For example maintaining confidentiality can be done by storing information and records in private places like locked filing cabinets or password protected computers, carrying out consultations in a private room and not gossiping about patients between other members of staff or any other people
Early years settings:
Making the welfare of the child paramount:
The “Welfare of The Child Is Paramount” is a legal principle under the 1989 Children Act. It means that no matter what circumstances may happen in a usual situation, these circumstances cannot be allowed to be made more important that the right of the children to be protected from harm. For example, in my setting, this could be that in a normal canteen, if an individual has no money to buy food, then they will not be fed. However, in the case of a child, the child must be fed no matter what, and then the payment worked out at a later date with the family.
Keeping children safe and maintaining a healthy environment:
Children are more prone to the effects of harmful things in the environment; this may be due to them being more likely to crawl on the ground, put their hands in their mouth, touch things that they are unaware are harmful to them etc. In my setting, to keep them safe would be encouraging them to regularly wash their hands, taking their outdoor shoes off when they come inside the classroom (so as not to bring anything harmful or dirty from outside in).
Working in partnership with parents/families:
Care workers can work with families to support the children in the care settings by scheduling meetings, which can be quick and informal for small things, or formal for things that need more attention. These meetings can help establish a relationship between the care worker and the family with the best interest of the child in mind. For example if a teacher suspects that a child has fallen out with their friends they may speak to the parents at picking up time after school so that the parents can have a word with the child and see what has happened.
Supporting children’s learning and development:
Care workers can help a child's learning and development by encouraging their motivation and enthusiasm for learning and trying new things, to help build confidence and self-esteem. They should also be given opportunities to make their own decisions, choices, and have a say in what happens to them, even if it is little things, to help give them a sense of independence, for example choosing what clothes they wear or what they would like to eat at lunch time. Whilst doing this, care workers can be observing the children and planning to progress the child's learning even more.
Valuing diversity:
Diversity in a setting like a school would be recognising that all individuals, for example within a classroom, have different unique backgrounds. These differences could be racial, cultural, religious, or could be more to do with school, for example different reading levels, athletic abilities, friendship groups, skills, sport clubs etc. When diversity is valued, it means that these differences between children are valued and encouraged. For example, for group tasks, the teacher could assign groups consisting of different academic abilities, rather than put all the children that works very quickly together, and all the children who work at a slower pace and often need teacher support to complete tasks.
Equality of opportunity:
Supporting equality of opportunity would be not favouring any children over others no matter what their background. Each child should be treated as an individual and given the same opportunities in class, for example to answer questions in class, share their ideas, and be given opportunities to gain praise.
Anti-discriminatory practice:
Anti-discriminatory practise can be supported in a school by giving the children time and support to learn about each other's individual differences, and encouraging these differences to be positive and appreciate them. The teacher could explain to the children that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and to encourage the strengths in each other, and support each other when their weaknesses show.
Maintaining confidentiality:
In a school setting, maintaining confidentiality is very important. This could be between staff members about children, or between staff and children. For example, if a student is having a problem and tells a teacher, the teacher shouldn't then go and tell other children without the first child's consent. The teacher could encourage the child to speak to their parents about it, or another family member, and shouldn't force them to do so or tell anyone else unless their safety is at risk.
Reflective practitioners:
Care workers can be reflective in many ways, for example they can monitor themselves during a week, and take note of any things they feel they need to improve on, and put themselves in for extra training. In a school setting this could be if a teacher feels they aren't dealing with children's arguments very well they could speak to their head of department and discuss how the teacher can help resolve children's arguments effectively.
The strengths and weaknesses of using these values:
Strengths: The strengths of using the above values are that they improve the quality of care that the service user receives in many ways, in turn improving the life of the service user and helping them achieve what they need, whether it be to get healthy again or to live in their own home with the help of visiting carers.
The values improve the quality of care in many ways such as ensuring that effective communication is achieved between the service user and the care worker, for example by working in partnership with parents and families. Doing this ensures that the child is supported both when they are being cared for and at home, and the communication ensures that both the care workers, for example teachers at the child’s school, and the families are aware of what is happening in each place and can continue to support the child and ensure they get what they need.
They also make sure that everyone is able to access the services they need by promoting equality and diversity of the people who use the services. This means that everyone who needs help will be able to receive it, and will not be discriminated against meaning they will be confident in accessing the services they need and want to receive and not be made to feel like they don’t deserve them.
Maintaining confidentiality ensures that information between care workers and service users is kept private which empowers the service user to tell who they want to tell and not have everyone know what is going on with them in regards to health and care, which could make them feel embarrassed or condescended.
Weaknesses: The main weakness of these care values is that there is no way to force absolutely every care worker to adhere to them, and it is likely that in some small cases that care workers will go against these values and things like discrimination, abuse, and breach of confidentiality, for example, will occur. It is very hard to monitor everyone in playing their part to stick to these care values, however if everyone plays their part, for example managers of care homes monitoring their staff and punishing those who do discriminate or abuse service users, it will minimise the likelihood of this kind of behaviour happening, in turn improving the overall quality of care for service users everywhere.
Conclusion of the benefits for care workers, service users and the service itself:
Using these care values will not only improve the overall quality of care that the service users receive, they will also make care workers’ jobs a lot less hassle, for example the communication between the care workers and service users will be improved; the relationships between the care worker and the service user will be improved; the service user will feel confident that the information they share is being kept private etc. All of these factors play a part in making the service user a lot more comfortable around the care workers so that they will feel like their dignity is being respected and making an overall improvement for pretty much all aspects of the service that they are receiving, leaving a good result on the service user as they get all of their needs assessed and cared for, The care worker does their job properly and will get praised for this and find it a lot easier, which in turn improves the quality of the service as a whole.