Support children's development
Overview
Who is this unit for?
This unit is for those who work in a setting or service whose main purpose is to support the care, learning and development of children and young people in partnership with their families. The unit is suitable for those who assist in a setting, but do not normally have the final responsibility.
What is this unit about?
This unit is about the routine observation of children and young people's development in everyday work. It is a competence that requires knowledge and understanding of children and young people's development from 0 to 16 years and the ability to demonstrate competence with the children/young people you are working with. The competence covers observing children/young people, sharing observational findings, contributing to the implementation of activities to support development and contributing to planning to meet children and young people's needs.
This unit contains four elements:
1. Contribute to supporting children's physical development and skills
2. Contribute to supporting children's emotional and social development
3. Contribute to supporting children's communication and intellectual development
4. Contribute to planning to meet children's development needs
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Contribute to supporting children’s physical development and skills
P1 pay careful attention to children/young people, observing how they:
P1.1 move around the setting and co-ordinate their movements
P1.2 make use of space and large equipment
P1.3 manipulate and use small equipment
P2 make sure you share and record your findings accurately and in confidence, based on the requirements of your setting
P3 implement activities to support physical development that are appropriate to the age, needs and abilities of the children/young people, to include:
P3.1 use of large muscles
P3.2 use of small (fine movement) muscles
P3.3 using hand/eye co-ordination
P4 give children/young people time and opportunity to practise physical skills
Contribute to supporting children’s emotional and social development
P5 pay careful attention to children/young people, observing how they:
P5.1 express their feelings and emotions
P5.2 relate to each other and to adults
P6 encourage children/young people's social development in play and everyday activities
P7 support children/young people's positive behaviour, according to the procedures of the setting, giving praise and encouragement as appropriate according to the child/young person's age, needs and abilities
P8 observe how confidently children/young people participate and make use of available opportunities to encourage children/young people's confidence and self-esteem
P9 encourage children/young people to make choices and take decisions for themselves
P10 provide a positive and encouraging environment
P11 make sure you share and record your findings accurately and in confidence, based on the requirements of your setting
Contribute to supporting children’s communication and intellectual development
P12 pay careful attention to children/young people, observing how they:
P12.1 use play and imagination
P12.2 concentrate on activities
P12.3 memorise things
P12.4 pay attention to what is around them
P12.5 gain new information
P12.6 show their creativity
P13 implement activities that support intellectual development as appropriate to the age, needs and abilities of the children/young people
P14 pay careful attention to children/young people, observing how they:
P14.1 communicate verbally and non-verbally with adults and with each other
P14.2 use language, including speaking, listening, reading, writing
P14.3 respond and participate in language activities
P15 implement activities to support communication that are appropriate to the age, needs and abilities of the children/young people
P16 make sure you share and record your findings accurately and in confidence, based on the requirements of your setting
Contribute to planning to meet children’s development needs
P17 consider carefully what you have found out about children/young people through your observations and how your findings can help with assessment and planning for children/young people
P18 participate in the assessment of children/young people's development P19 contribute ideas and suggestions to support planning
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the purpose of careful observation and noting what children/young people do and how they behave
K2 the importance of checking your observations of children/young people with others
K3 where to refer concerns you may have about children/young people's development
K4 the importance of confidentiality, data protection and sharing information, according to the procedures of your setting
K5 the role of play in development, i.e. children and young people of all ages need to play in order to develop, learn and grow
K6 the kinds of influences that affect children/young people's development, such as their background, health or environment
K7 children and young people's development is holistic and each area is interconnected
K8 that children and young people develop at widely different rates, but in broadly the same sequence
K9 a basic outline of the expected pattern of children and young people's development. The pattern of development includes the order or sequence in which development takes place and the rate of development, to include:
K9.1 physical development
K9.2 communication and intellectual development
K9.3 social, emotional and behavioural development in each of the age groups:
• birth – 3 years
• 3 - 7 years
• 7 - 12 years
• 12 –1 6 years
Select one of the following age ranges covering the age range you currently work with and provide knowledge evidence for the points listed
K10 how to support children's development from birth to 3 years. You need to know why and how to:
K10.1 provide a warm, safe, secure and encouraging environment in partnership with families
K10.2 make sure all the children you work with can take part equally,
including those with disabilities and special educational needs
K10.3 develop a close and loving relationship with the child, including appropriate physical contact
K10.4 help the child cope with their feelings, positively encouraging emotional well-being
K10.5 support toilet training
K10.6 be supportive in your responses to children's behaviour, following the policies of your setting
K10.7 use everyday care routines and activities to support development
K10.8 provide hands-on activities allowing children to explore and manipulate materials
K10.9 identify activities and equipment to support children's play and early learning, including how these are used to best effect
K10.10 support children's early interest in numbers, counting, sorting and matching
K10.11 encourage children's creative play
K10.12 play with and alongside the child, sensitively supporting their play
K10.13 make sure children have quiet periods
K10.14 use different ways of communicating, including verbal and nonverbal, listening/watching, talking, pausing and turn taking in making sounds and `conversations', making eye contact, singing, rhymes, and stories
K10.15 support children's early communication in bilingual or multilingual settings
K10.16 support children's early interest in reading and mark making
K10.17 contribute to an environment that supports children's physical skills and confidence in movement
K11 how to support children's development from 3 to 7 years. You need to know why and how to:
K11.1 provide a safe, secure and encouraging environment
K11.2 make sure all the children you work with can take part equally,
including those with disabilities and special educational needs
K11.3 develop close and consistent relationships
K11.4 support children's emotional well-being, confidence and
resilience
K11.5 be realistic, consistent and supportive in your responses to
children's behaviour
K11.6 allow children to assess and take risks without over- or under-
protecting them
K11.7 use appropriate activities, materials and experiences to support
learning and development
K11.8 identify activities and equipment to support children's play,
creativity and learning, including how these are used to best effect
K11.9 support children's interest in numbers, counting, sorting and
matching
K11.10 play with and alongside the child, sensitively supporting their play
K11.11 use every opportunity to encourage children's communication and language development, such as talking, listening, making eye contact, singing, rhymes, and stories
K11.12 support children's communication in bilingual or multilingual settings
K11.13 support children's interest in reading, mark making and writing
K11.14 contribute to an environment that supports children's physical skills and confidence in movement
K12 how to support children's development from 7 to 12 years. You need to know why and how to:
K12.1 provide a safe and encouraging environment
K12.2 make sure that all children you work with can take part equally, including those with disabilities and special educational needs
K12.3 give meaningful praise and encouragement
K12.4 support emotional well-being, confidence and resilience
K12.5 be a listening ear when needed
K12.6 stand back and allow children to assess, take risks and face challenges for themselves, according to their abilities, needs and stage of development
K12.7 provide opportunities for exploration and different experiences
K12.8 identify activities and equipment to support children's play, creativity and learning, including how these are used to best effect
K12.9 use every opportunity to encourage children's communication, literacy and language development
K12.10 contribute to an environment that supports children's physical skills and confidence in movement
K12.11 recognise and acknowledge children's particular needs as they enter puberty
K13 how to support young people's development from 12 to 16 years. You need to know why and how to:
K13.1 provide an encouraging and safe environment that recognises approaching adulthood
K13.2 make sure that all young people you work with can take part equally, including those with disabilities and special educational needs
K13.3 give meaningful praise and encouragement
K13.4 support emotional well-being, confidence and resilience
K13.5 support opportunities for children to assess and take risks and face challenges, according to their abilities, needs and stage of development
K13.6 be a listening ear when needed
K13.7 support young people's development and learning by encouraging exploration and different types of experience
K13.8 encourage positive communication, being available to support, listen and encourage
K13.9 encourage creativity
K13.10 recognise and acknowledge children's particular needs as they go through puberty and adolescence and become adults
K13.11 contribute to an environment that supports young people's physical skills and confidence in movement
K13.12 provide information for young people, when requested, about things that concern them
K14 support children/young people through transitions in their lives, for example:
K14.1 children aged 0 to 3 years coming into daycare, changing rooms, leaving parents
K14.2 children aged 3 to 7 years as they move between different settings and into school
K14.3 children aged 7 to 12 years as they move between different settings, such as moving to a new school
K14.4 young people aged 12 to 16 years for change, personal growth and moving on
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Children
children or young people you work with, except where otherwise indicated
Communication
verbal and non-verbal
Creative play
this is where children and young people develop and communicate their own ideas, using art, design and technology, making things, music, dance and movement, imaginative play. Children and young people can express their creativity in every area of learning
Development
children and young people gaining skills and competence
Developmental needs
what children and young people require to move forward in their development
Families
including parents (fathers and mothers) and carers, extended and chosen families who contribute significantly to the well-being of individual children and young people and who may or may not have legal responsibility
Emotional responses
children and young people’s expressions of feelings
Growth
growing in height and weight
Formative assessment
initial and ongoing assessment
Inclusion
a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging
Learning
children and young people obtaining new knowledge and understanding about something or acquiring a new skill or changing behaviour as a result of experience
Mental health
the strength and well-being of our minds
Observing
take notice, use available senses to find out and learn more about children and young people’s development
Pattern of development
usual rate and sequence of development
Rate of development
usual timeframe in which development takes place
Sequence of development
usual order in which development occurs
Stereotyping
making judgements based on unfair views that you already hold rather than looking at the individual
Summative assessment
assessment that summarises findings
Toilet training
sensitively supporting children who are gaining control over their bowel and bladder
Links To Other NOS
TDASTL9 Observe and report on pupil performance
NOS TDASTL10 Support children's play and learning
TDASTL29 Observe and promote pupil performance and development
Origin of this unit
This unit is taken from the National Occupational Standards in Children’s Care, Learning and Development where it appears as CCLD 203.
This unit is underpinned by the principles and values for the National Occupational Standards in Children’s Care Learning and Development.