After you have completed session 6, you should be able to:
Consider the importance of effective teamwork.
Explain the importance of diversity and equal opportunities.
Decide on the next steps in your chosen career.
So you want to work in childcare!
Whether you want to work full time or part time, there are many employment opportunities to those wishing to work in early years. In the previous sessions we have looked at the different types of Early Years settings and the skills and qualities needed to work with children.
Working in childcare is rewarding, enjoyable and at times exhausting! Those employed in this area often look forward to going into work each day to play and have fun with the children. However, you should be aware of the important part you will play in shaping the lives of future generations by helping children to develop and learn.
Remember working in childcare is not just about playing with children, it’s much more!
Glossary for Session 6 some difficult words from today’s session
word
definition
example
1
Stimulating
Encouraging or to make a person interested.
There are lots of toys and games that the children find stimulating.
2
Preferred
Lot one thing or person better than another.
His name is Samantha but she preferred to be called Sam.
3
Breach of confidentiality
Breach- Breaking or failing to observe an agreement.
The information that the teacher had been given was confidential so when the information was passed on to another person it was a breach of confidentiality.
4
Exception
A person or thing that is excluded from a general statement or does not follow a rule:
The childminder doesn’t usually work on a Saturday but she made an exception when I was ill and took my son on Saturday.
5
Premature conclusions
Premature – earlier that expected.
Conclusion- the end or finish of an event, process, or text:
She had not heard all the details about the situation but she made a decision about what to do, this is a premature conclusion.
6
Gender
Being a male of female.
The girl’s school is single gender - all female.
7
Stereotyping
An idea of a particular type of person or thing .
You must not assume that all boys like football and girls like cooking as this is stereotyping.
8
Reconstituted
Built from different parts.
The family has children from each parent from a previous relationship, the family is reconstituted.
9
Nomadic
Living in different places- wandering around.
The family doesn’t have a permanent home but move from place to place so they are nomadic.
10
Extended
Made larger.
When the children got married and brought their partners to live in the house the family became extended.
11
Communal
Used by several people or all the community.
The phone in the office is communal.
12
Vital
Most important.
It is vital to inform the nursery if you will be late to collect your child.
13
Dynamic
Full of energy and ideas.
The new nursery worker is very dynamic.
14
Vibrant
Full of energy and life- very colourful.
The new classrooms were very vibrant.
15
Jot down
Jot- to write something quickly.
He jotted down the telephone number.
16
Accurate and legible
Accurate – without mistakes.
Legible – writing or print that is clear enough to read.
When you write reports they need to be accurate and legible.
17
capacity
The must something can contain.
The class at maximum capacity when there are 10 children.
18
practitioners
A person who is working at a particular profession.
All the staff in the nursery are good practitioners.
Information about children and their families is important for the effective care and education of children.
You need to know details such as preferred names, addresses, contact numbers, details of allergies, likes and dislikes, healthy and dietary needs. Other information such as family background, who the main carer is and any other major changes in the child’s life are also helpful.
You must know how to deal with confidential information and how to exchange this information in an appropriate way.
Only pass on information if you have the permission of the person involved
Only pass on information if you have concerns over the welfare or safety of the child
There are legal requirements for collecting and sharing information. Records have to be kept safely and you must ask what the procedures are in your setting for the safe keeping of such records and what you must do if someone wishes to read them.
In your child care role, families will often tell you things that they would not share with others. Your job is to maintain confidentiality and only share information with those who have a need to know. Look at the following case studies and answer the questions in the box provided. Give a reason for your answer; not just ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Then email to your tutor.
Early years workers have an important role to play in promoting equal opportunities. All children need to feel valued regardless of differences and we should treat children as unique individuals rather than as part of a particular group. They in turn will learn to value and respect diversity in others. Equal opportunities are promoted in several ways:
legislation
individuals’ rights
policies and procedures
If children are not treated fairly, it could be said that they are being discriminated against.
Definition: Discrimination occurs when a person or a group of people are excluded, or treated poorly due to one or a number of personal characteristics.
There are different types of discrimination, below are just a few, can you match the types to the description?
In addition some people can be discriminated against because of their social class, family background, income or because they are lesbian or homosexual.
During their early years children are developing their sense of identity and learning about the world in which they live. It is important that children are not subjected to discrimination as it can affect their life chances in many ways, they may:
grow up thinking that they are inferior or less worthy.
All early years workers have a responsibility to provide a safe and supportive environment where everyone is treated fairly and differences and diversity in society is reflected and valued in the setting.
An environment which uses materials that reflect diversity and are free from stereotyping. This will enable young children to learn positive attitudes and behaviour towards those who are different from them.
Using the box below list the ways in which you can provide an environment where diversity is valued. We’ve started you off – can you think of some more? Email to your tutor.
Working in partnership with parents
In the previous section we looked at promoting equality and recognised that everyone has a right to be treated fairly, this includes parents who should be made to feel welcome and valued. Every parent has different needs, e.g. parents leaving their children for the first time will need reassurance. It is important to recognise that there are different types of family structure.
The way in which people live together as families has changed over the years. The image of a ‘normal’ family as being children with two parents married to each other is no longer true.
The number of divorces has risen. Around 40% of marriages now end in divorce, affecting thousands of children a year. One of the first things you will need to do when you meet parents for the first time is to make sure that you address them correctly. Never assume that parents share the same family name as their children.
Some children live with one parent; some grow up in communities where care is shared. Some children may live with other family members, grandparents, aunts and uncles etc.
Look at the different family types below can you match them up?
Harry’s mum has taken time off work to take him to the optician. She arrives to pick him up only to find that he’s not ready. She says that she passed the message on to another member of staff, but nobody seems to know anything about it.
Write down what you think and give reasons for our answers. Email to your tutor.
Sometimes you may be asked to write to a parent, messages need to be clear, accurate and legible. If spelling is a problem use a dictionary.
Check with your manager or another member of staff as there may be a policy that all written communication is signed by the manager before it is sent out.
Look at the two letters, they both say the same thing, but in a different way. Which letter would you prefer to receive, A or B?
A
Dear Mrs Taylor
Just a short note to say that Harriet will need some more nappies in the next few days.
She is settling in well and is starting to make friends with one or two of the other new children.
I am looking forward to our meeting at the end of the week so that we can discuss her progress. How’s the new job going?
Helen
Pre-school Assistant
B
Dear Mrs Taylor
Harriet will need some more nappies. After Friday we will run out so please make sure that you bring them in soon.
She no longer seems upset when you leave her, although she is only just making friends.
I will see you when you come in at the end of the week to talk about this.
Helen
Pre-school Assistant
Which words best describe which letter?
Drag them into alphabetical order.
Transactional and interactional language
Transactional language
Speakers use language which helps to complete a transaction as quickly as possible; there is often a result. For example, ordering food in a restaurant. Transactional language is often formal and used between people who do not know each other or only know each other a little bit.
Interactional language
Speakers share opinions, express interest, laughter, politeness and make small-talk about the weather and what they did recently. For example, talking to friends. Interactional language is often informal and used between people who know each other.
‘A’ is the best letter because it uses an informal tone and uses interactional language.
Complete the sentences and give examples from the letters. Email to your tutor.
We are now at the end of this short introductory course, but in many ways this is just the start of your learning journey. You need to make some important decisions about what to do next, how to do it and who can help you to achieve this.
What - You probably recognise that a career in early years will always be fun. There is no other work that will provide you with as much laughter and joy through the day. The early year’s sector is dynamic and vibrant and there is always a need for high quality staff at all levels.
You have to decide what your role is going to be. It may help to refer back to session 1 when we looked at the different types of childcare settings. It could be that you would like to work in a nursery or pre-school, or perhaps you would be your own boss and work as a childminder. The choice is yours. Everyone has to make a start somewhere. So where do you begin to start your learning journey?
How - There are a range of training opportunities available and you can find full-time, part-time or work-based training which fits in best with your other commitments. The government is keen to encourage all early year’s staff to have appropriate training and qualifications. As well as appropriate qualifications, experience is also invaluable. You may want to consider doing some voluntary or temporary work.Here is a brief summary of the different levels of qualification currently suitable for the various stages of developing a career in early years.
Foundation Level 1 - These are qualifications that are valuable for personal development. They are not necessarily for those wishing to work with children. They include courses that will increase your employability, e.g. communication skills. These will help you to find work, stay in work and to progress to level 2.
Level 2 – The level 2 certificate is an entry into the workforce. It is for those who are working in a supervised capacity such as a pre-school assistant working with children under five. This level acts as a stepping stone and will allow you to progress to level 3.
Level 3 – This is the level that the government has set as a minimum for the whole workforce to achieve by 2015. A new Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s workforce is being developed which will be the only Level 3 diploma for the workforce in England. This is for those who supervise others and work on their own initiative such as a pre-school leader or a childminder working in their own home.
Level 4 – This level is for experienced practitioners who are able to carry out complex and non routine tasks such as a manager or development officer for a Local Authority.
If you would like to go further, the next stage would be the Foundation degree (level 5 and above). This is for senior managers and advanced practitioners who wish to achieve Early Years Professional Status.
Send an email to your tutor. Answer the learning outcomes from today's session.
• Consider the importance of effective teamwork.
• Explain the importance of diversity and equal opportunities.
• Decide on the next steps in your chosen career.
