CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare

and Education
Unit 2: Children’s health and well-being
 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Introduction

Being able to support a child’s health and well-being is incredibly
important for the childcare practitioner. This provides the foundations
for a child and allows them to thrive in any environment and become
the best that they can possibly be going into their teens and later years.

Throughout this unit we will take a close look at the health requirements
of children during various different stages of their development and how
childcare practitioners are able to promote a healthy lifestyle. This is
very important to childcare practice and the knowledge and routines
which children are started on from an early age will stay with them
throughout their lives.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Attachment and secure relationships

Babies develop ‘attachments’ with their parents and other key members
of their family through a gradual process. From around six weeks to
three months babies can be described as being at the ‘indiscriminate
stage’ of attachments; this means that they begin to show an attraction
to human voices and faces and they usually start to smile at around six
weeks of age. The indiscriminate stage continues to around eight
months of age although during this time the baby will begin to learn to
distinguish between faces and will be able to show pleasure when
someone familiar comes into view. Babies of this age are happy in
human company and are often content to be handled by strangers.

‘Specific’ or ‘primary’ attachments start to emerge after eight months
when the baby has learned to recognise, and therefore miss, familiar key
people in their lives – this in turn leads to distress for example when the
familiar adult leaves the room or goes out of view. Often babies will
develop one particularly strong attachment (usually the mother) and this
is referred to as the ‘primary’ attachment.

Following on, at around eight months and older, babies will begin to
develop ‘multiple’ attachments whereby they form a number of
attachments. This is the start of the important socialisation process.

Emotional Development of Children from Birth to Sixty Months

Birth to eleven months – By the time a baby reaches 5-6 weeks, they
will begin to smile. However, long before they reach eleven months
these smiles will have developed into chuckles. Young babies are very
trusting. However, by the time they reach 6-9 months they will begin to
develop feelings of insecurity and may become very distressed if their
mother or main carer goes out of their sight.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Eight to twenty months – Children between these ages are happiest in

the company of the people they know and trust. Often they will imitate
the moods of others, and their own feelings can be very changeable as a
result. They are now beginning to show preferences and are increasingly
aware of the moods of those around them.

Sixteen to twenty six months – Children will now be able to describe
how they are feeling. Their emotions will be very strong at this age, and
they may be overpowering, frightening and difficult for the child to
control.

Twenty two to thirty six months – By now children are able to express
themselves confidently. They will have developed an understanding of
the unknown and may become fearful of people and situations they are
unsure of.

Thirty to fifty months – Emotions will still be difficult for a child of this
age to control although their understanding of emotions will be more
advanced. They may still be afraid of the unknown as their imagination
progresses. However, they should be confident and willing to try out
new activities and take part in new experiences in a positive manner.

Forty to sixty months – Children should now be capable of forming good
relationships with others and should have a wide circle of friends. They
will be confident of trying out new experiences and should be capable of
maintaining attention and concentration for a reasonable length of time.
Children should be encouraged to contribute to and value their own
well-being.

The emotional environment is created by the warmth and care provided
by the practitioner. Children who trust the person caring for them and
who feel happy and secure will have the confidence to explore and
learn.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Early Years practitioners need to know how to observe and respond to

the children in their care in order to provide for their emotional needs
and to build an
environment which
is safe and secure in
which children can
feel welcome,
involved and
motivated.

The emotional
environment needs
to reflect diversity
and should avoid any kind of stereotypical images or approaches. All
children, regardless of their background, culture, religion, ability or
gender, should feel welcome and valued, and no child should be
discriminated against.

The best types of environments are those which are regularly changing.
Environments which can be easily adapted provide the best space for
learning. Children’s interests are many and varied and they change
often; therefore an ideal environment is one which takes these changes
into account and is able to respond appropriately to them.

Emotional development, like all other areas of development, is a gradual
process and practitioners need to show care and understanding when
guiding children through this difficult transition in their lives. Early Years
Practitioners need to make sure that children are aware that they can
express their feelings and that when they do so their behaviour will not
threaten the relationship they have with them.

Children should be encouraged to be open up and discuss their feelings
from a very young age and this can be done with the frequent use of
conversation. Talk to the children in your care and ask them how they
are feeling. One of the most common greetings between adults is ‘How

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

are you?’ However, how many times have you been guilty of asking this
question automatically without ever really hearing the reply? When you
talk to children about their feelings it is essential that you listen to and
respond to their reply. Encouraging a child to open up and talk about
their emotions is completely pointless if you are not prepared to listen
to what they have to say. When listening to children explain to you
about their feelings, respond by talking about your own feelings and
how you express yourself in certain situations.

Children will eventually become more
considerate towards others once they
have learned to make sense of their own
feelings and they understand how these
feelings cause them to think and act in
certain ways.

Children who experience tantrums need
extra care and consideration.
Practitioners should not dismiss tantrums
as a form of ‘naughty behaviour’.
Children who are frustrated, perhaps due
to a lack of communication skills, and are
unable to make themselves understood
often resort to tantrums. It is not a good idea to confront, negotiate or
try to reason with a child who is having a tantrum as these strategies will
rarely work when a child is very upset or angry. Instead, allow the child
to calm down and explain to them that you will listen to what they have
to say and try to sort the problem out once they have had a chance to
control themselves and curb their anger. When the child has had time to
reflect on their behaviour and has calmed down suitably, you should
invite them to explain how they felt in order for you to understand what
triggered the tantrum in the first place. By doing this you will be better
equipped to understand the child and hopefully, after talking things
through, they will be in a better position to try to avoid a repeat of the
behaviour.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Promoting emotional well-being

All Early Years Practitioners should be able to work with children to
promote their emotional well being. This requires an understanding of
each child in question and an ability to work with parents and carers to
fully understand the needs of a child.

Simple observations of children are usually enough for a practitioner to
understand the mood of a child at any one time. By getting to know each
child in your care and recognising when they are not themselves you can
spot signs of illness or unhappiness quickly. For example, if a child who is
usually talkative and happy is suddenly more reserved and tentative, a
practitioner may think that there is an issue that requires solving.
Practitioners must carry out a range of duties in their role such as:

! Ensuring that each child is happy.
! Helping children to grow and develop- this means giving
opportunities for them to be independent.
! Inspiring confidence in children and ensuring they have the correct
tools to succeed.
! To help build resilience, perseverance and self-reliance.

When promoting emotional well-being in children, practitioners must
ensure that children are supported so that they can be independent.
This can include a baby that is trying to feed themselves, children who
tidy up their own mess or toddlers that are able to wipe their own faces,
collect their own food or wash their hands independently.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

How secure relationships impact a child’s well-being

Having secure and strong relationships throughout childhood will have a
huge impact upon a child’s well-being and relations into later life. By
having an adult who children can learn from and be influenced by,
children can socialise and develop much faster. From the ages of around
3 and 4 years, practitioners will begin to plan play opportunities for
children in small groups. This is done at this age as a child will have the
right concentration levels to engage with others and learn in a group.
Practitioners must ensure that they plan opportunities such as this very
carefully and ensure that each child is actively participating and playing
cooperatively.

Socialisation

Within the early years setting, children should be taught to become
social and learn how to make friends with children from all backgrounds.
Having secure relationships with practitioners, parents as well as other
children will inspire trust and collaboration from a very young age.

Socialisation will change as a child ages and often begins with parallel
play where two or more children will play with the same materials in
close proximity. Learning
to share and be
cooperative from such
an early stage will be
vital to learning further
into childhood. At older
ages, children will learn
to share and take turns
with toys as well as
begin to take care of
others around them.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Supporting behaviour and socialisation

Practitoners and parents will model behaviour at all times for children
who will see this and pick up new skills. Using the right behaviour and
manner, as well as planning play opportunities correctly, will ensure that
positive behaviour is presented and therefore copied by children in your
care.

There are a huge number of times when practitioners can model correct
behaviour for children to follow. These can include, but are not limited
to:

! Snack and meal times- having the correct behaviour and social codes
throughout meal times, for example using cutlery and eating
appropriately.
! During play- learning to share and take turns when playing is very
important and this is learned directly from adults in the setting.
! Caring for the environment- by caring for the environment, including
toys and resources, tidying up areas which have been used and
keeping areas generally tidy will be passed to children.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Implications of not providing secure relationships

Should a child not be given an enabling and supported environment in
which to grow and develop they will not achieve to the same standards
as other children. The same is true when secure relationships are not
present in early years.

Without secure relationships, a child’s social development will be
impaired massively, as will their well being and holistic development.
Children need a practitioner that is there to help and support them at all
times to ensure they learn quickly- this is the main reason for each child
in a setting being assigned a key person. This key person will be the main
point of contact for parents as well as the person who has a special bond
with the child. If this relationship is not to a high standard then the child
in question will suffer massively as they will not have the same access to
learning opportunities. If secure relationships are not experienced then
children can suffer a number of poor factors:

! Reduced speech and language development- without adults to
interact with, a child will not be able to pick up certain speech
techniques and their language will be impaired.
! Poor socialisation- children that do not make friends or have any
ways of communicating will suffer poor socialisation and fail to
integrate into groups.
! Reduced knowledge and skills- without strong bonds with others,
children will not be able to learn through watching and mirroring
other people. This will hinder their ability to learn new skills and
develop knowledge of the world.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Transitions

All children will experience change in some way or another during their
life time. This may be due to starting nursery or school, moving house,
welcoming a sibling into the family etc. How children cope with change
varies enormously and will, on the whole, depend on the child’s age,
understanding and how they have been prepared for the change.
Although change can be exciting, some children may experience anxiety
and apprehension at the unknown and the challenges which lay ahead
can often be daunting. Children often dislike uncertainty therefore
preparation is key; explaining to a child what lays ahead can put their
mind at rest and apprehension can be changed into expectation when
dealt with in the correct way.

The most effective way of promoting a child’s health, educational and
emotional needs is for all practitioners involved in their care and the
child’s parents to work together as a team. This may take extra time and
consideration if the child is attending more than one setting but it is
essential if stability is to be maintained and the child is to remain secure
and stress free.

Change in a child’s life may be brought about by a number of
possibilities such as:

! Changing Early Years practitioner
! Starting school
! Birth of a sibling
! Breakdown of the parents’ marriage/relationship
! Death of a close relative
! Disability
! Moving house

In some cases outside help may be sought from professionals who are
experts in their field and, once again, the child may experience
differences in personnel and routines. A child who is already feeling

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unsure and insecure may experience added pressure if other

professionals are introduced. This can affect their sense of belonging. It
is important for Early Years practitioners to work closely with the child,
their parents and other professionals in order to understand clearly both
the child’s and the family’s needs and to build on their strengths and
work through any problems effectively.

Continuity of care is one of the most important aspects of a child’s life
and it is this continuity which will ultimately make the child feel safe,
secure and valued. It is vital that practitioners communicate effectively
with everyone involved in the care of the child. A shared understanding
of the requirements and strengths of both the child and their family is
paramount and it is crucial to the child’s well-being and learning; this is
particularly important for children with special needs.

School transitions

One of the major
transitions which a
child undergoes is the
transition from nursery
to school. During this
period there are a
number of things which
the early years
practitioner can do to
ensure that each child
is supported and ready
to move on to new
things. To learn effectively within a school setting, children must be
physically and emotionally ready to learn in this new environment. This
involves the three prime areas of learning and development:

! Personal, social and emotional development- this relates to how
children behave and manage their own emotions as well as the

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relationships that they make with others. When in a large group at

school, children that cannot share or participate equally in activities
may find it hard to integrate.
! Physical development- how a child carries our basic tasks and
manages their own physical needs is covered in this area of
development. A child will need a good level of physical development
in order to control and use tools when at school or in order to take
care of themselves.
! Communication and language- communication for a child will ensure
that they have the ability to listen to other people and understand
what is said. It also helps children to express themselves effectively
while following instructions which are given- something which is vital
when starting school.

Working with parents and carers for school readiness

When preparing a child for school, an early years practitioner must work
with parents and carers to ensure that a child is as prepared as possible.
There is a range of different things that practitioners can do to support
this and information must be clear between the nursery and home
settings. Sharing information on a child’s progress as well as carrying out
formal checks can be undertaken to ensure that each child is ready for
this change. Certain events may be attended by a child such as:

! School visits
! Special support classes for children with additional needs or those
who use English as a second language
! Consultations between parents, carers and schools

By working to a strategy when preparing children for school, early years
practitioners and parents should discuss their concerns and keep each
other in the loop with regards to certain steps that have been
undertaken.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Effects of transitions on a child

When undergoing transitions there can be a range of effects that are
seen on children. Effects which are seen can either be short or long term
and different measures may be put in place to ensure that each child
undergoing a transition is fully supported and able to get through this
period successfully. Often adults can think that children are quick to
adapt and will therefore not be affected by a transition but this is not
always the case.

Short term effects on children in times of transitioning can include:

! Regression- if a child struggles to cope with a transition they may
well revert to earlier stages of development. This could be in the
form of moving backwards from being toilet trained to having
accidents or reverting to thumb-sucking as an act of comfort.
! Physical well being- in the short term, a child’s physical well being
may be affected as their immune system is not as effective at fighting
illness. This could result in an infection, disturbed sleep patterns or
loss of appetite, all of which can be signals that a child is not handling
a transition as well as hoped.
! Emotional affects- children can become more withdrawn during
times of transition which is a clear emotional indicator that they are
not handling the change well. Other children may also become
tearful, aggressive or angry very easily.

Most children handle transitions incredibly well but it is still a very good
idea to know how to spot any issues and deal with these appropriately.
Should you not deal with short term issues and allow these to build then
long term effects can become apparent. Long term effects to transition
may impact massively on a child’s life and could leave psychological
scars for many years to come. Because of this it is important that a child
is supported and helped when dealing with significant changes in their
life.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

The practitioner’s role in transitions

Often when a transition takes place in a child’s life they will be planned
and things can be put in place to ensure that a child is fully supported
throughout this period. Often the key worker of a child will play a vital
role throughout transitions and many things can be done to ensure the
impact on a child is minimised. Early Years practitioners must be able to
plan how to help a child through a transition and this is usually done
through partnerships with other people and settings including:

! Working with families- having close relations with the families of
children is essential to being able to strategise and plan how to tackle
transitions. By having a bond with parents and carers at all times you
will be able to stay in the loop with regards to any changes in mood
or temperament which may give clues as to how the child is handling
the situation.
! Working with other settings- should the child attend sessions at any
other setting (a school, nursery, play group or anything else) then
relations with these settings should be reviewed and strengthened.
Communication between different provisions will ensure that the
child is fully supported at all times through he change in their life.
! Working with other professionals- it may be that professionals work
with the child and their family as well as early years practitioners.
These may be health visitors, social services or health practitioners
which should be consulted if they are involved in the transition.
! Planning activities to support transitioning- by carrying out certain
activities with a child, practitioners can prepare children for
transitions and ensure that nerves are reduced. Activities will also
help a child to understand why a change is being undertaken and give
them a chance to ask questions and be reassured that the change is
not as scary as they may think initially.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Understanding the role of the key worker

The key person features heavily in the lives of children in a day care
setting but do we really know who the key person is and what their role
involves?

A key person is a consistent, caring person who is involved with a small
group of children in an early years setting. In the case of a childminder
working alone, they will be the key person for all the children in their
care. The key person will know a great deal about the children they are
responsible for. They will know about their development, their learning,
their emotional wellbeing, their abilities and disabilities, their likes and
dislikes, their fears and their achievements. For a relationship between
a child and their key worker to be effective, it is vital that they know
everything about the child which can affect their learning and
development. The key worker must not only work closely with the child,
they must also involve the child’s parents/carers in every aspect of the
child’s learning and development. Effective communication is therefore
very important if information is to be shared in a clear and concise way.

A good key worker keeps in mind certain important factors at all times
and never loses sight of the fact that:

! Parents/carers know their child/ren better than anyone
! Parents/carers are the first educators of their child/ren
! Trust between the key worker and the parent/carer is essential
! Respect must be shown at all times

Although much of the above appears to be common sense, Early Years
professionals who are highly experienced and have a lot of knowledge
about child development mistakenly believe that they know more about
a child than their parents/carers. In theory, the knowledge that they
have, whilst important, can be applied to all children whereas
parents/carers are generally only focused on their own children.

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 CACHE Level 3 Award in Childcare and Education

Home visits can be beneficial when beginning the important work

involved in building a good partnership between parents/carers and the
key worker. However, some parents/carers may be reluctant to allow
home visits to take place and this may be for a number of reasons. They
may not have the time, they may fear that they will be judged about
where they live, they may not understand the reasons behind a home
visit or they may simply think that it is not necessary. Although home
visits can be beneficial this is only the case if everyone is in agreement.
Often home visits are only planned through schools as staffing can be a
problem in day care settings and childminding setting.

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