1. Unit 18 Assessing Children’s Development Support Needs
Learning Aim: C

2. Assessment Criteria

3. C - Explore how assessment is used to identify children’s stages of growth and development and their support needs
C1 – Assessment methods
C2 – the contribution of assessment to the promotion of children’s growth and development

4. Assessment Methods
Task: describe what the 4 different types of assessment are, giving an example of each:
Formal
Informal
Formative
Summative

5. Assessment Methods
Formal - Formal assessments have data which support the conclusions made from the test. 
Informal - Informal assessments sometimes referred to as criterion referenced measures or performance based measures, should be used to inform instruction.
Formative - Given throughout the learning process, formative assessments seek to determine how students are progressing through a certain learning goal.
Summative - The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark e.g. a test

6. Assessment Methods Formal
Testing, usually carried out at certain stages during a child’s development e.g. EYES Profile completed for each child at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage and passed on to primary schools as they move into KS1
Informal
Usually ongoing and more relaxed, they provide a developmental picture of the progress a child is making, usually used to plan for short-term future. Often carried out through observation on a daily basis
Formative
Looks at a child’s progress in all areas at different times through observations which help inform what stage o development the child is in and how to plan for further development.
Summative
Focuses on the outcome of learning, so usually occurs at the end of a period of learning (e.g. end of school term / year). Used to check the child is progressing at the correct level of development to see if support is needed.

7. Developmental Screening Programmes
Antenatal screening
Task: use the websites below to research the different forms of antenatal screening
- name of the test
- description of how it’s carried out
- identify what conditions / factors it is screening

8. Developmental Screening Programmes
Antenatal screening
Blood tests (to check for infectious diseases or inherited conditions)
Urine tests (to check for protein or sugar in urine)
Weight (ascertain a healthy weight gain and monitor any loss or rapid gain)
Ultra-sound scans (check growth and abnormalities

9. Developmental Screening Programmes
Screening checks at birth
Task: use the website below to research the different screening checks carried out at birth
- name of the test
- description of how it’s carried out
- identify what conditions / factors it is screening

10. Developmental Screening Programmes
Screening checks at birth
Blood spot screening
A small blood sample taken from the baby’s heel to test for conditions suck as sickle cell disease, phenylkentonuria or cystic fibrosis
Physical examination
Usually carried out within 72 hours of birth, with a 2nd exam around 6-8 weeks.
Includes measurements such as weight, head circumference and length, checking the heart, hips, eyes, and in boys-whether the testes have descended.
Hearing test
Early ID of hearing loss can help prevent delay in other associated areas such as speech.

11. Developmental Screening Programmes
Ongoing screening throughout childhood
These are designed to identify problems or developmental delays throughout childhood such as
Learning difficulties
Emotional and behavioural conditions, including autism
Hearing impairment
Visual impairment
Height and weight
Speech and language
Task: research the different types of screening that can be carried out throughout childhood to assess a child’s development in the above areas.

12. Growth Monitoring
Measuring and recording growth
Centile Charts
Task: use the growth charts to answer the following questions:
- What does WHO stand for?
- Why do we use growth charts?
- What growth measurements should be taken of children?
- when should an infant / child be weighed?
- when should they be measured for height?
- how do you assess weight loss after birth?
- what do the centiles mean?
- What is the normal rate of weight gain and growth?
- why do length/height centiles change at 2 years?
- How can you predict adult height?
- How do you calculate BMI?

13. Assessment frameworks
Task: Read through the information on CAF and Curriculum Frameworks to find out what they are used for, what they involve and why they’re important to help children’s development.
Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
Curriculum Frameworks
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
National Curriculum
(It may also be useful to ask about these and find out information from your work placements, or the school’s SEN department)

14. How to plan and carry out assessment through observation
Task: Use the Health and Social Care Book 2 (pg153 – 156) to find out how to carry out an assessment, relating to the following headings:
Methods of recording (10 different methods)
Areas of development to consider
Timing and environmental considerations
Ethical issues associated with working with children
How to use milestones to compare a child’s stage of development against typical development
How and Why it’s important to Involve parents in assessments
(It may also be useful to ask about these and find out information from your work placements, or the school’s SEN department)

15. Methods of recording Spontaneous description
Anecdotal written account of what happens as it happens
Structured observation
Observing children taking part in a planned learning activity
Non-participant observation
The observer watches the children without taking part in the activity or interacting in any way with the children
Participant observation
The observer take an active part in an activity and interacts with a child or children to extend their learning
Structured recording
Using audio or video recordings. The observer must seek specific permission to use audio or video recordings of children
Checklist or pre-planned schedule
Observing the children’s skills by comparing them using a developmental checklist
Time sample
Observing a child’s play or interaction at short intervals over a longer period of time
Event sample
Observing a child’s behaviour at certain times e.g. on arrival at nursery
Sociogram
Used to show an infant class child’s understanding of friendship groups.
Tracking
Establishing which areas of the setting the child moves to, or keeps returning to, and which resources they engage with.

16. Importance of sharing information
Qu: Why is it important to share information on children with:
With colleagues
With other professionals
With the child and their family
Qu: How could not sharing the information properly affect the child?

17. Contribution of assessment to the promotion of children’s growth and development
Qu: Why is it important to gain early identification of children failing to grow or thrive?
Qu: Why is it important to gain early identification of atypical development?
(page 458 of book 2)

18. Interventions to support and promote development
Task: Use the website links on the next slide, and page on book 2, to research the following types of intervention and support to help promote development. You may also find out more about these through your work placements.
Care plans
Learning plans
Behaviour plans
Specialist support from health professionals

19. Interventions to support and promote development
Care plans
Learning plans
Behaviour plan
Specialist support from health professionals

20. The importance of monitoring and reviewing interventions
Qu: Why is it important to monitor and review any interventions put in place, on a regular basis, to help support a child’s development