Early Child Development Paper Example

1.2: Summarize the role of the key person in promoting emotional well-being in relation to current frameworks.

The key person is involved with the promotion of the emotional health of the assign group of children. The key role is ensuring the safety and security of the child and it is beneficial to the parents and the child (Kelly 2015). The role is described in the EYFS and they address the needs of the children, ensuring they can comfortably adjust to a new environment. To facilitate this role, there must be effective communication between the parent and the key person. As described by the revised EYFS, each child must be assigned to a key person. Early Years Matters Foundations points out the necessity of a key person and essence of attachment (Perry 2018).

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The essence of the role played by the significant other is well pointed out by theories developed by Bandura, Vygotsky and Erikson. Bandura describes the adult in a relationship as the mentor while Vygotsky discerns the more knowledgeable other. In addition, Erikson identifies the guardian as the most essential person in the provision of the child's confidence.

The Roles of a Key Person:

Involvement with Parents

• Designs ways to ensure the participation of parents.
• Enhance the relationship between the stakeholders which include nursery and home ensuring rapport with parents (Kelly 2015).
• Ensure comfortable adjustment of the child in the nursery in addition to reassuring and comforting the parent. For instance, ensuring there is effective feedback.
• They ensure ample verbal feedback reinforced by feedback charts and planning sheets.
• They ensure the parents receive medicine and accident forms,
• Update parents with access information concerning their children in addition to settling the questionnaires received from home.

Addressing Child's Needs

• They seek to match a child to a practitioner appropriately.
• They have involved in planning for the child's needs since they have information on what the child requires and benefit them most.
• Using attributes of effective learning, they can formulate plans for children's specific individual needs (Kelly 2015).
• The key person is responsible for the child's specific needs and ensuring they are met. It means they learn all details ranging from a child's culture to background among other sensitive information (Kelly 2015). This information is the conveyed to the staff team for execution.
• Ensures the staff is aware of details such as allergies.

Record Keeping

• They have the responsibility of collecting evidence pertaining to the progress of the child. This can be presented in the form of photos or written observation.
• Ensure to keep records of how a child's learning process.
• The key person ensures the completion of progress summary sheets and keeps the tracking sheets.

1.3: Analyse the impact of secure relationships on a child's well-being

In our daily lives, relationships play a key role. Relationships are established with the people we interact with. Similarly, the relationship building process for children starts at birth, through daily interactions and even friendships at school. The success of a child's development is dependent on secure and trusting relationships (Kelly 2015). For instance, a safe and caring environment has positive effects on a child's emotional status ultimately impacting their developmental stages. Relationship building for children happens with those round them such as family members, primary caregiver, and practitioners among others. They help in learning social and emotional skills which have essential in the present and the future (Kelly 2015).

Considering relationship building in a nursery to help in children's development, the child has already established relationships with immediate family and potentially other children. The introduction to a new environment is quite unsettling since the children are out of their normal routine (Kelly 2015). The key person strategies are quite helpful to ensure the child settles in the new environment and get accustomed to the new faces. In new environments, the key person helps develop a good relationship with the child. This is essential since children with a sense security within a novice setting can easily explore and this provides a foundation within which they can build relationships with other workers and children. In addition to secure and trustworthy relationships, observation is another aspect through which children learn (Gavin 2014). When they observe positive aspects of other relationships, they tend to copy this behaviour. The combination of an ample emotional state and sense of identity derived from relationships enhance factors that aid in the development and learning such as confidence and independence.

Research has also identified the instances of "feral" children who are those lacking the chance to build attachments (Gavin 2015). The examination of cases in which children did not form early attachments can help establish the effects of secure relationship on the emotional wellbeing of a child. It has been determined that these early attachments offer security and stability which is critical in the development of a child's life both in the present and in the future (Segal et al., 2018).

2.2: Discuss potential effects of transition and significant events on a child's life.

The impacts of transition can either be positive or negative in the development of children. This is highly dependent on the management of the transitions and support offered. Children are usually anxious about leaving their usual environment and having to deal with the new environment. Worries that accompany this change can affect learning and development if not addressed. Additional significant events such as the demise of a parent can affect a child unless they are identified and addressed. It is essential to note that a child does not always portray distress signs and therefore the practitioner is required to identify any changes and offer the necessary support (Topics, 2016). Moving a child from an environment that is unstable to one which is stable can improve their emotional well-being. Changes such as divorce can have a significant effect on children since they have been left with a feeling of bereavement. This introduces a feeling of fear and confusion about could potentially happen in the future. In some cases, the child feels responsible for the breakdown and this distraction can negatively affect their learning and development process. This can also project aggressive or withdrawn behaviours. Additional physical movement such as house or area can emotionally affect a child. This is because they are leaving already established relationships.

Unlike older children, younger children have the inability to understand and explain their feelings with ease. In times of transition, they require increased help and support. An insignificant incident to an older person may be traumatizing for a child (Topics, 2016). Younger people and older children have the capability to understand and address their emotions, unlike younger children. Traumatic incidents in young people can be displayed in the form of being withdrawn. Teaching staff are critical by showing positive support using various strategies such as support and reassurance and listening to their problems. Changes in schedules and surrounding might be problematic for children to adjust. Transition may be problematic to older children too. In case they are struggling to settle, it might affect their development (Topics, 2016). They can be prepared to deal with such transition by informing them what to expect.

Transitions and significant events can potentially have long term implications for the children. This is mostly the case if the children are not supported during the entire transition process (Topics, 2016). Long term impacts include self-harming or abusive behaviour, anger, avoidance of social interactions, being withdrawn, and lack of concentration, depression and strained relationships among others.

2.3: Explain the role of the Early Years practitioner in:

Preparing a child for a planned transition:

It is critical for a child to be adequately prepared in case of a scheduled transition. This is the role of a practitioner as they have to keen on concerns and inform the child appropriately. There are various ways a practitioner can use to prepare a child for a planned transition and include:

• Planning tours to the novice environment
• Utilizing 'circle time' to deals with raised problems
• Empathizing with the child
• Ensuring the new teacher has all the information concerning the child
• Establishing effective links with other practitioners for follow up purposes (Patel, 2018).

Supporting the needs of children during transition and significant life events:

In addition to a child's concerns during the transition, it is important for practitioners to keenly consider what they need bearing in mind that they do not always voice their frustrations. However, their behaviours may be an indicator of what they are going through. Such behaviours include being withdrawn or being regressive (Patel, 2018). This means the practitioner is required to learn the exact needs of a child. Additionally, children may feel the need to voice their fears. The practitioner can us cuddly toys to this effect.

References

Gavin, M. 2014. Communication and Your Newborn. [online] Kidshealth.org. Available at: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cnewborn.html [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Gavin, M. 2015. Learning, Play, and Your Newborn. [online] Kidshealth.org. Available at: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/learnnewborn.html [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Kelly, K. 2015. The role of the key person - Early Years Careers. [online] Early Years Careers. Available at: http://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/latest-news/the-role-of-the-key-person/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Kelly, K. 2015. Why secure relationships can help children's development - Early Years Careers. [online] Early Years Careers. Available at: http://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/early-years-practice/why-secure-relationships-can-help-childrens-development/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Patel, A. (2018). Supporting Transitions in the Early Years | A Unique Child | Teach Early Years. [online] Teachearlyyears.com. Available at: https://www.teachearlyyears.com/a-unique-child/view/supporting-transitions-in-the-early-years [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Perry, B. 2018. Attachment: The First Core Strength. [online] Teacher.scholastic.com. Available at: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/attachment.htm [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Segal, J., Glenn, M. and Robinson, L. 2018. What is Secure Attachment and Bonding? Understanding the Different Ways of Bonding and Communicating with Your Child. [online] Helpguide.org. Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/what-is-secure-attachment-and-bonding.htm [Accessed 5 Aug. 2018].

Topics, Sample Papers & Articles Online for Free. (2016). Transitions and their effect on development. [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/transitions-and-their-effect-on-development-essay [Accessed: 30 Jul. 2018]