 172
3. Creating a Safe Environment 204
4. Safety in Outdoor Areas 206
6. Children's Interests, Strengths, Needs and Skills 208
8. Extending Children’s Interest 210
12. Responding to Children's Skills 213
15. Travelling Safely with Babies 215
16. Ensuring Children Are Safe from Harm 219
LEARNER GUIDE
Description
CHCECE003 – Provide Care for Children
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to ensure children’s physical and emotional well-being is maintained and their self-sufficiency is nurtured.
This unit applies to people who work with children in a range of early education and care services.
CHCECE005 - Provide Care for Babies and Toddlers
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required by educators working with babies and toddlers to ensure that the children’s physical and emotional wellbeing is maintained.
This unit applies to work with babies and toddlers from birth to 24 months in a range of early education and care contexts.
About this Unit of Study Introduction
As a worker, a trainee, or a future worker you want to enjoy your work and become known as a valuable team member. This unit of competency will help you acquire the knowledge and skills to work effectively as an individual and in groups. It will give you the basis to contribute to the goals of the organisation which employs you.
It is essential that you begin your training by becoming familiar with the industry standards to which organisations must conform.
These units of competency introduce you to some of the key issues and responsibilities of workers and organisations in this area. The units also provide you with opportunities to develop the competencies necessary for employees to operate as team members.
RNER GUIDE
This Learner Guide Covers
Providing care for children:
- Provide physical care
- Promote physical activity
- Adapt facilities to ensure access and participation
- Help children with change
- Settle new arrivals
Providing care for babies and toddlers:
- Promote safe sleep
- Provide positive nappy-changing and toileting experiences
- Promote quality mealtime environments
- Create a healthy and safe supporting environment
- Develop relationships with babies and toddlers
- Develop relationships with families
Learning Program
As you progress through this unit of study, you will develop skills in locating and understanding an organisation’s policies and procedures. You will build up a sound knowledge of the industry standards within which organisations must operate. You will become more aware of the effect that your own skills in dealing with people have on your success or otherwise in the workplace. Knowledge of your skills and capabilities will help you make informed choices about your further study and career options.
Additional Learning Support
To obtain additional support, you may:
- Search for other resources. You may find books, journals, videos and other materials which provide additional information about topics in this unit.
- Search for other resources in your local library. Most libraries keep information about government departments and other organisations, services and programs. The librarian should be able to help you locate such resources.
- Contact information services such as Infolink, Equal Opportunity Commission, Commissioner of Workplace Agreements, Union organisations, and public relations and information services provided by various government departments. Many of these services are listed in the telephone directory.
- Contact your facilitator.
Facilitation
Your training organisation will provide you with a facilitator. Your facilitator will play an active role in supporting your learning. Your facilitator will help you anytime during working hours to assist with:
- How and when to make contact,
- what you need to do to complete this unit of study, and
- what support will be provided.
Here are some of the things your facilitator may do to make your studies easier:
- Give you a clear visual timetable of events for the semester or term in which you are enrolled, including any deadlines for assessments.
- Provide you with online webinar times and availability.
- Use ‘action sheets’ to remind you about tasks you need to complete, and updates on websites.
- Make themselves available by telephone for support discussion and provide you with industry updates by e-mail where applicable.
- Keep in touch with you during your studies.
Flexible Learning
Studying to become a competent worker is an interesting and exciting thing to do. You will learn about current issues in this area. You will establish relationships with other students, fellow workers, and clients. You will learn about your own ideas, attitudes, and values. You will also have fun. (Most of the time!)
At other times, studying can seem overwhelming and impossibly demanding, particularly when you have an assignment to do and you aren’t sure how to tackle it, your family and friends want you to spend time with them, or a movie you want to see is on television.
Sometimes being a student can be hard.
Here are some ideas to help you through the hard times. To study effectively, you need space, resources, and time.
Space
Try to set up a place at home or at work where:
- You can keep your study materials,
- you can be reasonably quiet and free from interruptions, and
- you can be reasonably comfortable, with good lighting, seating, and a flat surface for writing.
If it is impossible for you to set up a study space, perhaps you could use your local library. You will not be able to store your study materials there, but you will have quiet, a desk and chair, and easy access to the other facilities.
Study Resources
The most basic resources you will need are:
- A chair
- A desk or table
- A computer with Internet access
- A reading lamp or good light
- A folder or file to keep your notes and study materials together
- Materials to record information (pen and paper or notebooks, or a computer and printer)
- Reference materials, including a dictionary
Time
It is important to plan your study time. Work out a time that suits you and plan around it. Most people find that studying in short, concentrated blocks of time (an hour or two) at regular intervals (daily, every second day, once a week) is more effective than trying to cram a lot of learning into a whole day. You need time to ‘digest’ the information in one section before you move on to the next, and everyone needs regular breaks from study to avoid overload. Be realistic in allocating time for study. Look at what is required for the unit and look at your other commitments.
Make up a study timetable and stick to it. Build in ‘deadlines’ and set yourself goals for completing study tasks. Allow time for reading and completing activities. Remember that it is the quality of the time you spend studying rather than the quantity that is important.
Study Strategies
Different people have different learning styles. Some people learn best by listening or repeating things out loud. Some learn best by doing, some by reading and making notes. Assess your own learning style, and try to identify any barriers to learning which might affect you. Are you easily distracted? Are you afraid you will fail? Are you taking study too seriously? Not seriously enough? Do you have supportive friends and family? Here are some ideas for effective study strategies:
Make notes. This often helps you to remember new or unfamiliar information. Do not worry about spelling or neatness, as long as you can read your own notes. Keep your notes with the rest of your study materials and add to them as you go. Use pictures and diagrams if this helps.
Underline keywords when you are reading the materials in this Learner Guide. (Do not underline things in other people’s books.) This also helps you to remember important points.
Talk to other people (fellow workers, fellow students, friends, family, or your facilitator) about what you are learning. This will help you clarify and understand new ideas; talking also gives you a chance to find out extra information and to get fresh ideas and different points of view.
Using this Learner Guide
A Learner Guide is just that, a guide to help you learn. A Learner Guide is not a textbook. Your Learner Guide will:
- Describe the skills you need to demonstrate to achieve competency for this unit.
- Provide information and knowledge to help you develop your skills.
- Provide you with structured learning activities to help you absorb knowledge and information and practice your skills.
- Direct you to other sources of additional knowledge and information about topics for this unit.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Learner Guide
Read through the information in the Learner Guide carefully. Make sure you understand the material.
Some sections are quite long and cover complex ideas and information. If you come across anything you do not understand:
- Talk to your facilitator.
- Research the area using the books and materials listed under the References section.
- Discuss the issue with other people (your workplace supervisor, fellow workers, fellow students).
- Try to relate the information presented in this Learner Guide to your own experience and to what you already know.
- Ask yourself questions as you go. For example, ‘Have I seen this happening anywhere?’ ‘Could this apply to me?’ ‘What if...’ This will help you to ‘make sense’ of new material, and to build on your existing knowledge.
- Talk to people about your study.
- Talking is a great way to reinforce what you are learning.
- Make notes.
- Work through the activities.
Even if you are tempted to skip some activities, do them anyway. They are there for a reason, and even if you already have the knowledge or skills relating to a particular activity, doing them will help to reinforce what you already know. If you do not understand an activity, think carefully about the way the questions or instructions are phrased. Read the section again to see if you can make sense of it. If you are still confused, contact your facilitator or discuss the activity with other students, fellow workers or with your workplace supervisor.
Additional Research, Reading, and Note-Taking
If you are using the additional references and resources suggested in the Learner Guide to take your knowledge a step further, there are a few simple things to keep in mind to make this kind of research easier.
Always make a note of the author’s name, the title of the book or article, the edition, when it was published, where it was published, and the name of the publisher. This includes online articles. If you are taking notes about specific ideas or information, you will need to put the page number as well. This is called the reference information. You will need this for some assessment tasks, and it will help you to find the book again if you need to.
Keep your notes short and to the point. Relate your notes to the material in your Learner Guide. Put things into your own words. This will give you a better understanding of the material.
Start off with a question you want answered when you are exploring additional resource materials. This will structure your reading and save you time.
- CARING FOR CHILDREN
As a future Early childhood educator, assistant or staff member of the Early Childhood Education and Care industry it is important that you understand the two main aspects of providing care services to babies/toddlers and children that attend your service.
Your service/centre provides two main functions:
- Early Childhood Education; and
- Care
This learner guide will focus primarily on the second of these functions, ‘Providing Care’.
OUTCOME 3:
Children have a strong sense
of wellbeing
“Wellbeing incorporates both physical and psychological aspects and is central to belonging, being and becoming.”
(Belonging, Being, Becoming, p. 30)
It is essential that educators and staff in Early Childhood Education and Care services provide quality physical care and educating children to understand their physical and emotional needs, so they can learn how to become independent and learn new skills.
“To support children’s learning, it is essential that educators attend to children’s well-being by providing warm, trusting relationships, predictable and safe environments, affirmation and respect for all aspects of their physical, emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, creative and spiritual being.”
(Belonging, Being, Becoming, p. 30)
Quality Care for Babies, Toddlers and Children includes:
- Assigning primary caregivers to a small focus group of babies, toddlers and children
- High educator to baby, toddler and child ratios
- Continuity of care
- Responsive caregiving
- Meet the individual needs of the baby, toddlers, children and the families
- Understand cultural and family diversity
- Maintain health and safety practices
- Provide a well-designed and a well-managed environment
- Education and training of staff
(Kovach, B and Da Ros – Voseles, D, (2008) Being with babies: Understanding and responding to the infants in your care)
Greeting Children and Families
Starting someone’s day with a ‘Hello’ or a ‘How are you?’ can make all the difference to the mood and atmosphere of your centre.
Every time someone enters the centre, they should be greeted, especially the children, parents, guardians, and any other family or friends accompanying them.
The greeting you offer will usually be the first impression a family and their child will have of you, and a warm, sincere and positive welcome becomes very important, as this assists the child and family to build up trust in their caregivers.
The way you greet a child and their family on day one can determine how they feel about you into the future and establishes your ability to meet their needs for trust and security.
Greeting and welcoming the child allows them to experience acknowledgement, that you know they are there and that you are happy to see them.
They Belong.
Always use positive, friendly greetings throughout the day to make the children feel special, and welcome in their environment.
There will be numerous opportunities where you should greet the children during the day:
- When children are waking from sleep
- As staff return from a break
- As children are arriving after their school day.
Always make a connection between home and the transition to care, and take the time to help families feel comfortable leaving their children with you each day. Reflect on how well you are making and maintaining this link and make any adjustments necessary to meet the needs and requests of individual children and their families.
Connecting with Families
When new families come to your service, it is important for you to welcome them into your centre so they may develop a sense of ‘Belonging’. This develops from your first interaction with them as you share information about your service. Sharing important information can sometimes be a little challenging with families who use English as a second language, as well as the obvious language barrier, there may be differences between your worldview and those of the family, which can cause confusion or misunderstanding about child care and parent participation.
“In early childhood settings children develop a sense of
belonging
when they feel accepted, develop attachments and trust those that care for them.”
(Belonging, Being, Becoming, p. 20)
Activity: ‘What helps you to feel welcome and what gives you a sense of belonging?’
Reflect for a moment and think about how you fit in? How do others make you feel as if you belong? What do you do that makes you belong?
- Enrolment - Beginning to Belong
Enrolling a child at an Early Childhood Education and Care centre for the first time is a big step for families; particularly families who have new babies, or are new to Australia and/or have limited English language skills.
To make this process easier for all parties involved and make it feel as if it’s not just another bureaucratic process, focus on making enrolment a time for meaningful conversation, introductions and a place of connection for a new family.
Too much written information can cause anxiety and concern; some cultures may interpret this as an invasion of privacy. Take the time to reassure them, inform them of the centre’s principles and practices and get to know the family in order to reduce their stress and anxiety.
You can help families understand how the centre works, what type of care their child will receive and your expectations of them. Explain your orientation process, particularly if their first introduction is split over a few visits.
ESL and CALD Families
Communicating with new families or families with limited English language skills may be a little challenging at first, but you must always remember that this is the beginning of your partnership with the family and the child.
The enrolment process is an opportunity for educators to take their first step into getting to know the children and their families. As you share information about your service with families, you can also learn about their culture, values and practices of the families and determine any preferences they may have when you are providing care for their child.
Discuss their child-rearing practices and routines, their child’s needs and interests, and any specific concerns they may have about leaving their child in care.
Does the Family Need Language Support?
As Australia is a very diverse multicultural society, at some point, you will most likely have to provide services to families of children that have limited English language skills.
Always check with your supervisor and request assistance and follow your enrolment and orientation policies and procedures before contacting outside agencies for assistance.
Support Agencies
There are many agencies that can assist services and families during the enrolment and orientation process. The extra support can help educators to build cultural competence within their centre, aid communication between a service and the family/caregiver and the child, settle-in children from CALD or refugee backgrounds, encourage and maintain the child’s home language and to develop culturally appropriate experiences, materials and resources.
A Bicultural Support Request Form can be downloaded from the Child Australia website (www.childaustralia.org.au) which also has a valuable source of additional information and resources to assist educators in including CALD children and families.
Easing the Enrolment Process
There are a number of things your centre can use to make your enrolment process simple and share information with families and help them understand their rights and responsibilities:
- Draw up a simple flow chart that uses images and minimal text to demonstrate the steps in your enrolment process
- Use a checklist of the health and safety policies you need to share with families and see if you can make them visual by using pictures, diagrams, flow charts, images and other props
- Make a picture-based flowchart that shows families what to do and who to talk with if they have a concern or query. If they need to make an appointment, make this clear for them on the flowchart
Feeling Involved and Respected
Element 6.1.2 of the National Quality Framework states that the expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected, and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
How do you assist families to “work in partnership” with you to meet their child’s needs?
- Ask families to teach you keywords and phrases in their first language and record how they pronounce these words and phrases. You could use a dictaphone, download a translator app on your phone/tablet or visit a translation websites like https://translate.google.com/.
- Ask families to record one or two songs or stories they use in their home language that you can play for their child during the day.
- Use a visual routine to talk about times of the day and different parts of your routine to see where there may be family or cultural practices that you need to take into account.
As an educator, you play a key role in how the child settles or transitions into a care situation, and how comfortable the families and parents feel about leaving their child with you. Understanding that families have many different beliefs or understanding of children’s needs and daily routines such as sleeping, feeding and toileting is vitally important, and educators need to follow families’ requests.
The Early Years Learning Framework, Framework for School Aged Care and the National Quality Framework and National Quality Standards should always influence and guide your practice. Both the curriculum and the quality frameworks support practices that believe in the importance of, and respect for diversity and different worldviews.
Educators need to recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing.
(Framework for School Aged Care, p. 11)
Becoming More Familiar
Families will be more comfortable leaving their child with you when they understand more about your centre and how it operates.
Topics You Can Explain to Families:
- Explain how you work, i.e. that the qualified educator in each room leads the room and that the coordinator supports all staff
- Make a chart that shows the ratio of staff to children in each room
- Ask if there is anything you should know about this family’s culture to ensure you greet them respectfully. Not all cultures use or feel comfortable with handshakes, or eye contact
- Learn the names of family members, how to pronounce them correctly and how they like to be addressed
- Encourage families to bring in family photographs and display them in the room.
- Take photographs or even a short 10 to 15-minute video to share with families to let them see the play and learning in action. You could run it on repeat from a laptop with the projector on a wall screen as parents collect their children. (Always follow your service policy on obtaining parental consent to photograph or record their child)
Clean and Healthy Centres
Many families enrolling into Early Childhood Education and Care services in Australia for the first time will not be aware of the strict regulations, guidelines and policies and procedures used by a service to maintain a clean and healthy environment and provide quality care of babies, toddlers and children.
Show families and children around the centre to reassure but to also inform them about some of your key practices:
- washing toys after they have been mouthed by a child,
- cleaning tables before and after use; and
- sweeping floors throughout the day.
Take a tour of your bathroom, nappy change and toilet areas so you can discuss personal care and hygiene practices that are important to them. Some cultures may require more than tissue paper for a child to stay clean. Some families may find it shameful if a child is seen by others when using the toilet. It’s important to talk about these types of concerns and reach a compromise that accommodates the individual families’ needs.
Sick Children
Families may have different attitudes or understanding about children’s health and about whether their child is unwell or not. Seemingly minor issues such as cold sores, school sores and conjunctivitis may not be seen by some families as a big problem; it is essential that families are aware of your exclusion practices and that in these circumstances their child is not allowed to attend your centre.
This is also a great time to ask or generate questions from families about the administration of medication such as inhalers for asthma. Explain to families at enrolment and during orientation that an unwell or infectious child will not be allowed to attend, and about your policy for administering medication.
Share Your Health and Safety Practices with Families:
- Show families the locked cabinet where medicines are kept and how they are labelled
- Find a picture of a thermometer with a normal temperature range as a prop to indicate that any temperature outside this range might indicate that the child is sick
- Download images of common childhood illnesses (including rashes and sores) to help your conversation about your exclusion policy
- Set up a standard SMS message on the families phone to let you know that their child is unwell and unable to attend
- Give families information sheets from the Australian Dental Association (ADA) website www.ada.org.au on dental care for babies and young children. (It also has a short video that families can watch which demonstrates correct cleaning of baby’s teeth.)
- Organise an incursion from a local dentist to talk to children about dental care. Invite families to attend too!
Healthy Food and Meal Times
Adequate nutrition and healthy food are important for children’s development. Meal times are also important social moments in the day. Families from all cultures will need to feel confident that children are fed healthy and appropriate food and that their child will not go hungry. Not all families will follow a routine of lunch at a certain time and morning tea at a certain time. Some parents may worry in case their child is hungry when it’s not a set meal time. Explain to parents how your service provides food and how you can accommodate individual needs. Ask about cultural and other special food requirements at enrolment and take time to check these details later with the family.
If a family’s orientation visit occurs around a meal time, show how meal time is set up and your expectations for children around hand washing, seating and self-help activities.
As we have discussed in previous Learner Guides, developing cultural competence takes time and asking families about the food a child is allowed or not allowed to eat will build your understanding of different cultures.
The Home Dining Experience
Sitting together on chairs at a table to have a meal may not be the norm for some children. It may take them some time before they want to sit with the group. In comparison to western worldviews of early independence, some children from migrant families don’t learn to feed themselves and are spoon fed as a sign of their families love and affection right through their early years. Some cultures see feeding their child rather than promoting independent eating as a sign of good parenting. They may also use different eating implements or eat in a different way, for example eating with chopsticks, their fingers or from a shared bowl. There may be a particular way a parent bottle feeds their infant, or they may want to come into the centre to breastfeed.
At home, children may be held on their parent's lap rather than seated in a high chair. If you are not aware of this, you may wonder why the baby screams at meal times and won’t eat when in a high chair. Or maybe they resist and won’t have a bottle if you are not holding them. It’s important for you to understand how mealtimes occur in the child’s home.
Accommodating the different needs of all families can be tricky but not impossible.
Educators who are culturally competent respect multiple cultural ways of knowing, seeing and living, celebrate the benefits of diversity and have an ability to understand and honour differences.
Gaining a Better Understanding
- Use a clock to demonstrate time and provide photographs of meal times to help families understand your meal and snack routine
- Show parents the eating implements and cutlery you use and photographs of how you support children of different ages to self-feed using spoons, then knife and fork
- introduce the family to the cook to reassure parents about the food their child will be given
- Show parents your food preparation area and how you separate products for children with special dietary requirements, for example halal, vegetarian
- Create laminated place mats that the children have decorated and put their photograph on it. Having their own special placemat will encourage reluctant children to sit at the table
- Ask parents to show you how they feed their baby/child
Finding Connections Through Food and Cooking
- Invite families to share recipes with you
- Collect and display cultural recipes used in the service and photographs of the food being prepared by children, educators and/or families
- Invite families to bring in a meal/food for their child to re-heat at the appropriate meal time
Sleep and Rest – Safe Sleeping and Respect for Sleep Rituals
Sleep and rest time allows children to recharge and settle after a busy morning. Parents need to know about your rest and sleep routines and understand why quiet times are important for children. It can be helpful for them to watch you prepare for rest periods and see how you set out bedding and rest areas for children.
Sleeping on the floor on a mat may seem strange to some families and children as it may be very different to their experiences and practices. Some children may be used to sleeping in a sling or with others in their family and may be scared to sleep alone. Talk with families about their sleep routines and home practices to see how you can best meet their child’s needs.
In your orientation, include a visit to the cot room to show families where babies will sleep and how they will be positioned for sleep. The safe sleeping position to reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is to lightly cover babies and position them on their back with their face uncovered and their feet at the bottom of the cot. It’s important to share this with families as they may not have heard of SIDS and may not follow this advice at home. The Red Nose website (https://rednose.com.au/) provides information on safe sleeping with pictures and downloadable resources to share with families.
How do you adapt your sleep and rest routines to meet the needs of individual children and families?
- Take or download photographs to share with families of a baby sleeping in the safe sleeping position
- Ask families to bring in their own bedding/light covers for sleeping children as the familiar images or scent can calm and relax a child
- When a baby is very unsettled and struggling with separation anxiety, ask the parents to sleep in a T-shirt and bring it into the service. Use the T-shirt to wrap around the baby while you hold them and they settle to sleep. If they sleep in a cot, replace the T-shirt with the correct cover for safety
- Give older children a laminated photograph of their family to have next to them as they sleep
- Play soothing music from other cultures as children settle to sleep
- Ask families to share or recommend music their children find soothing
Relationships
Relationships are complex. If we think of a challenging relationship we’ve had with a family, this only reminds us of the importance of building positive relationships.
Relationships with families are valuable and satisfying when we work in partnership to support children’s learning. By seeking opportunities to talk with families and share information about their child, we are able to build trusting relationships that give children and families a sense of belonging.
Because we know that family involvement is so important, we sometimes expect a lot. We ask families to provide comments on policies and procedures or to make regular contributions to our program. Such feedback and input are valuable, but if we expect all families to be involved in such formal ways, we could be disappointed. Successful relationships are based on respect and understanding. There are different ways of being involved, and we need to listen and then learn about how best to involve families.
Positive relationships are built on points of connection.
As early childhood educators, we already have one very obvious point of connection with each family member - their child. To build a genuine connection we need to take the time to have meaningful conversations with families about their children.
Building Relationships
- Say hello like you mean it
- Greetings are important. Even when you’ve already said ‘hello’ twenty times, make it sound like the first time. Whoever you are talking to will appreciate it.
- Learn people’s names
- Using someone’s name when you talk to them makes an immediate connection and shows an interest in them as a person.
- Make the first move
- Don’t wait for families to come to you. Taking the lead in saying hello and initiating a conversation puts the other person at ease - particularly if they are feeling shy or anxious.
- Share something real about a child’s day
- In conversations with family members find something genuine to share about a child’s day. Not just that they’ve had a “good day” but something that shows you are interested in what their child has done. To families, the feeling that you genuinely care about and are interested in their child goes a long way.
- Be prepared to listen as well as talk
- Families respect and value us as educators more when we show that we value their ideas and opinions. Genuine relationships are about giving and taking, rather than one side doing all the telling and the other all the listening.
- Put yourself in someone else’s shoes
- It can be easy to judge others. But before you do, try and put yourself in the other person’s shoes for a moment. Think about how you would feel in the same situation. Families are just trying to do their best for their children. Think about how you can help them to do it.
Farewelling
Using a sincere and positive farewell with children and their family members is just as important as the way you greet them and will leave a final impression that is an acknowledgement that they are leaving, that you have noticed their contributions for the day, and that you will miss them when they are gone.
The farewell also provides you with time to talk with parents and families about the child's day, any positive moments the child had, something they enjoyed check that the family is happy with your service provided. This also demonstrates to the family that you took the time to remember their child's experiences and communicate with them.
Settling New Arrivals
Settling into a new care environment can be an exciting time for not only the children but for everyone involved including parents, families, carers and staff.
Often this is the first major transition that a child will experience away from the home environment. A range of emotions will be bubbling just under the surface, ranging from fear to excitement. It is important that this process is managed sensitively, supportively and in collaboration with families to ensure that it is a positive experience for all.
Some children often experience some difficulties in settling, particularly when they find it hard to separate from their family or familiar caregivers. Each child's reaction to this, and the length of time they take to settle into care depends on the individual child, their age, and their past experiences.
Below are some strategies that families and services can adapt to support children to settle successfully into new care situations:
- Maintain consistent rituals and routines between home and the care environment
- Allow adequate time for both children and families to settle
- Caregiving strategies should be flexible and adaptive
- Each child’s individual needs are considered
- Carers must show empathy and understanding for all involved in this transition
Orientation Processes
As we have already discussed most centres and services should have an enrolment and orientation process that will be designed to familiarise and introduce the child and their families into the centre’s program. In order to build trusting relationships, it is important that staff provide a flexible and personalised process. This can be achieved by:
- Negotiating enrolment and orientation processes around families’ other responsibilities such as work or study
- Begin to learn about each child interests, abilities, rituals and routines
- Discuss the history a child has with being cared for by others
- Talk with families about their expectations of child care environments
- Split the orientation into a series of visits that all families to discuss the needs of the child in a relaxed or informal manner
- Observe the child and their families for signs of distress or anxiousness and implement strategies to communicate frequently through the transition.
- Remember that a parent’s protective instincts may have kicked into overdrive or they may be responding to the distress of the child.
- Establish ‘buddy’ systems where a new child can be ‘mentored’ by a child who is already settled.
- Introduce new parents and families to ‘regular’ families who have a history with the centre.
- Invite ‘regulars’ to attend the orientation and assist in settling the new parents.
- Take them on a tour of the centre, discuss the different play areas and types of activities/experiences that may be in the program. (E.g. Organise for the parent and baby or child to visit at different times throughout the day and interact with the children, educators and activities).
- Consider developing a method of ‘observation’ specifically for orientations, documenting how children settle during their visit, their emotional responses, interactions with carers and other children.
The first few days of care are just the beginning of the settling process, and it is important that communication between all involved is compassionate and effective.
Remember that you are about to be involved in a situation where both parent and child may be separated for the first time, and everyone at the centre is a stranger. It takes a lot of trusts for the parent to hand their children over to strangers and a lot of responsibility is placed on the carers to keep their child safe.
It is important that all centre staff learn how to settle children into new environments and new routines, and understand that both the child and their family members can be distressed by the separation.
Strategies to Assist the Separation Process
- Maintain a calm and reassuring manner during the separation to assist both the parent and child to remain calm and reassured
- Establish and follow routines at separation time to provide structure for both parent and child, e.g. Provide an opportunity for parent and child to wave from a nearby window or gate.
- Always make parents feel welcomed, unhurried and unpressured to hand over their child and leave
- Interact with the child for short periods of time to assist the parent in the separation process and allow them to separate when they feel the time is right for them and their child.
- Provide suggestions in a parent handbook to give parents strategies for separating from their child.
Trust is built from the first time the child meets the caregiver and is developed from the trust the parent has in the caregiver.
You will find that babies in the 0 - 2 years age group and their families will experience more distress than the older children.
At this age, family members often feel reluctant to leave their baby in the care of someone else, and babies are beginning to form strong attachments with their families and don't always understand that their family will be back to pick them up later.
As the parents and children progress through the grieving process of separation, the children will need your understanding, time and loving support to assist them in feeling safe and secure in this new environment and learn to trust that their needs will be met.
Children that are distressed and crying should never be ignored, but responded to according to the cues and signals they are communicating, e.g. children may demonstrate the need for close physical contact by hugging or holding their arms out, others may just need you to sit quietly nearby.
The amount of time children will take to settle in a new environment differs according to:
- temperament,
- earlier attachments the child has made
- the amount of preparation that happened prior to the child commencing at the centre.
Reassuring Families
When settling new arrivals also think of how the parent may be feeling about leaving their child in the care of someone else. They may be hesitant and unsure if their child is upset or crying, or they may be experiencing feelings of guilt or sadness about returning to work and leaving the child with strangers. Regardless of what the circumstances may be, consider their feelings and observe them, not just the child, for signs of distress.
Ways to Assist and Support Families and Children with Separation
- Reassure parents and let them know it is normal that the child and they will be feeling a bit nervous and that distress at separation is common.
- Get as much information about the child as possible, including routines, comforters, favourite toys and activities etc.
- Encourage a lot of orientation before starting at the centre.
- Develop a settling plan with the parents, so the baby or child knows what to expect each day on separation. Keeping this consistent separation routine will help the baby know what to expect.
- Build a positive relationship with the parents. This helps to show the baby or child that the parents have a trusting relationship with you.
- Begin interaction with the child while the family is still present to minimise abruptness of separation
- Have a primary caregiver allocated to assist with continuity of care.
- Help parents understand the importance of saying goodbye, even if at first it upsets the baby.
- Encourage the family to take as much time as needed to have a relaxed, unhurried separation from their child
- Invite parents to view through a window or phone later to check how their baby has settled.
- Have the room set up with interesting, fun activities following the baby and children’s interests.
- Ensure every baby and parent are welcomed on arrival and spend time with the child to help them transition into the room.
- Always respond in a caring manner. NEVER leave an upset baby alone. Let the baby know that you are there to support and comfort them.
Separation Routines
One way of dealing with this situation is to establish a ‘separation’ routine where both the child and the parents have an opportunity to develop what will become a routine or ritual that can be performed every time the child gets dropped off.
- When parent and child arrive greet them warmly and discuss any current interests, cues, routines or rituals
- Provide feedback about the types of activities that might be planned for the day and what types of activities the child might like to be involved with.
- Ask parents and families to bring along any special toys, books, puppets or comforters that can be used as ‘secondary attachment handles’ or ask about favourite songs and dances the child may have that could be adapted into a goodbye song. These things may help children manage stress and anxiety during separation.
- Allow time for parents and children to say goodbye properly, allow the separation to be relaxed and unhurried.
- Let the child go to a window and wave as the parent is leaving.
- Talk in a soothing, reassuring manner and communicate the process with both parent and child as it is occurring so they can see that you are aware of how they are feeling and understand what emotions they are experiencing. E.g. As the mother is leaving and the child shows signs of distress, say things like: 'You miss Mum when she goes to work, don't you?'
- Supporting Children Through Transition and Change
Children make many transitions throughout childhood, and as these transitions occur they need support in the separating and settling processes, to enable them to build trust in their new environments.
In addition to the various types of transitions referred to in the Framework for School Age Care in Australia (p.16), young children in early childhood settings make transitions:
- From home to early childhood settings
- Between different early childhood settings: care to kindergarten and back to care
- From the baby room to the toddler room, to the kindergarten room, to school
- Between different home settings, e.g. Shared parenting
- When there is a new addition to the family or a loss in the family
- During everyday routines in an early childhood setting (play time🡪 to group time 🡪 to lunch 🡪 to play 🡪 to home)
Children will need time to explore and developing their feelings, understandings and emotions of new environments or conditions to be able to manage change effectively.
A centre’s curriculum needs to support children in learning how to:
- Discover that changes that are expected and timely are easier to handle
- Build on understandings from previous changes to help manage new ones
- Develop meaningful rituals that can help in times of change
- Choose special, loved people or transitional objects to help bridge the gap between the familiar and the unfamiliar
- Recognise that at times of some change, emotions may take some time to resolve
- Discover that some new safe situations can provide new opportunities
- Discover that they have some agency over some changes in their lives
- Begin to explore ways to support others during change
- Realise that uncertainty and change are part of life.
- Events that Can Impact on a Child's Routine
Any number of environmental conditions may impact on a child's routine, affecting the child's capacity to engage in the program you have planned, and causing them to withdraw into themselves.
Events that May Impact on a Child's Routine:
- Excursions, visitors or special events
- Change in drop-off or pick-up arrangements and routines
- Change of staff at the centre
- Introduction or arrival of a new baby at home
- Moving house or changing living arrangements
- Separation from parents or members of the family unit
- Loss of a special toy or comforter
- Family issues or home environment changes
- Sickness of a family member or friend
- Death of a family member
- Death of a pet
- Distressing community events or natural disasters. Even if they are not directly involved, children often view these incidents such as bushfires, flood or violence through the media.
The Impact of Change on Children
Life is full of changes. They can be positive, helping us to move on and to explore new things. Or they can be difficult, losing something or someone we love. How we cope with and make the most out of changes depends, to a large extent, on the experiences of our early years. The foundations of confidence and willingness to try things are built right from the start.
Important personal qualities that help children deal with changes can be encouraged from birth. They are essential for managing change and for making the most out of our lives. These include developing:
- self-esteem and confidence
- problem-solving skills
- optimism
Sometimes a change is too hard for children to manage. It can be affected by a child's age and temperament, and by their past life experiences.
Children may:
- be confused, not really understanding what is happening
- lose confidence that they will be safe and cared for
- feel powerless in changing their situation
- feel angry and/or afraid
- feel lost and out of control
Dealing with change is often a very emotional experience for everyone involved. Adults have often already learnt ‘coping mechanisms’ for dealing with change and may be unaware that they are using them.
Supporting Children Through Grief
Although children have a limited understanding of the world and their emotions they still experience emotions and negative physical reactions following loss and grief.
Each child will react differently depending on their age and understanding of the situation and the resilience that they have developed. Children may cope better with change if they know it is a normal part of life and are supported by the adults in their lives.
Supportive environments for grieving children can be created by:
- Communicating with families about grief and asking them how they would like their child supported.
- Reassuring families that it is normal for children to show changes in behaviour; but with support and time, they can heal from the grief, loss or trauma.
- Let children know it is OK to be sad and cry.
- Keep routines steady and predictable.
- Be available to reassure the child continually.
- Being genuine and consistent in showing affection to and support to distressed children.
- Responding honestly and sensitively to children’s questions and explaining in simple terms.
(continued)
- Providing opportunities for children to explore topics of grief and loss through books and discussion and encourage them to express their feelings either verbally or through art and play.
- Use everyday experience with children to discuss death and change as normal parts of life.
- Ensure there are quiet places for children to retreat – for children to have some private time away from the group if needed.
- Be clear about your thoughts and feelings to help you stay calm and support the child. Try not to be overly dramatic in the way you respond to the child.
- Seeking support for families (and staff if needed) from professionals such as counsellors, doctors or health specialists.
(Sonja Tansy, Extract from “Putting Children First, (NCAC) Issue 27, September 2008 (pp. 22-25) Supporting children through loss and grief)
Hospitalisation and Children
Some children during their childhood years may need to go to the hospital for long or short periods of time. These experiences can be difficult for children and effects can include the following.
Children may:
- Be concerned about being separated from their parents
- Fear separation, seeing it as a rejection
- Fear pain
- Wonder what is going to happen to them – fear of the unknown.
- Be worried about their bodies not working correctly and not being like other kids
- Not understand how something that hurts can actually help them get well
- Be afraid of being left in hospital
- Regress – suck thumb, wet bed, want bottle or dummy
- Not want to eat, become tearful or want to be with their parents at all times
- Bottle up their feelings and cry with relief when they see their parents
Families and siblings may also feel the effects showing signs of apprehension, distress, loneliness, fear, worry, or helplessness.
- Building Emotionally Resilient Children
Emotional resilience in children is known to protect them from the adverse effects of life’s stresses, including grief, loss and traumatic events. As an educator, you can create environments that encourage resilience by encouraging a sense of belonging, security, positive self-esteem and optimistic view of life.
Louise Newman, professor of perinatal and infant psychiatry at the University of Newcastle, says there is strong evidence that good early relationships with caregivers can help make children more stress-resistant. And the earlier resilience-building is started, the better.
"There are very important foundational experiences that young children need, such as having secure relationships with caregivers, opportunities for learning, and most importantly, what we call opportunities to become emotionally competent."
(Wilde, A Z (2008) Helping children cope with stress)
Resilience building experiences include:
- creating a positive, trusting and supportive environment,
- encouraging children to feel free to express their feelings and seek support
- providing play experiences such as language, creative arts, music and movement and dramatic play on a regular basis. Example: Hospitals or Doctor’s set up in home corner, Fire station set up in the outdoor area.
Other Causes of Change in a Child Care Setting
- Change of routine
- Change of caregiver
- Change of staff
- Changing rooms
- Special friends leaving
Change of Routines
When providing care for babies, toddlers and children, we need to consider the importance of routines. Children take comfort in knowing what will happen next in their day and may become distressed or angry if they are not aware that a change is going to occur. Children must be given time to adjust to the change and to process the information.
Introduce any internal changes and what the changes will be before they happen, so the child has the opportunity to see how it will affect them, how it will involve them and how they will feel about it.
Discuss with parents the importance of introducing change early so children can prepare, even if they are not sure the change will occur.
Children often feel powerless in their daily schedule and having a consistent routine allows them to feel some control and comfort in knowing what will happen next and what is expected of them. Routines present children with a stable and predictable environment that should be designed to meet their needs and best interests.
Babies, toddlers have different needs and abilities than the children in the Kindy (3-5 years) room, so the routines reflect this and are appropriate to the child’s developmental stage.
Change of Caregiver
It can be quite distressing for children if the person they have grown to trust and respect as their primary caregiver, suddenly leaves and a new person steps in to take over the role. Children should have the same caregivers for as long as possible, but when changes do have to be made it is important that children do not feel abandoned by carers with whom they have developed relationships.
Discuss future changes with children such as staff changes and the arrival of relief staff when someone is ill.
Strategies you can use to prepare children for change:
- Be honest about what is going to happen
- Give everyone time to prepare for change
- Use symbols and systems to establish connections between past and present
- Be positive about the change
- Involve children in age-appropriate decisions about small changes that may affect them
- School-age children can increasingly be involved in large-scale changes
- Introduce new children and families to other children at the centre
- Introduce visitors, relief staff and guests to children, so they are aware what role they play in their lives.
The UN Rights of the Child state that:
Children have a right to be consulted about matters that affect their lives and to express their views about such matters.
Change of Rooms
Imagine that you are taken away from a place that you can identify with, and suddenly introduced to a new place where everything is different; nothing is in the same place, different activities, and different experiences. How would you feel?
We have learnt that it is important to establish rituals and routines with children so they can establish a connection, a relationship, “a belonging”.
“Relationships are the foundations for the construction of identity – ‘who I am’, ‘how I belong’ and ‘what is my influence?’
In early childhood settings children develop a sense of belonging when they feel accepted, develop attachments and trust those that care for them. As children are developing their sense of identity, they explore different aspects of it (physical, social, emotional, spiritual, cognitive), through their play and their relationships.”
(Belonging, Being, Becoming, p. 20)
Suddenly moving children from one playroom to another may distress or upset the children. If a room change is inevitable create situations where children can be introduced slowly to the room and to the new carers that supervise that room. Allow them time to see that this will be part of their
“becoming”.
“Becoming includes children building and shaping their identity through their evolving experiences and relationships which include change and transitions.”
(Belonging, Being, Becoming, p. 20)
Change of Activity
Often children will get upset when an activity or experience is finished before they want it to or sometimes the child will finish with the activity before you want them too. Establishing a system where they can learn to prioritise can be an essential tool in helping the child to establish routines. One method for assisting with this situation is to set up a This/Then Board where pictures representing each activity are placed on the board, and children can visualise the consequence of one activity needed to finish before another activity can start.
- WAYS CHILDREN COMMUNICATE
Children communicate in many of the same ways as adults, although some of their skills have not yet had the chance to develop. You will need to pay closer attention to their non-verbal communication in order to discover how they are feeling.
How a Child Expresses Feelings
Adults have generally learned how to control their emotions and express them appropriately. These skills take time to develop, however, so children may express their feelings and emotions in ways that are completely unfiltered, directly reflected in their behaviour. Words, art and body language are the three primary mediums of expression for children.
Words
Words are generally the most direct way we can communicate. Honesty is important, and expressing your feelings verbally is an important skill to practice as an educator.
Verbal communication skills take time to develop, and words often only portray the part of the message. The tone of voice and body language will often be a strong indicator behind the words, so you will need to consider all of these in combination.
Ensure you use appropriate words with children so they can learn from you as a role-model. You should use culturally and developmentally appropriate language, avoiding bias at all times.
Art
Art is a great mode of self-expression, and an activity enjoyed by most children. Make sure the children have the freedom to express themselves through their art. Keep in mind that just as some people are more open about their feelings than others, children may prefer to express their feelings through other methods than speaking.
You should take care to notice messages that may be communicated through a child’s artwork. If a child is painting something very sad-looking, or dark and moody, or being particularly aggressive with the paintbrush, this might indicate they are trying to express their own feelings through their artwork.
Body Language
Body language is non-verbal and may include your facial expressions, body stance and position. Keep in mind that we can say one thing, but mean another – and this will often show in our body language, particularly with younger children.
A child might be expressing their feelings through negative body language, such as walking away when someone else is speaking to them, crossing their arms, or displaying intimidating facial expressions.
It is important that you display positive body-language that matches your words. Children will model your own actions, so use appropriate body-language such as showing concern and caring for others, listening attentively, showing joy and happiness, and being open and accepting.
Acknowledging Children's Feelings
Recognising children’s feelings is the first step to acknowledging those feelings. As adults, we often rely heavily on verbal communication, although we do recognise non-verbal communication in others. Children rely even more so on non-verbal communication – so much so that up to 70% of the total message may be non-verbal. Consider the non-verbal cues you will need to recognise:
Facial Expressions
Almost all of us use facial expressions to communicate how we are feeling. This is particularly important to recognise in younger children who are still developing their verbal communication skills. What do the child’s eyes say? What does their mouth tell you? Are they smiling shyly, grinning? Is their mouth open in awe?
Gesturing, Movement and Touching
This might include pointing, looking towards something, crawling away from something, picking up objects, etc. Consider how the child is positioned and the types of movements they are using. Are they sitting up straight? Stretched out and relaxing? Holding on tightly to your hand?
Sounds and Language
Sounds and noises are used to express feelings and gain attention. If a child is speaking, they might choose to tell you how they feel and what they need. Consider the words the child is saying or sounds they are making. Also, take note of the tone of voice and what that tells you.
Personal Space
We can acknowledge children’s feelings by providing children with the appropriate amount of personal space. This means how physically close the child likes to be with others and is very personal. Some people prefer a large amount of personal space, while others might enjoy being close to others. Personal boundaries will also vary according to who the child is with. For example, a child who knows you well will likely need or want less personal space than a child who is just entering the centre. You should also consider the effect of different cultural practices that may affect a child’s personal space.
When a child backs away from you, it is probably indicating that you are getting too close to them. Conversely, if you are feeling uncomfortable with how close a child is to you, let them know how you are feeling, in a positive manner.
Accepting Children's Feelings
By acknowledging and accepting a child's feelings, you are demonstrating to them that you are interested in and how they feel and respectful of those feelings. You may not always agree with those feelings. However they are important to the child, and you need to accept that they are that child’s own feelings.
Communication styles you use with the children should be appropriate to their feelings. Although you may be in a particularly bad mood because of something that occurred in the morning before you arrived at the centre, you should not reflect this bad mood to the children. For example, if a child is happy to see you and runs up to give you a hug, you should reciprocate that hug to acknowledge their happiness. Conversely, if a child is sad, it may be appropriate to acknowledge the way they are feeling and let them know it is fine to feel that way sometimes.
How would you acknowledge the child’s feelings in the situations below?
Activity 1:
Alex (2.5 years) is crying because his nappy needs to be changed.
Activity 2:
Georgia (4 years) is laughing very loudly in the reading corner, where the other children are reading quietly.
Activity 3:
Katrina (4.5 years) is banging her fists on the table and looks very grouchy.
- Listening Attentively
Think about a time you told a friend something that was really important to you, and you could tell they weren’t paying attention to what you were saying. How did you feel in that situation? Ignored? Irritated? Now think about how you felt when someone gave you their undivided attention? Appreciated? Important?
It is just as important to listen attentively to children because just like you, they can tell when someone is not paying attention to them. It is not always easy to give undivided attention to children, but remember that you are there to look after their needs and further their development.
How to Listen Attentively
- Be at the child’s level
- Face the child
- Ensure you are close enough to hear the child
- Use appropriate gestures and facial expressions in response to what they are saying – nod your head, smile, show surprise
- Learn about the child’s or your own cultural practices that may affect the way you listen
Modelling Appropriate Communication
It is important to model appropriate communication, so the children learn appropriate behaviours and practices both from observing and communicating with you. This means putting those attentive listening skills to use, demonstrating respect, making yourself available to the children and taking an active role in their interests.
Face the Child and Stay Within Sight and Hearing Range
When you face a child, you are demonstrating that your attention is directed at them. It shows that you are interested in what they are saying and are respectful towards them. By facing the child, you will also be able to pay attention to their non-verbal communication as well.
Get to the Child’s Level
This also demonstrates respect and promotes equality. By being at the same level, the child will feel less like you are talking down to them which can be quite intimidating.
Don’t Ignore the Child
While you may be busy with many things, ignoring a child can indicate that you do not have time for that child or are uninterested in what they have to communicate. By taking a moment to acknowledge the child, you demonstrate respect for others, which is very important!
You may not always be able to engage in communication with a child, but that should not prevent you from acknowledging them. For example, if you are speaking to a parent and a child interrupts you, excuse yourself briefly from the conversation and let the child know that you can listen to them after you have finished listening to the parent. This simultaneously acknowledges the child and role models an appropriate way to communicate in that situation.
Children will pick up cues and habits from you as a role model, so you should always keep this in mind throughout the day. Even though you may not be communicating directly with a child, they are still learning important skills from you!
Comfort Children and Deal with Emotional Outbursts
Children and toddlers especially may often express emotional outbursts. These can range from laughter to screams and shouting. This developmental stage can sometimes be difficult, but it is important to foster a child’s independence and help them progress through this period as free from shame and embarrassment as possible.
Outbursts can occur when children are interrupted or interfered with and are a way they can express their feelings in these situations. The might also be hurt, scared, or frustrated or distressed for any number of reasons.
During situations of emotional outbursts, consider the following advice:
- Interact calmly with the child
- Offer support, or be available to support the child if it is needed
- Reassure the child
- Remain patient
- Ensure safety of the other children nearby
- Remember that children usually outgrow these outbursts on their own
- Appropriate Interactions with Babies and Toddlers
In your role as an early childhood educator, you will need to understand how to use many forms of developmentally appropriate interactions with babies, toddlers and children to ensure that:
“Children Feel Safe, Secure, and Supported"
These interactions will vary from role to role and situation to situation, but this is evident when children:
- build secure attachments with one and then more familiar educators
- use effective routines to help make predicted transitions smoothly
- sense and respond to a feeling of belonging
- communicate their needs for comfort and assistance
- establish and maintain respectful, trusting relationships with other children and educators
- openly express their feelings and ideas in their interactions with others
- respond to ideas and suggestions from others
- initiate interactions and conversations with trusted educators
- confidently explore and engage with social and physical environments through relationships and play
- initiate and join in the play
- explore aspects of identity through role play
Educators promote this learning, for example, when they:
- acknowledge and respond sensitively to children’s cues and signals
- respond sensitively to children’s attempts to initiate interactions and conversations
- support children’s secure attachment through consistent and warm nurturing relationships
- support children in times of change and bridge the gap between the familiar and the unfamiliar
- build upon culturally valued child-rearing practices and approaches to learning
- are emotionally available and support children’s expression of their thoughts and feelings
- recognise that feeling of distress, fear or discomfort may take some time to resolve
- acknowledge each child’s uniqueness in positive ways
- spend time interacting and conversing with each child.
(Belonging, Being, Becoming)
Age Appropriate Interactions of Educators
The following table explores the appropriate interactions an educator can use for the different developmental areas of a baby, toddler and child.
Physical
Cognitive
Emotional
Social
Environment/Space
Babies birth – 12 months
• Provide face-to-face interactions with adults so infants can see, hear and feel others.
• Supply child-safe toys and materials that encourage physical exploration and movement.
• Allow infants to see, mouth and grab soft objects to experience tactile stimulation.
• Point out objects or share items to look at, touch or hear.
• Share back-and-forth interactions such as peek-a-boo, patty cake (hand games) or finger plays.
• Meet basic physical needs for feeding, changing and comfort with consistency and gentleness.
• Respond promptly to infant cues for help or distress.
• Furnish consistent, caring and gentle interactions with adults.
• Hold, talk, sing and play with infants regularly.
• Put infants in spaces that let them move, reach, touch, roll over and otherwise use physical abilities.
• Provide helpful toys and equipment, which may include cribs, play yards, colourful pictures or vinyl/cardboard
books, mobiles, rattles, soft balls, etc.
Toddlers – 12 months to 36 months
• Give support to learning large motor skills such as crawling, standing, throwing and walking.
• Provide a variety of child-safe toys and materials to handle and use in play.
• Allow many opportunities for children to explore for themselves and play without interruption.
• Describe what a child is doing and repeat words together for building vocabulary.
• Engage in one-on-one, face-to-face exchanges through games, singing and playing.
• Furnish comfort and reassurance when the child feels scared, hurt or lonely.
• Give children individual toys to play with and understand sharing is not yet to be expected.
• Read aloud and encourage comments on pictures.
• Arrange an environment that is “child-proof” (safe) and “child-friendly” (exploration) for learning and discovery.
• Provide safe spaces and room for rolling, sitting, crawling, standing and walking.
Children – 24 years to 36 years
• Provide simple books, puzzles, blocks or colouring materials for use and play.
• Allow time for large motor activities such as running, jumping and dancing.
• Share cardboard books and read expressively to the child.
• Provide simple art materials such as crayons, play dough and large, coloured paper to explore and use.
• Give children options to make simple choices (choose between books to read, etc.) and feel a sense of control.
• Assist a child in labelling and identifying feelings he or she is expressing.
• Teach self-care skills and allow for gradual progress with feeding, dressing and toileting.
• State rules and limits clearly and repeat them often.
• Provide helpful toys and equipment, such as blocks, pull toys, stacking containers and puzzles.
• Provide spaces or boxes for toys to explore, such as dress-up clothes and other props.
School-Age Children – 3 years to 5 years
• Encourage fine motor skills through sensory and craft materials such as finger paints, play dough, crayons,
chalk and child scissors.
• Provide opportunities for large motor activities such as running, jumping, climbing, dancing or throwing.
• Share basic concepts such as shapes, colours, sizes and counting.
• Provide a “print-rich” environment to acquaint children with sounds, words and language.
• Pay attention if children wish to share stories or do pretend play.
• Give children opportunities for rest or a nap, so they don’t become overly tired or stressed, and also learn how to
relax their bodies.
• Play together with children in activities of interest to them.
• Be responsive, warm and nurturing when children become upset.
• Provide equipment to fit a preschooler’s size, such as a potty chair, stool for washing hands, comfortable chair, etc.
• Provide a space to put and keep personal items (coat, backpack, book, etc.).
School-Age Children – 5 years and older
• Adapt care to the physical abilities of a child with special needs.
• Provide materials for interactive games such as ball, catch, jump ropes or puppets.
• Play or provide games that allow children to develop and test memory skills.
• Teach the alphabet and support learning of writing skills.
• Listen to children and affirm their feelings and sense of worth.
• Assist children in managing feelings and calming down if scared, upset or hurt.
• Answer questions about events, groups or people of interest in the community.
• Stop quarrels and help facilitate problem resolution if children argue.
• Provide space for outdoor activities and play (play equipment, etc.).
• A variety of play spaces exist (sensory, quiet, etc.).
- Assessing and Responding Appropriately to Babies’ Needs
When babies are cuddled and cared for, it helps them to develop a sense of belonging and form secure attachments with their caregivers. When babies cry, it is always for a reason – so although you might initially feel irritated, remember that is not the baby’s intention!
It is important to respond quickly to a crying baby by being calm and relaxed. Physical comfort, such as cuddling or holding the baby can help to calm them and provide you with time to work out why they are crying.
Waking Up
Just as we would prefer to wake up naturally and refreshed without an alarm clock, it is important to allow babies to wake up at their own pace naturally. Once they are awake, you should respond to them in a calm, sensitive and unrushed manner.
When a baby wakes up and begins crying, it is important to see to that baby’s needs rather than leaving them to cry. They might need to be fed or have their nappy changed. They also might simply need some comfort in order to fall back asleep.
Responding Appropriately
While it can easily be recognised that a crying baby needs your attention, you should not forget that all babies require your care and attention. The first few years of a child's life have a large impact on their mental and physical development. It is important to provide love, care and physical contact to babies, so they know that they are loved, valued and cared for. This also assists the child to develop positive self-esteem and form positive attachments with others later in life.
Babies begin to form a concept of self that is strongly influenced by the care a baby receives that provides a baby with a sense of value, being worthwhile and loveable. This is a vital foundation for establishing emotional and psychological wellbeing both immediately and in later life.
The more time you spend with a baby, the more familiar you will become with their different cries and the meaning behind them. You will need to be flexible and attentive to respond to each baby’s individual cues as they occur.
Babies and toddlers have not developed the self-help skills necessary to care for themselves and depend on you to provide for their needs. Take the time to get to know each child so you can respond appropriately to that particular child.
- Recognising Signs of Distress
Babies communicate with us by using a number of different cues and cries that signal their needs, feelings or interests. Distress can come from a number of sources. For example, if a baby is screaming in their cot, you should check for sources of pain or discomfort such as undone nappy pins, insect bites, or overheating.
Signs of Distress
Some babies can spend up to 7% of their day crying, so it should come as no surprise that this is their most common cue. Other people with children can provide you with more information about crying and how they handle a crying baby. Because every baby is different, you might gain an interesting and varied insight into the ways babies communicate. Babies and toddlers can show distress in many ways, and the more time you spend with the baby, the easier it will be to recognise.
Babies
Toddlers
- crying - high pitch
- whimpering
- grizzling
- squirming
- appearing withdrawn
- difficulty sleeping/feeding
- lack of eye contact
- clinging to adults
- wanting to be held.
- a change in eating behaviour - eating more/less/using fingers
- a change in physical behaviours - throwing toys/throwing self on the floor, biting, pushing, hitting, kicking, screaming, yelling
- clinging to an adult
- wanting to be held
- not exploring the environment
- tugging at clothing
- not playing or not playing creatively
- repetitive replaying of trauma
- difficulty sleeping
- speech difficulties (such as stuttering)
- toilet training difficulties
- nervous tics (such as coughing)
- excessive masturbation
- throwing toys
- regression of self-help skills:
- in toilet training
- in language
- in all behaviours.
Recognise the Signs
Family members can provide you with more information about interpreting a baby’s cues and signals. You might also become more familiar with a baby’s cues by playing and interacting with them, observing them, participating in their daily routines, talking to others more familiar with them and writing notes about what their cries mean.
Consider what might cause a baby to cry. They might be anxious, tired, frustrated, uncomfortable, angry, afraid, feeling pain, hungry, sad, lonely, thirsty, or bored. There are many different possible reasons!
Stranger and Separation Anxiety
After about 8 months old, children have formed quite strong attachments and may become anxious and easily frightened by strangers and unfamiliar people. This is called stranger anxiety.
When a baby or child is separated from a familiar person such as a family member, they can also become anxious. This is known as separation anxiety. You will likely witness this as an early childhood educator as children begin to realise that when they are dropped off at the centre, their family members will be gone for quite a long time.
Anxious behaviour indicates that the baby wants to be close to the person with whom they have a close attachment. This desire to remain close to the baby’s family member can be an interesting contrast to a baby’s desire to also obtain some independence.
In your role as an early childhood educator, you will need to use developmentally appropriate interactions with babies, toddlers and children in the following areas:
Babies birth – 24 months
Toddlers – 24 months to 36 months
Children – 36 months plus
Needs for rest
- 16 to 20 hours per day
- 40-minute sleep cycle and cannot differentiate between day and night
- Wake to feed every 3-5 hours
- 12 out of 24 hours is spent asleep without waking. A nap during the day averages one and a half hours ranging up to about 2.5 hours
10 to 11 hours at night
Rest/Sleep Patterns
- Three different sleep states – REM- during which they will suck, grimace, smile and occasionally twitch their fingers and feet,
- By 3 years of age, the daytime nap is reducing and then ceases
- Dream (REM) sleep continues to decrease while the other stages of sleep lengthen and become more consolidated
By 12 years of age, slow wave (deep) sleep occurs mainly in the first half of the night while dream sleep (REM) decreases to adult levels of about 15-20% of the total time spent asleep. "Night terrors" - where the child appears to wake, is very frightened and inconsolable - are not uncommon from 4 to 8 years of age.
Physical Signs of Stress
- Arching of the back
- Squirming
- Restless movements,
- Twitches,
- Droopy eyelids or eyes closed,
- Tightly fisted hands,
- Burping
- Passing gas,
- Splayed fingers,
- Hiccoughing,
- Yawning
- Looking away.
- Skin colour changes - pale, grey, blue, dusky or mottled
- Skin diseases
- Worsening asthma
- sleep disorders
- Headaches
- Stomach aches
- Muscle pain
- Fatigue
- Picking on skin
- Decreased appetite, other changes in eating habits
- Headache
- New or recurrent bedwetting
- Nightmares
- Sleep disturbances
- Stuttering
- Upset stomach or vague stomach pain
- Other physical symptoms with no physical illness
Emotional Signs of Stress
- Grimacing,
- Worried look
- Crying, irritation,
- Agitation
- Regressive behaviour
- Clinging to parents
- Exaggerated fears
- Uncontrollable crying
- Temper tantrums
- Re-experiencing the traumatic event
- Sleep and feeding problems,
- Temper tantrums
- Aggressive behaviours,
- Clinginess,
- Separation anxiety,
- Fearful behaviour.
- Developmental delays
- Loss of developmental skills more serious traumatic stressors the child may show symptoms of re-experiencing of traumatic events including posttraumatic play, which includes a play that is often highly repetitive and focused on some aspect of the traumatic experience. The child may also exhibit social withdrawal.
- Anxiety
- Worries
- Inability to relax
- New or recurring fears (fear of the dark, fear of being alone, fear of strangers)
- Clinging, unwilling to let you out of sight
- Questioning (may or may not ask questions)
- Anger
- Crying
- Whining
- Inability to control emotions
- Aggressive behaviour
- Stubborn behaviour
- Regression to behaviours that are typical of an earlier developmental stage
- Unwillingness to participate in family or school activities
Signs of Distress
- Crying - high pitch
- Whimpering
- Grizzling
- Squirming
- Appearing withdrawn
- Difficulty sleeping/feeding
- Lack of eye contact
- Clinging to adults
- Wanting to be held.
- A change in eating behaviour - eating more/less/using fingers
- A change in physical behaviours - throwing toys/throwing self on the floor, biting, pushing, hitting, kicking, screaming, yelling
- Clinging to an adult
- Wanting to be held
- Not exploring the environment
- Tugging at clothing
- Not playing or not playing creatively
- Repetitive replaying of trauma
- Difficulty sleeping
- Speech difficulties (such as stuttering)
- Toilet training difficulties
- Nervous tics (such as coughing)
- Excessive masturbation
- Throwing toys
- Regression of self-help skills:
- In toilet training
- In language
- In all behaviours.
Signs of Pain
- Prolonged crying
- Irritability
- Grimacing, clenching eyes tight, stretching mouth, or furrowing the two skin folds that run from each side of the nose to the corners of the mouth
- Crying and drawing the legs up to the abdomen – e.g. Colic, constipation, urinary tract infection
- Turns away during nursing sessions
- Loss of appetite may signify throat pain or chronic abdominal pain.
- Weight loss can be a sign of chronic pain possibly related to bowel inflammation, reflux disease, gastritis, or food allergy or intolerance. In severe cases, weight loss could even signal water on the brain (hydrocephalus), lead poisoning, or leukaemia.
- Arching can be a sign of reflux disease.
- Saying, "ow, ow, ow!"
- Clutching body part that hurts
- Have a headache and point to their tummy
- Pulling or rubbing the ear is common in toddlers when their ears hurt, often due to an ear irritation, wax, an object in the ear or an infection.
- A stomach-ache that often goes away after a bowel movement could signal a problem with constipation.
- A headache is often associated with a viral illness.
- Recurring headaches may also be due to migraines.
- Chest pain that comes and goes can occur after your child takes up a new sport, increases physical activity, or experiences muscle tension due to emotional stress.
- Recurrent aches and pains, usually along with trouble falling or staying asleep, loss of interest in things, irritability and/or isolating behaviour, could mean your child is depressed or anxious.
- Acute abdominal pain - appendicitis, a urinary infection, testicular torsion (a twisting of the testicle in boys), constipation or an anal fissure to name a few causes.
(continued)
- While rapid, uncontrollable shaking is most often associated with seizures related to epilepsy, these movements may be the result of Sandifer’s Syndrome, a condition associated with children with reflux.
- High fevers, too, may cause seizures in some babies.
- Unusually unresponsive or sleepy
- Lethargy can also be a sign of ear infection or even meningitis, or it can just be associated with fever due to a simple viral infection.
- Shivering or sweating coupled with a pallor (loss of colour) and a high pulse rate (which parents may even be able to feel at baby’s wrist, neck or elbow), sweating and shivering can be objective signs of a child’s pain.
- Primary Caregivers
A “Primary Caregiver” is the child’s special educator. Primary Caregivers are responsible for the child’s care routines, observations, discussions with families and setting appropriate learning objectives in partnership with families.
This does not mean that the child and their primary caregiver are always together or do everything for that child, rather, the primary caregiver becomes the in-centre expert on the child, within the team, and holds responsibility for providing consistent care for that child.
This allows a strong and secure attachment between child and primary caregiver to develop and helps the child to gain a positive sense of self-worth. Primary caregivers thereby become the ‘secure base’ for the child within the centre.
The Key Roles of a Primary Caregiver
Communicate. Share information about children with their parents and appropriate staff.
You are the essential link in the communication chain between parents and program and children and program. You ensure that each day children’s experience is communicated to parents—not just what you witnessed, but what others observed or enacted. You relay parents’ concerns and suggestions to other staff.
Advocate. Speak for children and their parents. You empower parents and children by translating their individual concerns and needs into action through the efforts of all program staff. You ensure that the program wraps around children and their parents rather than insisting that children and parents fit the program.
Nurture. Love and care for children. You tune in to children and develop a special bond that ensures that all their needs are met. You ensure that prime times are provided in ways that empower children and establish a sense of security and basic trust.
Facilitate learning. Help children learn. You care for children in ways that maximise their language experiences and learning potential. You ensure that the learning environment works for each child, providing a balance of developmentally appropriate experiences and neither too much nor too little stimulation.
Observe, monitor, and evaluate. Ensure that children and their parents have positive experiences. You make sure that children’s experiences in the program are positive and that parents’ concerns are addressed by continually assessing these things through observation, discussions with other staff, talks with parents, and assessments of the actual experiences of children and their families. You monitor the care actually received rather than the presumed experience.
(Greenman, J, Stonehouse, A and Schweikert, G. (2008) The Key Roles of a Primary Caregiver)
Quality Routines
Children's wellbeing depends on a strong sense of safety and security. Designing appropriate routines and transitions provides a sense of predictability and security for children in care. The younger the child, the more time will be spent completing care routines. Routines provide a "framework" for the day.
Routines are especially important for very young children. The way routines are planned and implemented has a significant impact on the well-being of children.
Children thrive on predictable routines, but routines also need to be flexible - no two days in a nursery will be identical, and we should not try and make them. It is extremely important that there is room for flexibility within our day to ensure we are meeting the children’s needs.
It is essential that care routines meet both the physical and emotional needs of the child.
