Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required by those working with children to ensure the child's physical and emotional well being is maintained and their self sufficiency is nurtured

Application 

This unit may apply to work with children in a range of community service contexts

Workers may be under direct supervision or working autonomously

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Provide physical care

1.1 Organise opportunities and type of rest  according to child's needs and context

1.2 Create an environment conducive to rest

1.3 Provide quiet area for children to access as needed

1.4 Assist children with hygiene  according to child's need

1.5 Deal with toileting accidents in a manner that protects the child's self-esteem and privacy

1.6 Provide appropriate food and drink to children in a hygienic manner and supervise children in eating and drinking

1.7 Dress children according to the need and prevailing whether conditions and acknowledge their clothing preferences whenever possible

1.8 Ensure children's nutritional needs are addressed by food provided meeting children's nutrition requirements

2. Create opportunities for children to develop their understanding of physical needs 

2.1 Explain nutritional needs to children in a suitable language

2.2 Explain hygiene practices  and demonstrate through positive staff practices and daily routines

2.3 Explain safety issues and demonstrate procedures

2.4 Support children to understand the relationship between physical activity and good health

2.5 Offer opportunities for children to participate in food preparation and procurement

3. Establish an environment that encourages children to complete tasks themselves

3.1 Make required materials accessible for children

3.2 Make available sufficient time for the child to do the task in an unhurried way

3.3 Encourage all attempts and speak about them respectfully

3.4 Make available sufficient time, if wanted by the child, for children to practise and develop their skills

4. Respond to the emotional  needs of children

4.1 Develop routines appropriate to the child's developmental stage and provide a stable and predictable environment

4.2 Identify and respond to children's feelings openly, appropriately and with respect

4.3 Encourage children to communicate, listen and treat them with respect

4.4 Encourage opportunities to express feelings and emotions appropriately

4.5 Deal with emotional outbursts in a calm and consistent manner whilst minimising disruption to other children

4.6 Comfort children when hurt or distressed

4.7 Ensure children are informed appropriately and prepared for any change

5. Settle new arrivals

5.1 Observe parents and children for signs of stress/ distress on arrival

5.2 Begin interaction with the child while parents are still present to minimise abruptness of separation

5.3 Encourage parents to take as much time as needed to have a relaxed, unhurried separation from their child

5.4 Establish routines to minimise distress at separation of parent and child 

5.5 Respond to child's distress  at separation from parent in a calm reassuring manner

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Individual differences of children in need for rest and sleep/rest patterns
• Different practices and routines used by different families and their underlying cultural or personal rationale
• Nutrition needs of children at all ages and awareness of contemporary issues of childhood obesity, health with physical activity and balanced nutrition
• Policies, regulations and guidelines about hygiene standards for food handling
• Organisation standards, policies and procedures
• Storage of food - temperatures
• Child development
• Impact on children of a range of social, environmental, health and family issues, including long or frequent periods of hospitalisation
• Importance of self-esteem/competence and how to foster it
• Effect of organising the environment
• Link between care environment and home
• Importance of individuality
• Expectations about a range of self help skills within cultural backgrounds of children
• Organisation standards, policies and procedures
• Impact of changes for children
• How emotional needs are expressed - directly and indirectly
• Children's responses to grief, loss and separation
• Organisation standards, policies and procedures
• Children's physical development and skill development

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Provide quality physical care for children including ensuring adequate rest, food and drink and using and promoting hygienic practices
• Provide food according to nutrition adequacy guidelines
• Ensure opportunities for rest are provided and are varied according to the age of the child, their cultural background, development and needs
• Implement and promote hygiene taking into account child's age, development, cultural background and needs
• Provide all aspects of physical care to children, including:

• provision of food and drink
• provision of adequate food and drink, which is varied according to age, culture, development and needs of the child

• Provide a range of experiences and an environment which encourages independence
• Set up environments and equipment to facilitate physical experiences and play
• Promote physical activity to children
• Provide a safe and secure environment which enables children to be themselves and to manage change
• Respond to children's emotional needs, giving due regard to child's age, culture, development and need, including children with severe illness or long /frequent periods of hospitalisation

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

• Demonstrate application of skills in:

• food preparation including cooking
• time management
• interpersonal relationship
• organising environment and time management
• effective communication (staff, children, parents)
• evaluation and promote problem solving
• observation
• willingness to be reflective
• empathy with child's feelings

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• This unit is best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions, for a range of age groups, a range of conditions and over a number of assessment situations

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
• Resources required for assessment include access to range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement, including access to:

• a childcare workplace
• children's services, resources and equipment
• the local environment

Method of assessment :

• In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects of this unit in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'What if?' scenarios
• Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
• Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a 'period of time' and/or in a 'number of locations', any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Rest may include :

• Sleep
• Time sitting quietly

Rest provisions may vary according to :

• The venue at the time child needs rest
• The child's need for rest
• Other children's needs
• Space available

Bedding preferences may vary due to :

• Cultural practices e.g. hammock
• Child's preferences e.g. soft toy

Adjusting the environment for children's rest may include adjustments to :

• Level of noise
• Light, temperature and ventilation

Personal hygiene may include :

• Hand washing
• Toileting
• Blowing nose
• Bushing teeth/rinsing mouth after meal

Hygiene practices taught may vary with child's age , and may include :

• Flushing toilet paper after use
• Discarding tissues in bin after use
• Washing hands before eating, after toileting
• Cleaning teeth or rinsing mouth after eating

Different family and cultural practices which may be relevant to hygiene include :

• Age to commence toilet training
• Eating food with utensils or fingers
• Hair care practices

For children with a physical or developmental disability :

• A hygiene plan is developed according to the needs of the child

For clothing , weather conditions that may need to be considered are :

• Heat
• Cold
• Rain

Preparation of food in hygienic manner will be according to :

• Appropriate regulatory requirements relating to food handling and hygiene
• Alternative methods of cooling food and drink may need to be developed in remote or isolated areas (e.g. Hessian cooling bag)

Appropriate washing and drying of utensils and crockery and cutlery may include via :

• Hand washing in hot, soapy water
• Dishwashing

Organisation procedures for food preparation may include :

• Use of gloves when handling some foods
• Procedures for supervision
• Use of planners such as 'Lunchbox Checklist for Food Brought from Home' and 'Nutrition Checklist for Long Day Care Menu Planning'.

Relevant life skills related to their physical needs will vary with the child's age /stage of development :

For toddlers :

• Toileting
• Eating independently
• Care of own possessions
• Preparing drinks
• Sun safety practices

For 3 to 5 year olds :

• Nutrition
• Meal time
• Dressing and undressing
• Selecting clothes to wear
• Fastening shoes
• Washing hands
• Who to turn to for assistance
• Bathing
• Doing up/undoing shoes
• Putting away bedding
• Making choices

continued  ...

Relevant life skills related to child's physical needs  (contd ):

For 6 to 12 year olds :

• Responsible for care of own possessions
• Knowing when to act and when to wait
• Decisions regarding use of pocket money on excursions, within parental guidelines and limits
• Who to turn to for assistance and advice
• Preparing snacks and drinks
• Care of own health and physical needs
• Basic cooking
• Relaxation
• Stress management
• Time management
• Prioritising
• Nutritional needs

Ways of fostering the development of self help skills will vary according to the age of the child :

For infants :

• Encourage responding to matching while dressing/undressing e.g. arm to sleeve
• Through care routines and daily experiences

For toddlers :

• Provide sufficient time e.g. Undressing before rest
• Encourage efforts
• Children may choose from a range of clothes
• Give support when necessary
• Encourage all attempts at self help

For 3 to 5 year old children :

• Provide opportunities for children to learn to fasten their shoes
• Store clothes so that they are accessible to children
• Personal belongings are stored accessibly

For 5 to 12 year old children :

• Explanation
• Demonstration
• Debate and discussion
• Jointly participating in task
• Use of written instructions

Explanations of nutritional needs will vary according to the age of the child  - for the older child explanations may include :

• Healthy eating patterns
• Body image
• Anorexia
• 'Diets'
• Menstruation
• Sexual development

Understanding of physical needs may be promoted through :

• Discussions
• Demonstrations
• Pamphlets
• Guest speakers

A child may display their distress by :

• Withdrawal
• Aggressive behaviour
• Tears

Behaviour which is out of character for an individual child may be :

• Quiet behaviour in a boisterous child
• Noisy behaviour in quiet child

Routines to minimise distress at separation of parent and child may include :

• Opportunities for a relaxed and unhurried separation of parent and child
• Repeated prior visits to the service prior to parent's departure
• Routine of short separation times prior to lengthy separations
• Comfortable chairs where parents can relax with child prior to departure

Respond to child's distress may be by :

• Physical comfort
• Sitting and listening
• Talking through a problem
• Giving child their comforter e.g. Dummy, toy
• Distraction

Emotional needs of children may be due to :

• School problems
• Changes in family circumstances
• Accidents that may occur during care
• New to child care, separation from familiar people and places
• Family relationships
• Interactions with other children
• Major changes in child's life e.g. Migration, losses
• Death of a pet
• Loss of special toy
• Ill health
• Embarrassing events that occur during time in care or just prior

Children may be involved in decisions about :

• The layout of equipment
• Routines
• Choice of activities

Changes may include :

• Change of countries
• New children/workers starting in the service
• Children/workers leaving the service
• Visitors
• Students