Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 1 ac1 The relationship between parents and their children is constantly adapting, beginning at birth. At birth is the point when the strongest attachment bonds form and parents strive to meet their baby’s every need. As the child gets older i. e. around two years old the relationship as parents begins to change they start educating their children through discipline etc. When setting boundaries for discipline rules are implemented.
The rules provide children with the freedom to express themselves within certain boundaries enabling them to learn and develop effectively. Children of pre-school age through to adolescence are at the stage were parents begin teaching them about life to enable the children to have some understanding of the actions of others people, such as their friends, key worker’s and teachers. Through creating an understanding of boundaries children begin to realise that there will be consequences to their own actions.
As children get older and enter adolescence the relationship with their parents continues to change. As children, get older children will become more involved decisions, giving them more responsibility and helping them to become progressively independent, while still supporting and protecting their children too. A relationship is thought to be interdependent when there are strong connections and shared power between two people. Parents’ behaviour, thoughts and emotions rely upon those of their children, their reactions matter to each other.
Interdependent also means that parents and children have shared ambitions as well as separate ambitions that will clash with each other. Because of this, parents and their children will feel stronger emotions when they interact, work together a greater amount but also have more frequent arguments than people who do not have a close relationship. The parent-child relationship is important and individual. Parents and children have past, present and future relationships that keep changing as the parent and the child develop and learn from each other.
Outcome 1ac2 There are many factors which affect the relationship between parents and children through all developmental stages ranging from when a child is having tantrums or displaying unacceptable behaviour as this challenges parent’s ability to follow through with discipline and be consistent. As children get older and start to have friend that mum & dad doesn't like as they are a bad influence. Many conflicts from early stages of temper tantrums to bad choice of friends leading on to poor life choices such as drinking, smoking and other unhealthy habits.
In most cases children want the best for their children and sometimes the hopes and aspirations they have are imposed on their children and this can lead to the children/ young people conflicting | | | | | | | | Outcome 1ac3 Explain key types of transitions that a child or young person may experience Cross reference with Unit 022 Outcome 5 assessment criteria 1 and 2. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 1ac4 Parent hood is a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows but the highs out weight the lows in my experience.
The time you had to play with goes but the time you have with your children is priceless. The initial change will be coping with the late night feeds and lack of sleep making you exhausted. Babies schedule will completely overturn any sleeping pattern you had in the past although this can settle after a few months in some cases this is no consolation when you only have a few hours sleep a night. It is important for mothers to try and rest/sleep while baby is to catch up.
It is often difficult for fathers to catch up on sleep and rest as they only have the two weeks paternity and are back to work so endure the disrupted sleeping patterns etc. A common change brought by parent hood often affecting mothers is postnatal depression which can have a huge effect on coping with baby and the complete change in routine and sleep deprivation and can occur during the first year. It is commonly believed that dropping levels of oestrogen and progesterone trigger the depression that many new mothers feel. One part of parent of parent hood which can become frustrating is that everyone becomes an expert.
The problem with this is that you feel what you are doing is wrong as opinions often conflict with each other and in most cases many opinions are old wives tales. Thankfully in my experience my mother in-law is a midwife and she was able to tell us what current opinion and research suggest is best but explained all is at own discretion. On the other side negative feelings can arise towards the baby due to complete overwhelming experience and at this point having the ability and awareness that there are people to speak to in order to ease the load and help with this and that its common.
The most common change is that occurs even with the most confident of people is a Fear and/or feelings of incompetence. New parents don't automatically know how to care for their babies. They should try not to worry if they feel like they don't know what they're doing. Parenting takes lots of practice. Parents learn as they go and can’t expect to perform perfectly from the beginning. Outcome 1ac5 Explain key factors in the process and function of bonding and attachment See table on appendix1
Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 1ac6 There are many key factors i the process of children’s development of a sense of self. Through the initial relationships with parents babies begin to develop a sense of who they are through a sense of ownership i. e. they are mine (Mum and Dad) Another factor in the early stages is the babys routine as it defines them as it is suited to their individual characteristics and parents follow it strictly.
As baby develops into a small child the begin to make sounds which then become words which gives them a voice which is a big part in defining who they are as they can communicate more effectively Children from 3 to four years old have a greater ability to see themselves as individuals as they have more independance they also have the ability to be descriptive, rather than judgmental saying what they see i. e. that girl has pink hair mummy when standing beside the person in a shopping queue. When children reach school age they have managed to make it through transition’s the main one being starting school.
At this age children can now be spoken to and communicate back with understanding so they have the ability to say what they feel and want as do their parents and carers. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 2 ac1 In my setting we support parents in understanding that both parents and children develop and change over time and have distinctive temperaments by organising recording information in the daily communication books and generally speaking to the parents and carers regarding the child.
We always try to reassure parents if there are any concerns and communicate any concerns mentioned by parents to our supervisor/ managers. In my setting the focus is mainly verbal so we chat to parents about their child’s temperament, if they are worried about their behaviour for example, ensuring them that each child is an individual and depending on the situation or what was going on at the time, would determine how their child behaves i. e. a new baby on the way.
Outcome 2ac2 We support parents as partners in understanding the role of reciprocal responses and interaction in parenting, by working with them to share their children’s care and development. Any information that we gain and share from parents communications on arrival and departure of children, helps us in the way that we work and provide for children and their families within our setting. We often send out monthly updates, informing parents of what their children are doing that month.
As I mentioned previously my setting uses verbal communication so any information we share or are told is recorded in a communication book to allow other staff to be aware of any things parents are requesting for their child to ensure parents and care staff are meeting the learning and developmental needs of children. Outcome2 ac3 When new children/ families enter our to setting, a child is often upset at the thought of their parents leaving them with us, which in turn upsets the parents too. We reassure parents that their child will be ok their child by ensuring them that they will be okay.
An approach we often use is to encourage parents to make their goodbyes short, because if a child is upset, long goodbyes or a parent reluctant to leave, often makes a child more upset. In my setting we also say to parents that if they need some additional reassurance to wait outside and we can give them a nod through the window when their child is distracted and settled. If a child continues to be upset every time they come into the setting and the parents are reluctant to leave them, then we suggest the parent stays with them until the child is happy to let their parent go as long as this is not for oo long of a period. For example – we have a little boy at our setting and when he 1st started, he would scream and cry, clinging to his mother and getting himself more upset when mum went to leave, which in turn upset mum too so she came back to him then tried to leave again. Mum stayed with him for a few minutes on bringing him into the room, until he was settled and happy, sitting far enough away, so as not to interfere with him playing or making friends, but close enough to reassure him that she was still there. (This reassured mum too, seeing him happy and playing) Now when he arrives he is happy for mum to leave.
So in some cases, a gradual separation process works best, especially if a child has never been left with anyone else before. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome2 ac4 Challenging parents assertively is a very sensitive issue and being able to consider when it is appropriate to do so. A major challenge can be discrimination, understanding why discrimination occurs and managing negativity - shouting, inappropriate language - sexualised, swearing, slang, derogative remarks or comments, smoking/drinking onsite, not securing children in vehicles.
These are times when it is important for someone to speak up in an appropriate manner usually a room supervisor/ unit head/ deputy or manager would handle these situations in my setting so as a nursery assistant we may only be required to say we need to speak to our superiors a moment. By alerting colleagues and maybe identify training opportunities that offer experience for dealing with conflict, diffusion and calming situations so that you avoid any possibility of feeling you ever need to confront someone who was behaving angrily and risk escalating an incident.
When challenging parents we must always be professional and remain calm, be able to identify the reason why the parent is being challenged i. e. stereotypical thoughts being expressed. In my setting as I mentioned my superiors would handle these situations so they would initiate the discussion with the parent/carer as they would have the authority to speak more professionally with parents on issues. On the other side of the coin speaking to the person on the receiving end of the stereotypical comments from the parent/car e to show that the setting is supporting them and that they condone the negative attitude made towards them.
Be aware that not all situations require involvement and consideration of the parents/carers situations must be taken into consideration i. e. a parent may be ill and the other parent maybe a care so devoting as much time to their child as they would like may not be possible so it would be wrong to put them in a position where they feel they are be judged. | | | | | | | Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 3 ac1 Identify key features of expected patterns of child development Appendix 1 cross referenced from Unit 022
Outcome 3 ac2 The age group I have chosen to discuss is children aged 2-5 years as this is my favoured age group. By the time a child is 2 years old they are strong individuals, they know what they do and don’t want to do and are very keen to do things for themselves and be as independent as possible. At this age the children are physically, now walking confidently and are running and climbing too. When children reach 2 years old they become increasingly socially aware of other children and although they do not specifically ‘play together’, children of this age enjoy playing next to other children.
Mildred Parten discusses play stages Repetition is strong - schema, children develop favourite games and activities played again and again. Their cognitive development now enables them to complete basic jigsaw puzzles and they enjoy building with bricks. Role play is also mentioned by Parten 2 year olds frequently chat out loud and their vocabulary now consists of around 200 words. By the time children are 2 ? independence is extremely important. They are anxious to do more things for themselves and often get frustrated when they find they can’t, which leads to temper tantrums developing.
They often find it hard to understand why they need to wait for things and cannot always have what they want or to do what they want. Their physical skills are also developing well – they are now able to pedal a tricycle or push it along using their feet. Socially, children now start to play alongside - parallel, with other children, often copying what the other children are doing - mimicking or immitating. When children are 3 years old, tantrums start to decrease, as instead of them showing they are not happy, they can now tell us.
Their speech is now easily understood 3 year olds are now beginning to understand the needs of others and are now able to play socially with other children. They are able to cooperate and sharing becomes easier for them. Children also find it easier at this age to separate from their parents, as they understand that their parents will be coming back again. Physically, they can now walk upstairs using alternate feet. E. g. – when walking up the steps of a slide so require less support to carry out basic tasks.
Children’s at this age cognitive skills are more developed and they are interested in mark-making, such as, drawing, painting, chalking etc… and also enjoy looking at and having books read to them which is an activity the children in my setting love. By the time children reach the age of 4 years old their speech should be easily understood, even by adults who do not know them and the children enjoy talking and asking questions on important issues to them and general issues. My daughter is 4 and she enjoys spending time with other children and has strong connections with her friends.
Independence is also developing well, with most children now able to feed themselves and get themselves dressed i. e. my daughter picks her outfit every morning she also loves art activities painting, colouring and gluing and sticking pictures so her motor skills are very good she is also being taught guitar so her fine motor skills and coordination will develop. In my experience children of this age has a good level of concentration when actively involved in an interesting activity. When children reach the age of 5, their physical development starts to slow down and they acquire more confidence and coordination.
Their physical development skills now enable them to kick and control a ball, while their handwriting becomes easier to read and moves away from the stage of basic mark making. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 3 ac3The age group I work with range between the ages 16 months to 24. The initial strategy to support parents in meeting the needs of their children is to take onboard the knowledge and information they provide me with in relation to their child as and individual.
Through identifying the activities children enjoy in my setting which are facilitating their development such as the use of shape sorters (awareness of shapes, motor skills and concentration). Through recording and communicating how their child has been and what they have been doing in the daily record book parents become aware of the activities that are helping with their children’s development i. e. a child recently in my setting went from getting really frustrated with jigsaw puzzles to sitting and putting them together.
I mentioned to his mum before Christmas time that he enjoyed working at the jigsaws but got frustrated she agreed he did the same at home and got him some at Christmas. A month or two later he now enjoys jigsaws and works through two or three after each other. So through communicating his frustration with an activity he enjoyed his parent responded and his emotionally, intellectual development have now benefited. In my setting, we also Inviting feedback from parents - ask for their ideas, suggestions to involve them to involve them more to.
Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 3 ac4 Explain and demonstrate strategies for meeting the support needs of parents of a specified age group of children. As I mentioned in the previous assessment criteria I work with children aged 16 to 24 months. The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services establishes clear standards for promoting the health and well-being of children and young people and for providing high quality services which meet their needs. Their ideal is that they want to see: Parents or carers who are confident and able to bring up their children in a way that promotes positive health and development and emotional wellbeing. * Consistent information provided for parents or carers, which supports them in their role and is responsive to their needs. * Appropriate help and support provided for parents or carers who find it hard to access services and professionals. In my setting we are very open to parents and they feel comfortable talking to us regarding their children’s care, learning and development.
An extract I found online provides a good list of good practice. Markers of Good Practice 1. Multi-agency working to support parenting is outlined in any local strategic and service plans. 2. Information and services to support parenting (by both mothers and fathers and carers) are available and coordinated through local multi-agency partnerships. 3. Support for all parents with pre-school children is available from early years settings including nurseries, Sure Start local programmes and Children's Centres. 4.
Parents whose children are experiencing difficulties (for example, because of learning disabilities and/or difficulties or challenging behaviour) receive early support and evidence-based interventions; requirements for local provision are identified in strategic planning. 5. Collaborative arrangements are in place between services for adults and those for children and families to ensure effective joint assessment and support/treatment to enhance parent's parenting capacity and protect and promote the well-being and welfare of children. . Adults caring for looked after children have early, accessible, multidisciplinary support. 7. Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities ensure that local parents are involved in the planning and delivery of services, with representation from all local communities and groups. In my setting we encourage and motivate parents through mentioning how well their children are behaving to show them that they are doing alright and coping as some parents may feel they aren’t coping.
With the age group I work with we tell parents what their children are doing differently in our setting although we are not allowed to discuss any firsts such as walking or talking as parents may be upset to miss out on these special times. If parents ask for support we always strive to help them as best we can i. e. behaviour issues with a child in my room with biting kept recurring we explained that we asked him to apologise and hug the other child and play somewhere else in the room to remove him form the situation and the person.
The parent was happy with this and said they did the same when he bit a cousin and through the consistence between the nursery and at home he finally stopped biting to the delight of his parents as they became embarrassed when his name was in the incident book for the same issue. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their Children’s needs Outcome 3 ac4 In our setting we provide assistance with fees and provide discount for multiples of children, we also take child care vouchers to subsidise cost as nursery fees are not always manageable which can be a weight of parents minds.
Again in relation to the children in my setting we have had a situation when a parent required support as they were worried their child wasn’t walking by 18 months and wasn’t showing any indications of trying, he then showed a curve on his back which his mother and father were really concerned about. On the parent mentioning this to us we spoke to our Deputy Manager who spoke to the child’s mother and gave the number of a good Chiropractor who could check the child out and give them advice.
After an appointment they were reassured the child was just doing things in their own time and they were curling up rather than their back being in that shape which was happy news. In that situation the needs of the parents were met and they were very appreciative. Unit 110 Work with Parents to meet their children’s needs Outcome 4 ac1 In my setting I frequently discuss children’s progress and development i. e. the child is getting, more, steady walking or they are started to feed themselves more with minimal assistance. A recent example is of a new child in my setting who refuses to feed himself.
Both myself and my colleague have tried putting food on the spoon and guiding him them putting food on the spoon and leaving it for him to try resulting in him just looking at us even with us encouraging his independence. In this situation we asked his mum if he fed himself at home and we were able to discover that his parents where trying him with different textures and he mainly uses his hands, we also found out that they give him yoghurts with a spoon and he tries to use it but its a bit messy. Having asked his parents we are now able to continue trying to encourage him with a spoon and this will reinforce his learning to use it at home.
