Unit 2 Children’s health and well-being Session 4

Explain the role of the early years practitioner: Understand the needs of children during transition and significant events. Identify transitions and significant events that a child may experience. Discuss potential effects of transition and significant events on a child’s life. Explain the role of the early years practitioner: in preparing a child for a planned transition in supporting the needs of children during transition and significant life events.

Re-cap............................ What do you understand by the term ‘transitions’? What kind of transitions do people have in their lives? List them. How might we be affected by these? Write a list of possible positive and negative effects of transitions. Video – ‘Transitions’ with Professor Ted Wragg (4 mins) www.schoolsworld.tv/node/654

So.......Transitions and significant events are Transitions are changes or moves, in this case from one stage of life to another. The first transition that a child might make could be moving from home to a childminder. How these transitions are handled by both parents/carers and practitioners is very important for the well being of the child. Significant events would be experiences in a child’s life that may affect their development such as the divorce of their parents.

Class Discussion Activity........................ Josh is about to move from nursery to primary school. He has previously appeared to be a confident, friendly child. However, he has recently begun to become more ‘clingy’ to his key person, and tearful at the end of the day. What fears might Josh have? Use these to help you to identify his needs. Then consider how you can support those needs.

Did you consider ?????????????????? Basic information: for example, where are the toilets? Self-help skills: for example, being able to dress themselves. Strategies for making new friends in an unfamiliar setting. To organise themselves, for example, to know on what day they will need their PE kit. They will also have emotional needs that should be addressed.

Lets take a look............. Research innovations that are in place in various settings and LEAs to support transitions for children. Evaluate the innovations and schemes that you have found – do you think they are successful or not? Make a note of your sources. Useful resources: Examples of foundation stage transition projects from around the country www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Seamless_Transition.pdf Good practice resource – Early Years Foundation Stage to school transition project: Carousel Children’s Centre www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/good-practice-resource-early-years-foundation-stage-school-transition-project-carousel-children’s-ce

Links to Practice.......................... Prepare a questionnaire with questions about transition to ask your supervisor at your placement. Questions could include: How do you prepare children for transition? What policies and practices do you have in place to support children through transition? Have you ever had to support a child through a significant event – how did you manage it?

Lets take the test........

Do you consider their practices robust enough? Why/why not? Reflection ............. When you have interviewed your supervisor, evaluate the practices that your setting has in place to support children during transitions ?????? Do you consider their practices robust enough? Why/why not? How would you improve on their practices if you were writing a policy on how to plan for transitions?

Learning Objectives......................... Have learnt what transitions are and the significant events that a child may experience through their early life. Have considered the potential effects that these experiences may have on young children. Have considered the role of the early years practitioner in preparing a child for a transition and reflected on some case studies. Have also thought about the role of the early years practitioner in supporting the needs of children during transition and discussed a case study. Have researched schemes which are in place in various settings to support and improve transitions and found examples of good practice.