There are different kinds of influences on the way children develop. Some of these influences are positive and some are negative. But these are the differences that make people individuals. Some differences are genetic such as eyes colours but there are other differences happen because of events in life. The way that children brought up is important as well because it will influence strongly in their development.
Child development is affected by education, neglect, the food available, communication, health facilities, affection, and opportunities for play, injury (accidental/non C accidental), and the amount of money available, praise, illness, social class, encouragement, the local environment, housing, and the people around the child.
The influences that I saw on S development are praise, encouragement, social class, and the people around her, affection, opportunities for play, the amount of money available and the amount of food available.
Praise and encouragement are influences that I saw on S’s development when she was helping tidy up with nursery nurse. Each time the nursery nurses were praising her and encouraging her to help, she was smiling and was happy to take responsibility.
The people around her are another effect that influences development. As I asked S, she lives with her parents and two older sisters and she is the last child. The family is really important in a Child’s development. This is important as she lives with her parents so that she gets affection from both sides and not like some children that live with single parent so that they don’t get enough affection and also it makes it more difficult for a single parent to give all the affection to the child. As she is the younger child she gets most of the attention and affection as well.
The amount of money and social class are the main factors that affect child development. As I saw S’s mum and even S herself, I found out that they have high income because S dresses up in different styles each time she comes to nursery. Also the amount of money they pay for nursery was quite a lot because in nursery they teach French and maths to the children.
The food available is another main factor that effect child development. As I saw she was having her pack lunch box with different types of food every day.
When I checked her health details her weight was normal. This shows that she has a healthy balanced diet.
The other factor that has effect on child development is the opportunities for playing. In the nursery were a lot of different play facilities for children to play such as imaginative play, water play, jigsaw puzzles, table-top play, drawing, painting, musical activities and also books.
It is very important that the care that child receives provides a secure base for her to grow within. The people caring for child are acting like her parents and so are responsible for child’s’ safety and happiness. The care that child receives is focused on building self-esteem, confidence and communication. The care that child receives from nursery will have influence on child’s pattern of development especially on child’s social and intellectual developments.
Some other care that can be offered are such as providing child with plenty of opportunities for exercise or play lotto and other matching games such as pairs. Encourage independence when going to the toilet. Let children practise using the computer mouse and carrying out simple computer activities and encourage the child to draw what she has seen. Let the child organise her own games with friends, to encourage independence and confidence. The care worker shouldn’t try to rush to help the child when she is finding an activity difficult. She should allow the child to practise new skills, offering praise and encouragement.
The care that was available in my placement was such as going with the child to the toilet, helping children when they want to eat their snacks and playing with them. There was play party games such as musical statues, to foster the ideas of wining, losing and co-operation. There was also French and maths classes available for the children as well.
They encouraged the child to play with toys, jigsaw puzzles and board games. They provided art and craft materials for painting and gluing and sticking activities. They encourage sand and water play and they were talk to the child and repeat favourite stories and encourage her to express her self. They went to the library and read books together. In the library the care worker was looking for book s and puzzles that help child to sort objects.
The care worker displayed S and other children’s painting around the nursery. This gives her a feeling of pride in her world.
The health factor that has influence on child’s’ development would be illness. For example if a child has injury (accidental/non-accidental) or if the child be ill she/ he would miss school for a while and she/he will keep behind. Another health factor that has influence on child’s development would be disability. Disability will effect physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of the child.
Physically the child would have problem if he/she is disabled and he/she couldn’t do some of the activities. Intellectually the child would fell behind other children because he/she would have less communication with other people outside and couldn’t improve his/her language. Emotionally the child would be sad, unhappy and isolated because he/she is disable and not like other children. Socially the child would have problem to make relationships with people outside because she/he didn’t have communication with other people.
The socio-economic factors that might have an influence on the development of child would be education, if the child grows up in a low income family she/he intellectually wouldn’t have a good education and physically the child would have poor diet and health. The child would have less healthy facilities and less opportunity for play.
Emotionally the child would have stress and feel upset. Socially the child will feel lonely and be fed up and have less communication. The local environment would be lower class and the amount of money available would be less.
But if the child has grown up in an upper social class family physically the child would have a good diet and health. Intellectually the child can afford better education. Emotionally the child will be much happier and feel safe. Socially the child would have more communication with other people. The child’s’ local environment would be upper class and the amount of money would be more. There would be more health facilities available and there would be more opportunities for play.
There was a slide and trampoline in the corner of the main hall and S was playing with the slide. Suddenly S fell down from the slide. J was playing with other children but when she saw S fall down she ran to help S. J was checking her to see if she was alright. But she was crying. J was hugging her and calming her down. S was holding J’s hand and J took her to the table where there were puzzles. J knew that she liked playing with puzzles. That’s why she took her to play with the puzzle. After five minutes she stopped crying.
S is really bonding with J, when she wants anything straight away she goes to J. In the morning when her mum brings her to the nursery she doesn’t want to leave her mum but as soon as she sees J she smiles and runs towards J. This shows that S and J are developing their emotional attachments.
S really feels close to J and this is because she feels safe and secure in the company of J. S develops an emotional need and attachment to J, who is responsible for S’s day to day welfare. These attachments will help S in her later life to learn how to get on with others, be confident and develop her self-esteem, learn how to talk, think and understands the world around her.
S is very found of J one of the care workers. J likes S and she encourages S to play with other children, and she enjoys her company. S gets along with other children well but as I asked J S was very shy at first, when she came to the nursery. J and S often sit, and do puzzles together, and S likes to sit on J’s knee when she is tired and some times when J wants to tell children story. S sometimes adding bits to J’s stories but she doesn’t tell her off even if she has silly idea to add in, she just puts that bit into the story, so they have fun together.
The personal helping skills that J used in caring for S was a cuddle, when she was sad and when J was doing her shoelaces doing up.
The practical helping skills are such as communication and establish trust. Sometimes when S was crying because she wanted her mum or she was tired, but J was talking to her and calm her down. Another skill is to work in team. I remember once J helped S to join in with unfamiliar children in the nursery.
Develop relationships is another skill, which I remember J was telling S to share her book with another child in the nursery. Make a child secure, happy and deal with difficult behaviour are other examples of skills, which are needed by people who work with children.
The care worker can write a report every day of S developments such as physical, intellectual, emotional and social. By doing this she can evaluate S developments and see if she had improve as she gets older. Also to find out patterns in these stage of development. The purpose of learning about developmental stages is to be able to ensure that child is developing in healthy way to check when there may be a problem.
If there would be a problem such as child abuse or if the child is fitting and crying every day or if the child is being alone the care worker should report these to supervisor, leader or parent of that child. In this way they will talk about it and find a solution to solve the problem. This will help the development of the child and improve child’s development in order to benefit the child.
Children’s rights shouldn’t be ignored because their rights are as important as adults’ rights. Legislation helps children with their rights. An example of legislation for children could be The UN (united nation) Convention on The rights of the Child.
These and other rights are set out in the form of statements, called articles. They are applying for children and young adults up to age of 18 years. It’s really important to threat children with respect and as individuals and give fare treatments.
In my placement they were providing all the children’s individual needs and promote their welfare. They planed and provided activities and play opportunities to develop children’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs. They make child feel a sense of belonging, to know they can have confidentiality, to know their views and beliefs and personal choices are respected. The Children Act upholds the rights children have and promotes their well-being. The Children Act covers all the aspects of childhood, from child protection, through the provision of services to the registration of individuals and groups who care for children. It also protects the child from any significant harm. For example in my placement I wasn’t allowed to take children to the toilet because I were working there as a student. Whenever children wanted to go to the toilet a care worker should go with the child.
All the care workers were police checked so there wouldn’t be any child abuse. In case of any child abuse the manager or the care worker would immediately inform the child’s parents.
Children need special care and protection because they are vulnerable. It’s important to respect cultural values of a child’s community.
The health and safety Act aim is to ensure there is a safe environment. In my placement the premises was safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. The care workers have the duty to take steps to reduce any risk. The employers were providing equipment to support the health and safety of both staff and the children. For example there were chairs in different sizes for children and adults, so they are comfortable. There was fire exiting doors in the main hall in the case of emergency. They offer access to the necessary facilities for rang of activities, which promotes their development.
The care worker promotes equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination for all the children. Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children’s behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.
Records, policies which are required to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are main tend. Records about individual children are shared with the child’s parent.
