Unit MU 2.8
Contribute to the support
of positive environments
for children and young
people
(Part 1)
MU 2.8
Contribute to the support of positive
environments for children and young
people
3 credits
This unit helps learners to:
• Know about the regulatory requirements for a positive
environment
• Be able to support a positive environment that meets an
individual’s needs
• Be able to support the personal care needs of children and
young people
• Understand how to support the nutritional and dietary needs
of children and young people.
Big Picture
Lesson 1 Connector…
Why it is important for a child/young person to be in
a positive environment?
Work in pairs to discuss your ideas.
Be prepared to give feedback to the class.
Positive environments
• A positive environment is somewhere that is welcoming,
reassuring, safe and healthy; it is one in which
children/young people can learn and develop.
• A positive environment helps children and young people
to become independent, to have the confidence to learn
new skills and to feel a sense of belonging.
• A positive environment should provide for the physical,
intellectual, language, emotional and social needs of the
child or young person.
The required regulations
Learning Outcome 1
There are a number of frameworks in England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland which state the regulations that
must be followed in children’s and young person’s childcare
and educational establishments.
•
•
•
•
‘The curriculum framework for England’
‘The curriculum framework for Scotland’
‘The curriculum framework for Wales’
‘The curriculum framework for Northern Ireland’
Find out
about
these for 1.1.
& 1.2
Activity 2
The required regulations
It is important to know that the laws are slightly
different in each of the UK countries.
Each group to research the following laws
•‘The curriculum framework for England’
•‘The curriculum framework for Scotland’
•‘The curriculum framework for Wales’
•‘The curriculum framework for Northern
Ireland’
Be prepared to give feedback to the class
What is a positive environment?
A positive environment is one:
• that is safe and hygienic
• where there is no
discrimination
• where young children
and young people are
cared for by people who
have a caring attitude
and approach
• where children and
young people are
stimulated
• where there is equality of
opportunity
• where there are activities
and opportunities for play
• where individual needs
are met.
A positive environment
• Should provide for each individual’s needs.
Think of 2/3 children or young people you are working
with. Are their needs being met?
• Should offer a wide range of activities that allow children
and young people to try things out (experiment) and that
encourage them to solve problems.
Can you think of activities that could be offered?
• Should provide opportunities for taking part in activities,
indoors and outdoors, and with peers.
Activity 3:
Being able to support a positive
environment
2.1
• In your placement, how do practitioners greet each
young person or child?
• In what ways are they made to feel valued as an
individual?
• Which routines are in place?
• What opportunities are there for taking part in a variety
of activities?
What does the young people’s
environment offer?
2.2
• What opportunities are there for the young
people to choose their own activities?
 Make a list of them.
 When do they do them?
• How much time do they get to engage in
activities of their own choosing?
Activities 4
Helping children to feel valued textbook page
152
And Reflective practice: Welcoming children and
young people page 153
Activity 5
Work in pairs to answer the following questions;
Any setting must take into account the particular needs of each
child or young person. What might be done to help:
•A child or young person who uses a wheelchair?
•A child or young person with hearing difficulties?
•A child or young person with very poor eyesight (visually
impaired)?
•A child or young person with limited mobility?
•A stressed or anxious child or young person?
Creating a friendly
Early Years environment
2.2
This involves planning the layout and organising the activities
so that children can have an active role in setting up and
choosing what they want to do.
Outdoor access
Health
and
safety
Interest tables
child height?
objects safe to
handle?
Are displays
visible?
How is the space
divided to allow for
a variety of activities?
Things to
think
about
Lighting natural
and artificial
Is the space
big enough?
Temperature of room
18–21C
Resources
2.2
• Remember!
You are the child’s most valuable resource.
Equipment
•
In your Early Years work environment, what opportunities are
there for children to play with,
sand clay and play dough water
•
•
Where is the quiet area?
What tabletop activities
are there?
e.g. puzzles, small blocks
•
What technology equipment can they use?
e.g. computer
Can you
think of
others?
Can children take part in….?
Cookery
Domestic play
(dolls,
telephones etc.)
Make-believe play
(dressing up
clothes)
Art work
What else does the Early Years
work environment offer:
• What construction toys can they play with?
• Are there facilities for reading and writing?
• Can they make models etc. from boxes, toilet roll
tubes, egg boxes etc?
• Is there an interest table? What is featured?
• Are there ‘growing and living’ things, e.g. fish, plants
?
Outdoors
2.2
• What outdoor equipment
is provided?
• How do you know that
the outdoor equipment is
safe?
• What about the outdoor
floor surface – is it
suitable and safe?
• Is there a garden? What
can the children or young
people learn about
garden life – plants,
insects etc?
Providing activities and resources
2.3
• Activities and resources should always be
planned with the individual in mind.
• A child or young person’s needs should be
regularly assessed.
• Those with particular needs should have the
same opportunities as others.
• Settings may need to be adapted for those with
additional needs, e.g. wheelchair users.
Providing activities that will encourage
the use of a child or young person’s
senses
2.4
Touch
e.g. a variety of materials with
different textures
Taste
Smell
e.g. sampling
sweet & sour
foods
e.g. cooking
Hearing
Senses
Sight
e.g. reading
e.g. listening to
music
What other activities can you
think of for each of these?
Providing an environment where praise
and encouragement are given
2.5
Sharing experiences / circle time
Highlighting
the positive
aspects –
especially effort
How to give praise
and
encouragement
Non-verbal methods
e.g. smiling, eye contact
Verbal praise
and
encouragement
Displaying
work
Sharing positive
feedback
Assessment task 1
• You have to produce an information leaflet for
children, young people and parents/carers.
• This leaflet is intended to explain all about
‘positive environments’:
- what is a positive environment?
- what makes a positive environment?
- what regulations have to be followed?
You might find it useful to discuss these questions
before starting your leaflet.
Review
Write down some of the ways positive
environments can be created