In this reflective account I will discuss and explain the key policies and legislations which are put together to promote a quality provision for young children. I will also examine the different strategies and practices used to promote young children’s learning.
Policies
I have collected three different policies from my setting, behaviour, safeguarding and equal opportunities.
The main aim of this behaviour policy is: teachers and children respecting each others, preventing bullying, children learning discipline, taking action on bad behaviour, teachers creating a safe and learning environment for children. Children who have done well during the week will have their names announced at a special assembly. “emotional and social competence and well-being has a wide range of educational and work success, improved behaviour, increased inclusion, improved learning , greater social cohesion, increased social capital and improvements to mental health” (SEAL Weare and GRAY 2003), no page number). There are no legislations used in this policy but when this policy will be updated, the setting can look at other national policies and pedagogies to help them provide quality provision. Such as Every Child Matters agenda, SEAL, EPPE, As change for children paper (2003) has implemented five outcomes for children to achieve, these are “be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make positive contribution, and achieve economic well being”(ECM: CC, pg 9). This policy is promoting good 'quality' in giving children opportunities in making relationships, good level of achievements, good learning environment and learning boundaries. EPPE (2003) has defined quality as having good qualified staff, giving equal opportunities, partnership with parents.
Safeguarding policy uses different guidance (see appendix). There are no legislations used in this policy, but by reading this policy it links within ECM agenda. ECM has designed “five key themes”, providing services to parents and children, early intervention, affordable services, quality provision and “strong foundations in the early years”( Pugh 2010, pg9). This policy can be referred to children act 2004. the main aim of this Act is To develop all the services for children, support “early intervention”, have good level of leadership in every services and multi – agency work. (CYPP, no year, page 1). Section 13 – 16 of children act 2004 outlines the importance of having local safeguarding child board for every setting, LSCB 's role is to promote every child's well being, and to protect children from harm and abuse.
If the local authority establishes that the child is a child in need or at risk of harm, it has a duty under section 47 of the Children Act (1989) to make a care plan or child protection plan to provide support which involves adequate supervision and checks to ensure that the child is no longer at risk. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) promotes empowerment for children as they can exercise their right to express their views and be heard and their best interest would be at the centre of the intervention and social workers need to ensure that decisions made are not affected by the influence from family or professionals they work with (Lee & Hudson,
Tickell, C., 2011. The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning. An independent report on the Early Years Foundation Stage to Her Majesty’s Government. London: HMG
The current framework is the EYFS which support children’s mathematical and literacy development. One of the EYFS principle in the Development Matters is the “unique child” concept which means that “every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable and self-assured.”- Development Matters (www.foundationyears.org.uk) This means that every child are different but have many different skills and learning styles. The government initiative of a unique child is over the death and case study of Victoria Climbié which had an impact on the practice of Early Years practitioners. The aim of this initiative is that practitioners have to make sure that children are being supported to overcome hardship or to support those who are being neglected, “reduce their level of
The legislation regarding safeguarding and chid protection ensures that all the children are safe, secure and protected from any kind of potential harm which may affect their health or development.
An outline of current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK Home Nation (England), affecting the safeguarding of children and young people.
The Child and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 0f 1988 strives to provide children with the necessary care and protection to maintain the Childs welfare and well-being. This legislation also recognizes that the primary means to ensure a Childs well-being is to provide long-term safety, nurturing and a stable environment (Legislation NSW). Allowing the child to freely experience a violent-free environment that allows the child to form own views (Legislation NSW). This Act also encourages early-intervention, the need to identify the risk of harm at an early stage and provide assistance and support before the situation becomes unsafe for the child (Farrell & Sheringham, 2010, p. 46).
Ofsted (2005, page 15) discusses how if children can enjoy learning it is more likely that their behaviour will be positive; likewise if their behaviour is good then the children are most likely to learn. The Every Child Matters: change for children (ECM) policy (DfES, 2004, page 10) underpins this link between behaviour and education. Every child has the right to learn and therefore the key outcomes, ‘stay safe’, ‘enjoy and achieve’, and ‘make a positive contribution’, in the ECM agenda are incorporated in all behaviour and learning strategies. During school experience, these key outcomes are clearly outlined in the whole school behaviour policy, one of the rules being, ‘Let everyone learn.’
It is important that children and young people in a nursery, school, or college setting are protected from harm. It is the adults within the setting responsibility to ensure their welfare. They have a duty of care whilst children are at the setting. All staff and volunteers must be checked for suitability to work with children ( Criminal Records Bureau) before being allowed to work with in the school. By understanding and complying with policies and procedures and being trained in safeguarding and child protection staff can protect children from all types of harm. It also protects adults from allegations of harm or abuse if they comply with policy and procedure. Parents have reassurance that staff are trained and following procedure while their
To promote safeguarding, the Children’s Act (2004) set out five outcomes for the children and the young people, i.e. to staying healthy, safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. This Act made it statuary for the local authorities to establish the LSCB with an aim to protect the vulnerable children from all kinds of abuse and harm, such as, forced marriage, child trafficking, physical abuse, witchcraft, sexual exploitation, female genital mutation, fabricating illness and the well-fare of an unborn child.
From the perspective I have at this stage in my journey in the early childhood education field, I would like to share what I have come to value and believe in regards to early learning and care by looking at my philosophy statement. To begin we will look at the statement and highlight three key features and find out why they are important to me, then we will see what they will look like in my practice, and lastly we will examine these ideas closely by looking at where they originated. By taking an in-depth look at my philosophy statement we will better understand the motivation behind my practice which I hope to continue to refine and refresh as I gain more knowledge and experience.
LSCB, (2013), SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND VULNERABLE ADULTS POLICY, (www.safechildren-cios.co.uk), [Assessed 1 November 2013].
This has led to children having a poor start to life, which carries on through their learning and is the leading cause of behavioural or emotional problems (Commonwealth of Australia, 2015). Therefore, the Australian Government inaugurates an ECE and care reform agenda. The key components: • Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) • Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) • Early Years Workforce Strategy •
Rouse, J., & Tarrant, L. (2001). Quality in early childhood education. Wellington, New Zealand: Early Childhood development.
Care and education have become a part of children’s daily lives in Ireland and England outside the home in childcare services. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory curriculum framework for children up to the age of five in England. It was first introduced in 2008 and on the 1st of September 2012 a new revised document was published. Aistear, published in 2009, is Ireland’s first early year’s curriculum framework for children from birth to six years of age. A curriculum framework is a scaffold or support for the development of a curriculum that can be used in childcare settings. A curriculum framework can also be used in partnership with parents when developing a curriculum. This paper will compare and contrast these two curriculum frameworks in relation to philosophy, content, pedagogical practices and expected/targeted outcomes for children. Due to the limits of this paper, it will only be possible to develop an overview of the similarities and differences.
The purpose of early childhood education is to firstly learn about one’s self and agency, how one’s actions can affect and impact others; to develop a sense of identity; who you are and how you fit into this world. Experience a sense of belonging through interactions with peers and teachers whilst celebrating and sharing diverse cultures whilst embracing others. Children need to have opportunities to explore, experiment, to gain insight and knowledge in numeracy, literacy, science and social structure through innovative and richly supported curriculums (DEEWR, 2009). I have very high expectations of all children as I believe that this assists in building self-confidence and