Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to develop age and developmentally appropriate activities and programs for children participating in outside school hours care

Application 

This unit applies to the work undertaken in outside school hours care with children aged 5-12 years

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. Identify activity and/or program needs of children in outside school hours care

1.1 Collect information about children in outside school hours care through a variety of methods including asking the children

1.2 Observe children to identify strengths and issues

1.3 Use information collected to determine activity and /or program  needs of children in outside school hours care

1.4 Identify and review a range of possible age appropriate activities and programs that are suitable to the outside school hours care context 

1.5 Select activity or program based on children's expressed needs, organisation requirements and resource availability

1.6 Ensure knowledge of individual children's support and guidance needs is clarified with parents/carers, supervisor and child prior to working with child

2. Prepare activity and/or program plan

2.1 Undertake appropriate planning for activities and programs to ensure children's needs and organisation requirements  are met

2.2 Plan activities and programs in consultation with children, parents and other stakeholders

2.3 Determine operational arrangements  for conducting activities and programs and assess feasibility with budgets and timeframes

2.4 Include appropriate implementation and evaluation strategies  in the activity and program plan

2.5 Ensure planning activities reflect accepted good practice and industry standards  for working with children in outside school hours care

3. Implement outside school hours care activity and/or program

3.1 Implement activity or program according to plan, organisation guidelines and relevant industry standards

3.2 Provide children with access to a range of activities suited to their developmental needs and interests

3.3 Develop flexible implementation plans  to suit a variety of contexts and to respond to contingencies

3.4 Adapt activities and programs to changing needs of the group and dynamics as required

3.5 Respond to and manage implementation problems promptly and seek support where necessary from the supervisor

4. Evaluate activities and programs in outside school hours care

4.1 Define criteria to judge effectiveness of activity/ program in consultation with relevant stakeholders

4.2 Use appropriate evaluation strategies during and after activities/programs for revision and development

4.3 Prepare reports on activity/program outcomes as required

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:

• Budgetary and timeframe requirements for developing and implementing activities/ programs in outside school hours care
• Development factors relevant to the age group and appropriateness of the activity/program
• Evaluative processes for outside school hours care programs
• Issues related to specific environmental context of care
• Legislation and industry standards as they relate to activities delivered in the outside school hours care context
• Organisation policies, procedures and guidelines for program development, delivery and evaluation
• Planning processes for activities/programs
• Principles of inclusiveness and diversity in the care environment
• Relevance of the work role and functions to maintaining sustainability of the workplace, including environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability
• Safety issues and risk management strategies for children's health and safety in a variety of contexts:

• allergies and related medications
• appropriate meal preparation and provisions based on national guidelines for nutrition of children and adolescents
• basic home fire safety
• excursions and travel situations
• outdoor and indoor play areas

• Strengths-based approaches to support children's participation in outside school hours care
• Support strategies for ensuring participation of children in outside school hours care

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Develop, plan and implement age appropriate activities/programs
• Implement procedures relating to services offered by outside school hours care including, experiences, programs, inclusive practices, behaviour support
• Maintain safety of children in all outside school hours care contexts
• Work autonomously and in teams as required for implementation and evaluation of activities/programs
• Work with individuals and groups to implement activities/programs

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:

• Analyse information, data and relationships of children in care
• Demonstrate interpersonal communication with children (specifically skills such as listening, observation, leading discussions, questioning, clarifying)
• Effectively use technology for planning activities and programs
• Identify particular support needs of individual and groups of children
• Plan with a team in the outside school hours care environment
• Recognise and act upon opportunities to enhance sustainability in the workplace
• Respond appropriately to behaviours of risk
• Seek feedback from supervisor about performance
• Use engagement strategies for children to participate fully in out of school hours program

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 most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions
• Assessment must demonstrate consistency of application of skills and knowledge described in this unit of competency

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 relevant workplace or simulated realistic workplace setting where assessment may take place

Method of assessment :

• Assessment may include observation, questioning and evidence gathered from a workplace environment

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.

Activities and /or programs may include :

• Cultural needs/activities
• Developmental
• Homework assistance
• Life/social skills
• Recreational

Outside school hours care context may include :

• Before school and after school hours
• Excursions
• For children aged from 5-12 years
• Indoor use
• Outdoor use
• Technology based

Organisation requirements may include :

• Adherence to policies
• Health and safety
• Number of children
• Risk analysis
• Within budget

Health and safety issues may include :

• Adequate supervision at all times
• Children being seated and supervised at meal and snack times
• Covers on electrical sockets
• Fences and gates, locking mechanisms
• Gates on stairs
• Out of bounds areas
• Particularly close supervision in some areas
• Removal/locking away of dangerous substances
• Sun safe practices
• Vacuuming/sweeping floors to remove small or dangerous objects

Basic home fire safety includes knowledge of :

• Behaviour that may contribute to fire injury and/or fatality
• High fire risk groups
• Optimum placement of smoke alarms
• Referring client for smoke alarm installation and maintenance
• Role of a working smoke alarm
• Smoke alarm testing and cleaning
• Types of smoke alarms

Operational arrangements may include consideration of  :

• Contingency plans
• Existing activity/program plans
• Health and safety limitations
• Limitations of expenditure
• Number of children ratios
• Number of staff ratios

Implementation and evaluation strategies may include :

• Facilitating a trial activity
• Own reflections and observations
• Seeking feedback from children participating
• Seeking feedback from other staff
• Seeking feedback from parents/carers

Accepted good practice and industry standards refers to :

• Any legislated standards and/or regulations of care in out of school hours programs
• Standards set down by national and/or state/territory bodies responsible for ensuring the standards of care in out of school hours programs

Flexible implementation plans may include :

• Allowing for contingencies such as

• changes in the weather
• variation to numbers of children and ages participating
• absence of staff
• budget constraints
• lack of resources

Appropriate communication techniques may include :

• Checking understanding through restating using own words, summarising or asking questions
• Demonstrating interest in the topic using body language (e.g. make eye contact, lean forward, nod)
• Focusing attention on the child speaking
• Ignoring distractions
• Listening with the senses
• Responding to questions
• Suspending own opinions and emotions
• Taking a position close to the child speaking