Unit 8 Caring for children
Write a reflective account of how the practitioner should respond to parents.
When working as a practitioner, it is important to listen and respond to parents/carers enquiries as they may have something important to tell you regarding their child/ren.
This could include medical, dietary requirements, special needs or difficulties they maybe facing at home.
Staff at the Day Nursery respond to parent enquires in a professional and friendly manner and are always there to listen to both parents and children.
The staff are trained to deal with parent/carers enquires and concerns efficiently and where appropriate consult with a colleague to resolve any issues or enquires they are not sure about.
Maintaining confidentiality of information is an important part of caring for a child within a setting.
To maintain confidentiality in a child care setting managers should ensure that all staff are aware of their policy and procedures.
Children??™s personal information should be stored in a locked place where only staff can access them.
Information regarding a child should not be disclosed with any other person other than staff (where necessary) and the child??™s parents/carers and in an emergency where medical practitioners may need to access any information.
Any information concerning a child within the setting should not be discussed outside the setting or with anyone not involved with the child??™s care.
If a child has been involved in an accident with another child and has been physical hurt, the nursery staff are not at liberty to disclose or discuss any child with the concerning parent other than their own.
If a parent/carer is facing certain issues at home and confides in a member of staff within the setting, the staff member is not authorized to disclose this information with anybody other than the settings manager. It will then be down to the manager to decide whether or not this information needs to be disclosed to other members of staff or involve another agency if they believe the child maybe at risk from harm.
Within a setting parents and carers should feel welcomed and valued at all times.
Parents should be treated in the same way regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, gender or religion.
Parents/carers should be spoken to using their home language where possible.
Its also important that parents/carers feel included in their child??™s daily routine within the setting. Practitioners can do this by sharing information regarding the child??™s behaviour, the activities they have been involved in throughout that day, food and drink they have consumed and whether the child has slept whilst in the setting and how long for.
Parents/carers will appreciate this feedback as it will reassure them, their child is settled and enjoying their time spent within setting.