It is important that the Early Years Practitioner at the setting supports the children’s physical development and their health development. According to Meggitt and Bruce (2015, p112), when a child is born, the child will rely on an adult to help them meet their requirements. Meggitt and Bruce (2015, p112) also states that, “the way in which these needs are met will vary considerably according to family circumstances, culture, the child and the caring adult”. To ensure that the practitioner supports the children’s health and physical development they must make sure that the children receive food and water, outdoor and indoor activities, access to health care and protection from infection and harm. This will allow the children to develop their health and physical needs and gives them the opportunity to expand their physical skills with objects such as an obstacle course.
The practitioner must remember that children will have different abilities at different age ranges. For example, when a child is around 10 months old they begin to learn how to drink out of a cup whereas when they get to the age of about 6 they know can eat using a knife and fork. Another example with these age ranges is that when the child is about 10 months old they tend to hold out their legs and arms so the adult figure can put their clothes on for them. Whereas on the other hand, when the child is 6 years old they know how to dress themselves appropriately and they are completely independent.
An EYP must provide a chance for the children at the setting to have time to play inside and outside. Change 4 Life (online, Play4Life) tells us that “from football in the park to building a den with a cardboard box, play is great for kids’ emotional, social and physical development”. However, when a practitioner is letting children play indoors and outdoors they must make sure it is in a safe environment. This can be done by making sure that they are no pieces of glass or faeces on the ground outside as if a child touches it then they can either hurt themselves or catch any diseases. However, Change4Life (Play4Life, online) suggests that you “allow your kids to test and stretch themselves. Small risks are part of play and help conquer fears, develop independence, while mastering new skills.” On the other hand, when the children are playing inside, the practitioner must ensure that all sharp objects are removed so that the children do not hurt themselves.
D2:
There are a vary of ways in which the practitioner can support children’s well-being or development. Firstly, the practitioner can support the child’s development by following the cycle that is known as the “observation, assessment and planning” cycle. By observing the child, it allows the practitioner to pick up on the child’s interests and let them see what the child is particularly skilled at. This then allows the EYP to be able to plan an activity including the child’s interests and skills so that the they can support the child in developing in a way that the child enjoys. From my experience, I have seen a child that took a keen interest in painting. I informed the key EYP in what I had discovered and when we were planning an activity to help the child to develop their mathematical skills I asked the EYP to include painting in the activity so that the child was comfortable which would boost their self-esteem. By allowing the child to paint, it also allows them to develop their physical skills as they are using their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Early Years Matters (2017, online) also states that practitioners of the setting should recognize and observe every child’s development and learning, assess their progress and plan the next steps in the setting. They also state that all practitioners should be able to identify if a child needs extra support so that a plan can be put in place to ensure that the child is kept up to date with support from those who care for the child.
According to Meggitt and Bruce (2015, p323), “the EYFS puts the child at the centre of the observation, assessment and planning process” and by starting in the center, observation, assessment and planning will help to meet the primary needs and securities of children in the moment. Secondly, the practitioner can support the health development of a child by being a role model. By being a role model it shows the children what the right thing is to do and then they will imitate the EYP as they know it is the right thing to do. For example, the practitioner could show the children that it is the right thing to do by washing their hands before and after eating food, if they are dirty or if they have been to the toilet. This lets the children know that it is healthier to wash their hands and will help them to develop as they know it is the right thing to do if the adult does it too. This also ensures that the health of the other children is safe as when the children wash their hands it lowers the chance of any illnesses being spread around and getting other children poorly.
Early Years Matter (2017, online) states “In the Early Years Foundation Stage the diversity of individuals and communities is valued and respected.” This means that in practice all of the children should be taken into consideration and they should all be treated fairly with the same opportunities as all of the other children no matter what their religion, race or abilities are.
C1:
There is a large number of policies and procedures that practitioners can follow in a setting that can support the children’s health and physical development. One policy that relates to health development is the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006. The EYFS states that managers of the setting must be confident those that are in charge of preparing food are reliable. According to Meggitt and Bruce (2015, p178), “everyone involved in preparing food for young children, or helping them eat, needs to understand the importance of food safety and hygiene, and be aware of the requirements of the Food Handling regulations”. The Food Handling regulations cover common sense things such as making sure you wash your hand before preparing any food, making sure that the food that is getting used is kept is a safe place in the accurate temperature and disposing of excess hygienically.
According to Working with Kids (2017, online), “The Children Act 2004 was designed with guiding principles in mind for the care and support of children.” These include:
• Allowing children to be healthy
• Making sure that all children remain safe in their settings
• Ensure that the children enjoy life
• Help children in their mission to be successful
• Help make a positive influence to the lives of the children
• Help accomplish financial steadiness for the children’s futures.
This makes sure that the children in the setting do not harm themselves and as it says it allows the children to stay healthy which is what the practitioner is meant to ensure. The Children Act 2004 also links into The Children and Young Person Act 2008 which makes sure the care that the children receive is well sustained, of high quality and meets their needs. This ensures that the practitioners of the setting make sure that the equipment that the children use will not harm them in any serious way which will then allow the children’s physical skills to develop.
The Children and Young Person Act 2008 also aims to improve the steadiness of placements for children and young people in care whilst also improving their educational experience and accomplishments’. The practitioner can help with this by doing activities that prepare the child for events that are about to happen so that the child knows that they are not alone. This will ensure that the child’s health and physical development will not be effected as it will not be interrupted by events such moving into a different home and will allow the child to continue to go to the setting and develop with the rest of their age group instead of falling behind which could then cause long term problems.
C2:
Firstly, a repeated performance which will help the development of the child’s health is when the children prepare themselves for a snack or a meal. For this routine the practitioner acts as a role model so that the children know what the right thing is to do. In this routine the children learn to always wash their hands using soap and water before having anything to eat and this is because if they did not wash their hands then bacteria that is passed onto the food can then cause the child to get an illness when it goes into their system. This procedure allows the Early Years Practitioner of the setting to support the children’s health development as it will be repetitive so the child will know it is the correct thing to do before eating and this will help them to develop and they can also show other children that it is the right thing to do. According to Hygiene expert (2015, online) children should also be encouraged to wash their hands after using the toilet or if they are ill. This means that no infections or diseases can be passed on and ensures that all the children stay healthy. From my experience children get called up in pairs, as there are only two sinks, and the practitioner watches to make sure that each child thoroughly washes their hands and if a child is struggling to understand then the EYP can stand in and show the child the correct way of washing hands. This makes sure that every child’s health develops in a way that they will remember so that they can become more independent.
Secondly, according to Nursery World (2000, online) “children’s physical care demands a great deal of attention, especially with under-twos. The routines of feeding, changing nappies and dressing will occupy more of the carer’s day than with older children, but this is not lost time”. As the child starts to get older and more independent the practitioner can support their physical development by letting the child dress themselves which expands their fine and motor skills. This Changing routine can also improve the child’s hand-eye coordination as they have to focus on how to put and item of clothing on. The practitioner at this stage can still help support the child’s physical development as they can be with the child in case they need help with anything. Once again, according to Nursery World (2000, online) “You can also promote children’s development by showing you notice their personal preferences in care routines. Perhaps Jessie and Anil are happy to sit on their pots together because they like a chat, but Stevie prefers his privacy and wants to sit on the toilet with the door pushed close”. This lets the child know that you listen to them which will make them feel more comfortable with you helping them if they need it.
B1:
A theoretical perspective that supports a child’s physical development is Forest Schools. Forest schools are there to encourage all children to explore the outdoor areas that surround them. According to Meggitt and Bruce (2015, p70) Forest schools have been successful with children from all age groups that visit the local forests as play gives them the opportunity to learn and explore the natural environment that surrounds them in a positive matter. The practitioner can support the development of the child’s physical skills by allowing them to play and let them feel like they have some independence rather than doing work in a classroom. Forest schools aim to develop children’s physical skills as they can either use their motor skills to climb and jump and then they can also use their fine motor skills to explore objects such as leaves.
Bibliography:
Meggitt, C and Bruce, T (2015). Childcare and Education. Oxon: Hodder Education. p112.
Change4Life. (). Playing – kids’ fun indoor and outdoor activities. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/pages/play-for-life.aspx. Last accessed 4th May 2017.
Meggitt, C and Bruce, T (2015). Childcare and Education. Oxon: Hodder Education. P323.
Early Years Matters. (2017). Effective Practice. Available: http://www.earlyyearsmatters.co.uk/our-services/school-and-nursery-improvement-partner/enabling-environments/effective-practice/. Last accessed 5th May 2017.
Meggitt, C and Bruce, T (2015). Childcare and Education. Oxon: Hodder Education. P178.
Working with Kids. (2017). Children Act 2004. Available: http://www.workingwithkids.co.uk/childrens-act.html. Last accessed 5th May 2017.
Johnson, J. (2015). Importance of Good Hygiene in Children. Available: http://www.hygieneexpert.co.uk/importanceofgoodhygieneinchildren.html. Last accessed 5th May 2017.
Lindon, J. (2000). Good habits – learning through routines. Available: http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1081407/habits-learning-routines. Last accessed 5th May 2017.
Meggitt, C and Bruce, T (2015). Childcare and Education. Oxon: Hodder Education. P70.