Describe and explain the duties and responsibilities of your own work role. I work in a team with another childminder, sharing the same premises, so we share some of duties, but generally speaking, both of us are responsible for the children we looking for. My duties starts in the morning when I have to welcome the children, to help them getting the schuss changed and the coats tacked off, to record the time they came in and some information from parents if applicable. It is my responsibility to prepare the food for children and in the meantime to get involved in their activities.
We support the children in their personal development in different ways: explaining situations, setting some interesting activities for them, support their routine, being a good example, by assessing the risks to keep them safe. We give them the opportunity to learn things in their ways, without teaching them, but supervise them in their learning. We are responsible for the children hygiene and to keep them healthy, to respect the safety rules and to prevent and avoid the dangerous situations.
We make observation on the child achievements and the stages of development, which I share with parents and carers. I am trained to give first aid treatment if necessarily. As a childminder,I have to do some paperwork too, carrying risk-assessment for different situations, reporting incidents or accidents, recording the medicines given if applicable, making observation on the child behaviour and development, obtaining permission from parents if required, planning trips and activities. 1. 2 Identify and explain standards that influence the way your role is carried out. 1. 3
National Standards set out certain principles and values in order to ensure that the children and young people receive the best opportunity to develop and grow in the child care setting. We need to follow some regulations, such as The Children Act 2004; The Health and Safety and Work Act; The Data Protection Act; The Care Standards Act 2000. Ofsted, as a National Occupational Standard in England describe what an individual needs to know, do and understand, in order to carry out a particular job or function. For the childminders, the National Standard to follow is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) welfare requirements.
The aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five-Every Child Matters-outcome of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, and achieving economic well-being by:-setting the standards for the learning, development and care;-providing for equality and opportunity, ensuring that every child is included;-creating the framework for partnership working between parents and professionals;-improving quality and consistency in the early years sector and providing the basis for the inspection and regulation regime;-laying a secure foundation for future learning through learning and development that is planned around the individual needs and interest of the child. 1. 4 Describe ways you ensure that personal attitudes or beliefs do not obstruct the quality of your work.
The children develop early their beliefs, values and attitudes from what they see around and I’m trying to be a good example. I have also my own beliefs and values, which do not obstruct the quality of my work because, I know that most of them are positive attitudes; I value and respect every person around me. I am open mind and I respect the needs, wishes and preferences of individuals. I know different people from different cultures and that helps me to explain children about the differences they can see between their families and other families, regarding food, clothes or language. I respect the Inclusion Policy and I accept that every child is unique. 2. Write a detailed reflective account about a time you have reflected on your own practice and work activities. Explain how reflection has helped you to develop your knowledge, skills and practice. I am going to write about the time I have reflected on my practice as childminder on purpose to fill a self-evaluation form. I do have a lot of information but the most important thing is how to use it. I started with my starting points, my previous experience. Firstly I am mother of two children, one grown up and one teenager. When they were younger, I used to collaborate with all the professionals involved in their education. For three years I worked as teacher in my country.
Before starting the childminder course, I worked as childminder assistant for Viorica Timco and she advised me to complete this course because I have the skills to work with children in Early Years. I did this and I am registered childminder from September 2011. In March I had my first inspection and the service I was providing was classed only satisfactory, because some of my weaknesses including the missing of the self-evaluation. Of course there were lot of positive things such as an acceptable partnership with parents, supporting children learning English as an additional language, the measures to safeguarding the children, the food-safety and the first aid training, completion the course KIDS for children with special needs.
The premises are used appropriately, providing sufficient space for play, rest and dinning. Play resources are varied, reflective on the six areas of learning; the children are given the opportunity to have their own choices. After starting the self-evaluating process I was trying to find out the ways to improve my work. To assessing better children developmental progress I started to explore children’s starting points and to regularly identify strengths and area to develop, to promote positive outcomes for children. When I found out that some of the children are very possessive with the toys, I supported them cooperate fairly with them friends, and now they begun to take turns and play friendlier.
Following the discussions with the parents I found out many ways the children enjoy to learn, for example through songs or sticker books, and what further support they need to develop writing skills. I already displayed a range of numbers and shape posters and the children love to recognize them, but I have to set more math activities because some of the children is working below the expected national standards. To develop children’s creative development, I have to plan different activities such as messy play, because sometime I avoided it for the reason of the differences among the ages of children, founding difficult to supervise the smallest.
A solution could be to separate them for a while and to provide activities suitable for their age. I learned that planning in advance is the best way to obtain good results. Another area where I need improvement is the English language ,therefor I enrolled last years to the Redbridge College, ESOL evening classes, and this year I am studying at level 2 2. 2. Asses and explain how well your knowledge, skills and practice meets standards. To know if my knowledge, skills and practice meets the standards, I have to check the Early Years Foundation Stage framework requirements, because this is the National standard which influences my activity. EYFS principles: Meeting the individual needs of children I deliver personalized care, learning and development to help each child to get a good start in life. -Partnership working Regular information is provided to parents about activities undertaken by the children. -Play Most children play spontaneously, but some of them need adult support. Playing is important because through pay they develop intellectually, creatively, physically, socially and emotionally. I provide a balanced of child initiated and adult-led play based activities but my involvement will decrease over time. I observe the children’s play and I try to provide a challenging environment. -Quality improvement
I involve the parents in their children’s learning and development I complete all the required trainings and I try to get more qualification I am in contact with my local authority, to get advice when applicable Children are valued as unique individuals and diversity is respected On the premises there is enough space to play and opportunities to be outdoor with freedom to explore and be physically active I have a good partnership with the co-childminder I work with, and with the parents, to offer continuity an coherence I plan appropriate play and learning experiences based on the children’s interests and needs I’m making observation which helps me to evaluate and plan children’s development -Welfare requirements
All the people aged 16 or over who work or live in the house, and myself, we have CRB disclosure I conduct and review a risk assessment to ensure that premises, environment and equipment are suitable and safe. I have all the required documentation, the policies and procedures, the recording forms for incidents. I practice the emergency evacuation with the children, to be prepared in any emergency situation. To be sure I will meet the standards I reflect on my activity, I’m asking feedback from my colleagues, parents and from the tutor which support me gain the child care qualification , also I use their views to improve the quality of provision.
