Task 1
Learning Outcome 4. Understand the potential effects of transitions on children and young people’s development.
4.1. Explain how different types of transitions can affect children and young people’s
development.
Instructor comment: I do need to see a lot more detail. Please explain clearly the different types of transitions and their effect on the development of the child. Please be specific and clear about the area of development you are referring to.
Children inevitably experience significant events and different transitions as they develop and age. These periods of change from one experience or significant stage to another impacts them in diverse ways. Four types of transitions, whether anticipated or unpredicted, are common in most children. They include emotional, physical, intellectual, and physiological transitions. Emotional transition represents personal experiences that impact the child’s long-term emotional development or temporarily alter his or her emotional state. Events that trigger this type of transition include parents’ divorce, separation, or death, or changes in a family situation, including moving from one place of care to another. Emotional changes interfere with a child’s ability to apply rational thought processes to decode emotions. The transition may also over sensitize an individual to stress, leading to cases of overreaction to diverse situations. Physical transitions include moving to a new care setting, school, or moving from one activity to another. If the transitions are well handled, they result in positive attributes. Intellectual transitions include movement from one educational level to another, such as moving from pre-school to primary school. Experiencing puberty or medical conditions are major examples that affect a child’s physiological development. In this case, caregivers and teachers should be sensitive to minors’ needs and help them transition through each life event.
4.2. Explain the importance of children and young people having positive relationships through periods of transition.
Instructor comment: I do need to see a lot more detail. Please talk about your understanding of the theorists we studied (Bowlby and Ainsworth) and expand on why positive relationships are important.
Positive relationships during transitions are important for children’s best development. Stable, trusting, and nurturing associations between a child and a caregiver or a teacher constitute positive relationships that help children develop self-confidence. Positive relationships also help build a child’s secure attachment, self-reliance abilities, and self-esteem. Those who experience positive relationships with their caregivers, during transitions have a stronger sense of belonging and identity when compared to those who experience unstable and negative relationships. These associations further help secure positive long-term outcomes in emotional, education, physiological, and overall well-being. Transitions are as hard for children as they are for adults. Forming significant relationships ensures that children have guidance and encouragement at the points of change. Therefore, positive relationships play an essential role in holistic child development during transitions.
4.3. Evaluate the effectiveness of positive relationships on children and young people’s
development.
Instructor comment: I require a deeper evaluation for this, think about when a largely positive relationship might not have a positive effect.
Children and young people need consistency, trust, and effective bonds. The ability to form trusting bonds provides them with confidence and security needed to express their distress and feelings, especially during unpredictable transitions. Positive relationships form resilience and effective coping mechanisms. According to Carr and Rockett (2017), children who develop positive attachments feel valued, respected, cared for, wanted, and loved. These attributes increase their confidence levels exponentially and build rational thinking abilities that foster the right decision making. However, the effectiveness of positive relationships varies by the age of a child or young adult. A study conducted to determine the developmental variations in the effectiveness of parental support in children and adolescents in easing stress response indicates that support is more effective in younger children than in adolescents (Hostinar, Johnson, & Gunnar, 2015). The findings suggest that positive relationships formed through the provision of parental support do not eliminate stress response among adolescents as much as it does in children. Therefore, the effectiveness of positive relationships may vary with age and nature of the association.
Task 2
- Understand how assessing, monitoring and recording the development of children and young people informs the use of interventions.
5.1. Explain different methods of assessing, recording and monitoring children and
young people’s development.
Instructor comment: you are missing some important ways to assess, record and monitor children’s development.
The first strategy requires the use of observations done during playtime, in class, or during young people’s social engagement. Appropriate observation techniques include the use of checklists, documentation, time sampling, tracking, and learning stories. Time sampling involves filling a short narrative observation of children while tracking needs following through a child’s choice within a specific context. Learning stories are used to record and present children’s observations over time. Making and analyzing observations helps determine how they make meaning of their world, their developmental milestones, and areas that need improvement.
A second approach requires the use of a common assessment framework (CAF) to determine if one has developmental needs and to evaluate their nature. These frameworks focus on intellectual, emotional, physical, physiological assessments to determine whether a child is reaching anticipated developmental milestones. These assessments can be done either at school or at a healthcare institution. Assessment of information from children’s carers and colleagues is a vital process used to gather, assess, and record children’s development. The last approach involves the use of standard measurements, including reasoning tests, health evaluations, and cognitive aptitude tests (CATs). These measures help establish whether children are developmentally at par with their peers.
5.2. Explain how and in what circumstances different methods are used for assessing, recording and monitoring children and young people’s development in the work setting.
Instructor comment: Far too brief. Explain all methods in 5.1 and when and why they should be used in different circumstances.
Strategies such as early childhood evaluations are used when parents and educators need information about a child’s growth and development. It is used when there is a need to identify individuals in need of additional support services and learning interventions. It is also utilized when developing individualized instructions for learners. On the contrary, observations are done to identify stages of development and assess the impacts of developmental and learning interventions. Tracking sheets are used in learning settings to determine a child’s gap in learning. Outcomes from the assessment tool inform educators about interventions and plans needed to achieve the appropriate developmental milestones.
5.3. Explain how different types of interventions can promote positive outcomes for children and young people where development is not following the pattern normally expected.
Instructor comments: your answers are far too brief for this level, and I need you to go in a lot more detail. In 5.3 please support your answer with examples that clearly show your understanding of how early intervention promotes positive outcomes.
Early intervention is necessary for children lagging behind the expected developmental pattern. Among children with speech and communication issues, speech therapists can work with parents and teachers to develop their communication abilities to reach their expected and normal social and educational potentials. Frequent assessment of home settings by social workers can help maintain safe and optimum care and development enhancing environments. Social workers also help by matching homeless children with foster parents or adoption agencies to ensure that their emotional, physical, and psychological needs are met in a loving and caring environment. Other interventions include offering them counseling and guidance to ensure they set goals and plan for developing the required skills. The nature of interventions that psychotherapists use vary depending on the child’s needs.
5.4. Evaluate the importance of accurate documentation regarding the development of children and young people.
Instructor comment: In 5,4 please do a proper evaluation, talk about how documentation might be beneficial and when/why/how it might not be.
Accurate documentation serves multiple purposes for caregivers, teachers, and parents. For instance, it provides an authentic account of children’s developmental progress and outcomes. Moreover, accurate documentation ensures that all areas of development are observed and analyzed objectively. Rintakorpi and Reunamo (2017) state that accuracy helps improve teaching and learning processes and relationships between children and their caregivers. This improvement ensues from a better understanding of children’s abilities, needs, and progress. Among teachers, documentation accuracy allows them to reflect on the effectiveness of teaching and disciplinary interventions. Besides, it provides reliable evidence that children are meeting expectations or in need of interventions. Therefore, documentation regarding children and young adult’s development should be accurate.
References:
Allingham, S. (2012). Transitions in the early years. Andrews UK Limited.
Carr, S., & Rockett, B. (2017). Fostering secure attachment: Experiences of animal companions in the foster home. Attachment & Human Development, 19(3), 259-277.
Hostinar, C. E., Johnson, A. E., & Gunnar, M. R. (2015). Parent support is less effective in buffering cortisol stress reactivity for adolescents compared to children. Developmental Science, 18(2), 281–297. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12195
Lee, D., & McLanahan, S. (2015). Family structure transitions and child development: Instability, selection, and population heterogeneity. American sociological review, 80(4), 738-763.
McLachlan, C., Fleer, M., & Edwards, S. (2018). Early childhood curriculum: Planning, assessment, and implementation. Cambridge University Press.
Neaum, S. (2016). Observing and assessing children’s learning and development. Retrieved from https://study.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/Neaum%2C%20S.%20%282016%29%20Observing%20and%20Assessing%20Children%27s%20Learning%20and%20Development.%20London%2C%20Sage._.pdf
Nethercott, K. (2017). The Common Assessment Framework from 9 years on: a creative process. Child & Family Social Work, 22(2), 751-761.
O’Connor, A. (2018). Understanding transitions in the early years: Supporting change through attachment and resilience. New York, NY: Routledge.
Orr, R. K., Caldarella, P., Hansen, B. D., & Wills, H. P. (2020). Managing student behavior in a middle school special education classroom using CW-FIT tier 1. Journal of Behavioral Education, 29(1), 168-187.
Rintakorpi, K. (2016). Documenting with early childhood education teachers: pedagogical documentation as a tool for developing early childhood pedagogy and practises. Early Years, 36(4), 399-412.
Rintakorpi, K., & Reunamo, J. (2017). Pedagogical documentation and its relation to everyday activities in early years. Early Child Development and Care, 187(11), 1611-1622.
Winter, K. (2014). Understanding and supporting young children’s transitions into state care: Schlossberg’s transition framework and child-centered practice. British Journal of Social Work, 44(2), 401-417.