CHCCN305A: Provide care for babies
Develop and maintain a nurturing relationship
with babies/infants
Contents
Undertake both planned and spontaneous interactions with
babies/infants
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Use routines of physical care as opportunities to positively
interact with babies/infants
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Emotional needs and physical care routines
4
Meeting emotional needs during physical care routines
4
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
10
Take time to get to know the baby/infant, their individual
routines, rhythms, preferences and cues
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Temperament and individual responses
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Information about temperament types can be useful to caregivers
of infants
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Communication with infants and toddlers
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Cues of babies and toddlers
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Interpreting and responding to non-verbal cues
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Responding to babies and toddlers
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Fostering secure and nurturing relationships
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Primary caregivers
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Parents’ anxiety
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Accommodate individual routines of daily care, rest and play for
babies/infants whenever possible
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
Undertake both planned and
spontaneous interactions with
babies/infants
The best time to initiate planned interactions with babies/infants is when they are
in an alert but relaxed state. Caregivers need to observe each infant and
document their patterns of behaviour throughout the day, taking note of their
non-verbal cues. An alert state is often signalled by an open, direct gaze with
relaxed body posture—perhaps accompanied by gurgling or cooing.
If we are ‘tuned-in’ to the infant, we can also take advantage of their calm,
receptive periods to initiate spontaneous interactions—these should involve the
infants’ senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) but not be over-stimulating.
We can usually tell when the infant has had enough by signals such as turning or
shaking the head, or starting to cry.
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© NSW DET 2010
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Use routines of physical care as
opportunities to positively interact with
babies/infants
Emotional needs and physical care
routines
Routines are the ways that we care for the physical needs of infants and young
children. They are not the daily timetable or schedule.
Common routines in the care of infants occur during these times:
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arrival and departure
nappy change
meal times, including snack times
dressing and undressing
sleep and rest
bath time.
We will look more closely at organising physical routines a little later. But first we
are going to consider infants’ emotional needs during these routines.
Meeting emotional needs during
physical care routines
It’s easy to identify the physical needs of the infant—for example, we can tell
when they are hungry, wet, tired or dirty. Most people working with small
children can notice and deal with these needs.
A responsive caregiver not only recognises and meets these needs but is also able
to identify the infant’s emotional needs and well-being at the same time.
The emotional needs of infants during physical care routines are for:
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security
trust
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
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attachment
personal value
respect.
Physical care is a personal and often intimate time with an infant. As caregivers,
we need to ensure that the physical need is met and that we adhere to child
protection procedures and issues. But we also need to ensure that this personal
time allows for the infant to feel loved and respected.
A responsive caregiver will use physical care routines as a time for extending on
their personal relationship with the infant and as a time for nurturing and positive
interaction.
Read through the following scenario and take note of how Mick, the caregiver,
treats Popi with warmth and respect while making him feel an active participant
in the nappy change routine:
Mick picks up Popi, five months, and says, ‘Well, it feels like your nappy is
pretty heavy. Would you like it changed?’ Popi giggles and laughs. ‘Well,
come on over here and we’ll get you a nice, dry nappy.’
Mick takes Popi over to the nappy change area and places him down onto
the change table. All the supplies are on the shelf overhead. Mick carefully
takes off Popi’s nappy, talking gently to him throughout.
Mick slowly pulls Popi’s top up over his face and goes, ‘Peek-a-boo.’ Popi
giggles and waves his arms around. Mick continues the game for a few
minutes. Next he slowly places the top on Popi’s face and waits for him to
attempt to pull it away, ready to go peek-a-boo as he does. This is one of
Popi’s favourite games and Mick uses it to establish a responsive
relationship.
When establishing trusting relationships, caregivers need to spend time to get to
know the infant by:
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not rushing physical care tasks
using the time to play simple games
being aware of the infant’s personal preferences
using a caring voice
explaining what you are going to do and ‘talking through’ the routine
using physical contact and touch with young infants
using small and considerate movements to remove clothing instead of a
‘quick change’ approach
addressing the infant by name
establishing eye contact
being aware of infants’ responses and responding to these (you will need
to be flexible).
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© NSW DET 2010
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There are many more strategies that can be used. The main point to remember is
to make the time personal and respectful to the infant. When bottle-feeding the
infant, ensure that you are focused on the task and talk directly to that infant.
During this intimate time, avoid yelling across the room to direct other children
and staff.
Making the most of routines with infants
Infants spend much of their day engaged in routines—feeding, sleeping, nappy
changing, washing hands, arriving and departing. It’s important to remember that
routines should never be rushed through or carried out in a brisk, business-like
manner. Routines are an opportunity to play, engage and interact and to have
fun.
In order to meet infants’ emotional needs, create a happy environment and build
close relationships between carers and infants, you need to inject all of your
physical care routines with games, songs, rhymes and playfulness.
To be able to make the most of spontaneous experiences, you need to be tuned
into the infants and toddlers in your care, and you need to have a good repertoire
of songs, lullabies, body games, nursery rhymes and stories to call on. You will find
that collecting and making resources such as puppets, mobiles, soft toys, pictures,
song tapes and CDs and finger puppets will be invaluable at moments like this.
There are some excellent resources with ideas for both spontaneous and planned
experiences for infants. Have a look at the Resources section for this unit.
Routines may take up a lot of the day, but remember that they provide you with
the opportunity for relationship-building. They are the perfect opportunity to
develop those vital secondary attachments in care. Let’s have a look more closely
at some of these times in the day.
Rest and sleep
Rest is an important consideration when providing physical care for children. An
important skill a childcare worker must develop is the ability to identify the signs
of a tired child and respond to each individual child’s needs within the service’s
programme. You need to understand individual children’s needs for rest and how
to provide a secure and comforting rest environment.
What do we mean by rest? Must children sleep in order to be resting? Will all
children require the same amount of rest? These are important questions for you
to consider.
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
Defining rest
The human body requires rest. The degree of rest that is required varies from
person to person. In this Learning topic, rest refers to sleeping and to periods of
time when a child needs to relax quietly (this can be at a quiet activity such as
lying on a cushion looking at a book). During sleep or quiet resting time, the mind
and body take the opportunity to recharge, giving children the energy to continue
to explore their environment.
Knowledge about the different sleep and waking states of babies and young
children can help us judge the right time to provide opportunities for sleeping,
feeding and playing.
Managing sleep times
How much sleep does a baby need? This will vary enormously from child to child.
Some babies sleep a great deal, some sleep for long periods of time, and some
catch enough in short, frequent snatches. As babies grow, they need less sleep
and have longer wakeful periods for play, watching and interaction. Most babies
gradually develop a regular pattern of sleep and wake periods, although it may
seem to you as though as soon as you have identified the pattern, it changes!
Keep in mind the wide variation you will find between individual infants. Here is a
rough guide to common sleeping patterns at different stages.
Newborns
Newborns may sleep anywhere between 12 and 20 hours out of
every 24 hours, in around four to six sleep periods. They don’t
usually have a regular sleep pattern, although a pattern may
emerge after about the sixth week of life.
From three
months
Many three-month-old infants sleep approximately 15 hours out of
every 24 hours, in about four sleep periods, with longer wakeful
periods for feeding and sleeping in between. Some may sleep for a
long period at night; some still wake a couple of times at night for
feeds.
From six
months
More predictable sleeping patterns start to develop after six months
of age, with a long sleep at night and two or three naps during the
day. Some still wake at night.
From 12 months
After the first birthday, many infants are sleeping for 10 to 13 hours
in each 24 hours and have one daytime nap of one to three hours.
This pattern will probably remain stable through the toddler years.
Night waking
You need to be aware that night waking varies a great deal between individual
infants. Some lucky parents have infants that will sleep for a long stretch at night
from a very early age. Many other infants continue to wake at night and may need
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© NSW DET 2010
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feeding and/or resettling during the night for many months. Some infants are still
waking at night into the second year. Naturally, the parents of these children are
very tired and need your sympathy and support!
Lucy has two children, Adele aged four months and Madison, 18 months.
Adele sleeps about 15 hours a day—nine hours at night and six hours during
the day. Her day sleep is usually in three daytime naps. At night, Adele
wakes up two or three times a night.
When Adele wakes up at night, Lucy does not get up to go to her right away.
Sometimes Adele goes back to sleep soon after waking. At other times,
however, Adele needs resettling.
Madison has a mid-day sleep for approximately two hours. He then goes to
bed at 7.30pm and wakes at 7.30am.
By allowing each child to sleep when they need to, Lucy is demonstrating
how she caters to her children’s’ individual needs.
Activity 1
Sleep behaviours
Just like you and me, infants have different needs at sleep time; some fall asleep
quickly and easily and some need assistance to wind down and fall asleep.
There are a number of other sleep behaviours and characteristics that need to be
kept in mind when monitoring and planning sleep and rest time for young
children.
Neonate sleep patterns can vary from between two to 10 hours at a time.
Even babies who mostly sleep through the night will have one or two
interruptions per night.
All of us wake up briefly several times during periods of sleep but we go back to
sleep so quickly we don’t remember; this happens for babies and young children
too. Don’t immediately act to resettle as the child may resettle herself or himself.
Like adults, babies and young children may cry, squirm, mutter or even talk in
their sleep. Babies and young children are, in fact, more restless sleepers than
most adults. Always respond to crying after about two minutes, depending on the
intensity of the cry.
Separation anxiety, which develops at around nine months of age, can affect sleep
patterns. Sleep is after all a form of separation. Some babies and toddlers just
don’t want to be left alone in a darkened room by themselves! This requires
thoughtful strategies to be developed. The use of a security toy or comforter can
be encouraged and simple rituals developed that help the child wind down.
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© NSW DET 2010
Teething, active dreaming, nightmares and ‘night terrors’ can all disturb toddlers’
sleep. Dreams and nightmares, which start at around the age of two, can be very
frightening for young children who have difficultly distinguishing fantasy from
reality. At these times, children need the comfort of a caring adult and may take
up to 15 minutes to settle back to sleep, if at all. Regular sleep disturbance as a
result of nightmares can persist throughout the preschool age.
Activity 2
To get a baby to sleep, try a warm bath
If a baby doesn’t respond to any of the above, then you may choose to give the
baby a deep bath. This can be soothing for both the carer and the baby. One of
the reasons why we often find it difficult to calm or settle a crying or distressed
baby is because we become tense or stressed ourselves. We communicate this to
the baby through body tension when we are holding them.
Warm water seems to be a universal soother. If you have the facilities, a deep
bath is best. Hold the baby so they can float with support, always keeping your
hand under their head so that their face is out of the water. Some babies become
so relaxed that they urinate or defecate in the bath! Obviously if this happens we
would remove the baby and clean them with fresh, warm water.
Note: Never leave a baby or child alone in or near water, even if they can sit or
stand. A child can drown very quickly in very small amounts of water.
We have discussed only a small sample of the strategies we can use to put infants
to sleep. There are many different ways to put infants to sleep, and what works
with one child may not work with another. It’s often best for the child if you try to
develop a sleep routine for them that is as close as possible to that used by the
parents, so that there is continuity between home and centre. However, not
everything that parents can do at home with only one infant can be replicated at
the centre, so sometimes a compromise has to be found between the home sleep
rituals and centre practices.
A childcare worker needs to carefully plan rest routines. The best way to discover
a child’s individual rest needs is to consult the child’s parents or primary carer. It’s
important that childcare workers attempt to follow the child’s home routine as
much as possible. Consistency between home and centre and regularity in
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
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routines and rituals are particularly important for babies and toddlers who are
learning self-regulation and developing their personal rhythms.
Activity 3
The role of parents
Parents can provide the key to success; they can tell you such things as if a child
needs a dummy, or a bottle before sleep, or a song to settle them, or a comforter
to cuddle. Acting on this valuable information can make the infant feel more
secure and relaxed in an unfamiliar environment and builds a sense of trust in
you, the caregiver. Parents will feel reassured when they see you adapting as
much as possible to their infant’s needs.
Parents also need to be informed about the strategies you use when settling their
child to sleep. It’s important they support you and you support them in order to
provide consistency in care.
Activity 4
Planning for children’s rest routines
A childcare worker needs to carefully plan rest routines. The best way to discover
a child’s individual rest needs is to consult the child’s parents or primary carer. It’s
important that childcare workers attempt to follow the child’s home routine as
much as possible. Consistency between home and centre and regularity in
routines and rituals are particularly important for babies and toddlers who are
learning self-regulation and developing their personal rhythms.
Activity 5
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
The risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) can be reduced markedly by
taking care with sleep practices at the centre. The organisation SIDS Australia
have come up with guidelines about making up cots to lessen the chance of SIDS
occurring. Up-to-date information about preventing SIDS can be found by looking
at the SIDS website or by contacting SIDS Australia by phone and asking for
information sheets and pamphlets.
Information published by National SIDS Council of Australia Ltd and endorsed by
NSW Health advises the following:
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Babies should always be placed on their back when sleeping.
The baby’s head should always remain uncovered during sleep.
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
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All sheets, blankets and other bedding should be secured. Do not place
any quilts, doonas, pillows, bumpers, etc in the cot.
Lay baby at the foot of the cot (feet closest to the end of the cot) to avoid
baby from slipping under the covers.
Do not overheat the baby.
Provide a smoke-free environment.
It is important to remember that SIDS can occur at any time. It can happen during
a day or night sleep. Another misconception is that it only occurs to children
sleeping in cots. It’s important to adapt these recommendations for any form of
bedding. SIDS can occur when a child is sleeping in a cot, hammock, pram, capsule
(car restraint used with infants under six months of age), etc.
Childcare workers need to implement SIDS prevention recommendations in all
rest environments with children under two years of age.
For further information:
http://www.sidsandkids.org
http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2003/05/29/1831797.htm
http://sids-network.org/
You can also get information about SIDS from the Children’s Hospital at
Westmead, Sydney. Their website address is http://www.chw.edu.au
Accurate and up-to-date knowledge about SIDS is vital for every childcare worker.
To be sure you know what strategies must be used to provide a safe sleeping
environment for the infant, review the material above and throughout this
Learning topic, look through the SIDS website and any other information you
obtain about SIDS and summarise the key points.
Waking up
Some babies wake up easily and cheerfully, but some have a very gradual
transition to a fully alert state. Infants need gentle, sensitive handling in this
halfway state. A quiet, dimly lit space and a cuddle with a favourite carer usually
eases the infant back into the busy centre environment.
Types of bedding
For very young children, the type of bedding used should be similar to the type of
bedding the child has at home, if this is possible. For example, the child may sleep
in a cot, hammock, bed, pram, parent’s bed, etc.
Children in some families are encouraged to sleep with others and may share a
bed with their parents or siblings at home (co-sleeping).
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© NSW DET 2010
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Most of the above conditions in sleeping and bedding can be adapted into the
childcare environment. For those conditions that cannot be replicated at the
centre (eg, co-sleeping), other strategies may be required. Children in these
situations may need more adult attention to go off to sleep, or they might like
their bed placed closer to others.
Generally for very young babies, cribs or cots need to be continuously available to
accommodate the various individual sleeping and waking patterns in a group. A
separate area or room should be used, well apart from the noisier play and living
areas. This is a regulatory requirement when providing care for under-twos.
Cots are not only suitable resting places for infants but need to be safe play
spaces. Interesting toys, activity boards and mobiles should be provided so that
on waking a child may amuse themselves (as long as they don’t contravene the
above SIDS guidelines). Toys to swat at, grasp and manipulate, that move when
the child kicks their feet or that provide visual interest points, add a positive and
colourful atmosphere to the sleep space.
Cots, however, should never be used as play pens. The toys and decorations
provided should not be attached to the cot in a way that they can be used to
climb out. Avoid projections that could snag children’s clothing, or items such as
beads or even stickers that can be removed and placed in the mouth. Check the
Australian Standard for cots and cribs and never use portable cots that are
designed to be temporary as a permanent sleep fixture.
Hygiene practices with bedding
Excellent hygiene practices are essential with bedding arrangements. Bed linen
can be a source of cross-infection if appropriate cleaning procedures are not in
place. No child in care should not share bed linen. Children must have their own
bed linen. This may be provided by the centre or by the parents depending on the
centre’s policy.
Older infants and toddlers and sleep
Once older infant and toddlers are managing with one nap per day, carers often
allow them to join the group, sleeping on various types of portable and stackable
stretchers and floor mattresses. A judgement must be made about when
individual infants are ready to join in on this routine, and won’t fall off stretchers
or wander around the room at rest time. Even so, parents should always be
consulted before making this type of change in a child’s centre sleeping routine
If you have decided to allow an older infant to join in on the group sleep routine in
the middle of the day, you must be flexible enough to allow them to sleep earlier
than the others if they are too tired to wait for the group. This might also mean
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© NSW DET 2010
preparing an early lunch before going to sleep, or if the child is too tired to eat,
keeping some lunch for later.
Nappy changing
Nappy changing is a constant feature of a day with infants and toddlers. As it can
only be done one-to-one, it is an excellent opportunity for relationship-building
between carer and child.
You should be competent in following the nappy change procedure as described
below. If don’t have access to real babies or toddlers to change, you should
practise on a life-size doll until you feel confident.
Nappy change procedure
You will need to practice supervised nappy changing many times to ensure that
you use the correct technique and remember this important safety rule.
While on the change mat...
If you take your eyes off the child, you must have your hands on the child.
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Wash your hands.
Collect all you need—nappy, wipes, creams, gloves, paper towel, change
of clothes etc.
Place the child on the change mat.
Put on disposable gloves.
Place a paper towel under the child’s bottom.
Remove the bottom clothing, if soiled dispose of in plastic bag.
Remove the soiled nappy, fold it into itself and dispose of immediately.
Clean the child’s bottom with cloths and water or baby wipes. (Some
services use bottom washers which must be kept separate from face
washers and soaked in a suitable disinfectant solution before washing).
Wipe from front to back and inside to outside.
Use only one wipe per cloth.
Once clean, dry the same way as you cleaned.
Remove paper from under the child’s bottom.
Remove the gloves and place in bin
Place the clean nappy under the bottom.
Redress the child.
Wash the child’s hands and return him or her to a safe place.
Wash down the nappy change mat and disinfect.
Wash your hands.
Here’s an important safety rule: Never leave the child unattended on the nappy
change mat.
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© NSW DET 2010
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If you are changing a little girl, it’s best to wipe from front to back as this reduces
the likelihood of faeces entering the urinary tract or vagina and causing infection.
If you are changing a little boy, clean around the foreskin but do not attempt to
retract it. This can lead to long-term damage, which may need to be corrected
surgically later in childhood.
Nappy change is a great time for one-to-one interactions between child and carer.
This routine task can be used to develop a positive bond with the child while
extending their language or cognitive skills.
Activity 6
Toilet learning
There are many differences among individual children in readiness for toilet
learning. Some children will show signs of interest and readiness in the second
year of life, while others may be ready closer to their third birthday or fourth
birthday.
Managing your own toileting is a big step to take in life; it involves many new skills
and responsibilities, as well as some degree of emotional maturity. Bowel and
bladder muscles must be developed enough to ‘hold on’ until the child can reach a
toilet. Finger control must be good enough to undo buttons and zips. The child
must be feeling ready to take over responsibility for this area of life, rather than
having an adult caring for their nappy changes. They must be receiving clear
signals from their body about the need to eliminate, and they have to have
enough self-control to stop what they are doing (no matter how interesting) to go
into the bathroom. There are new hygiene procedures to learn such as flushing,
wiping bottoms and hand washing.
Adults need to observe children closely for signs of readiness for toilet learning (as
above), as this will vary widely between individuals and shouldn’t be done just
because a child has reached a certain age. It is best if the time for toilet learning is
chosen by the parents in collaboration with carers, so that expectations between
home and centre are similar.
Toileting should be a positive experience for the toddler. Whenever necessary,
each toddler should have access to a toilet and toileting occurs at any time during
the day and is individualised. Staff should describe and model simple hygiene
rules and support toddlers in implementing them.
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Dressing and undressing
The age and stage of development of individual children will influence the types of
clothes they will wear. Children need to wear clothes that reflect their individual
needs. The child’s level of development needs to be taken into consideration.
The newborn infant requires clothing free from ribbons, cords, ties, etc as they
are just learning to roll and move their bodies. Clothing with strings hanging from
them places the infant at risk from choking. It is particularly important that this
type of clothing is removed when the child is sleeping.
As the infant becomes more mobile, other considerations need to be made. As
the infant learns to crawl, they will need clothing that provides protection for
their elbows, knees and toes. Some of the surfaces the infant will be crawling on
may be hard and rough and may graze the child’s delicate skin. Clothing that
covers the legs and toes will be more appropriate. It is difficult for the infant to
master the skill of crawling when they are wearing dresses. Their knees and toes
are exposed and they are at risk of slipping and falling as the fabric catches under
their knees.
As the infant attempts to master walking, their feet are of major concern. Infants
learn to walk best with bare feet. With anything other than bare feet, the risk of
slipping is increased, especially with socks and other light fabrics. Leaving the
infant with bare feet also assists them in gaining a sense of balance as well as
supporting their growing confidence. If the child needs to have protection on their
feet choose a light weight ‘slipper-sock’ with a non-slip sole.
Dressing infants
Some young babies can get quite upset when being dressed and undressed. The
feel of the cooler air on their skin may come as a shock. Some babies also resist
being pulled around in order to be dressed.
Below are some hints for making this task easier with babies.
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Pull the clothes rather than the limbs; concertina the arms of tops and
stretch the necks open wide.
Dress and undress the bottom half of the baby while they are lying down.
Dress and undress the top half of the baby with them held on your lap.
Have a shawl or blanket ready to wrap the child in immediately they are
undressed.
Dress the baby in easy clothes—eg, clothes that fasten down the front,
have raglan (or self-forming) sleeves and are made from stretch materials.
Avoid polo necks which can be a nightmare!
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© NSW DET 2010
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Take time to get to know the
baby/infant, their individual routines,
rhythms, preferences and cues
Temperament and individual responses
So far, we have talked about infants and toddlers in quite general terms, and we
have looked at some stages and characteristics of the age group. It is always
important to remember that all children are individuals from the beginning, with
their own emerging personality and disposition. The first indication of an
individual’s later personality is called temperament, and many believe that an
individual’s temperament can be identified soon after birth by looking at
particular characteristics and response to situations in newborns.
Four broad categories of temperament type have been identified by researchers:
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Easy babies. These babies are generally placid, cheerful and regular in
their routines. They usually accept change easily. Around 40% of babies fit
into this category.
Slow-to-warm up babies. These babies are often shy and slightly clingy.
They don’t adapt well to change and need patient and encouraging
caregivers to help them cope with the small inevitable changes in
everyday life. About 15% of babies are said to fit into this category.
Difficult babies. These babies are sometimes known as ‘high need’ babies.
They tend to cry more than the babies in the other groups, have irregular
routines and react intensely to many situations. They can be very sensitive
to changes in their routine or environment. About 10% of babies are said
to fall into this category.
Mixture of temperaments. Some babies exhibit temperaments that are a
mixture of the three categories above. About 35% of babies are said to
not fit neatly into any of the categories above and are a unique blend of
some or all of the above categories.
Quite a number of longitudinal research studies have looked at babies as they
grow from infancy into childhood to see if early temperament classifications hold
up over time. Some aspects of infant temperament have been found to be
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Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
© NSW DET 2010
consistent throughout childhood and into adulthood, but the child’s environment
and life experiences also have a modifying effect.
It is interesting to find out about your own temperament when you were a baby.
Ask family members who knew you then to describe your temperament.
Everything we have looked at so far in this topic will help us understand and
respond effectively to the individuals in our care.
Let’s look now at using all this new knowledge in our responses to babies and
toddlers.
Activity 7
Information about temperament types
can be useful to caregivers of infants
If we can identify an infant’s temperament type, we are able to predict their
responses to particular situations and, therefore, plan to minimise distress for
them, particularly for those babies who fit into the ‘slow-to-warm up’ and
‘difficult’ categories.
Knowing about temperament types can also influence the way we carry out
routines and handle and approach particular infants. If we modify our care-giving
practices according to temperament type, we are likely to have happier, more
settled babies in our care. In the next activity, we will try to apply this information
about temperament to various situations.
Activity 8
Communication with infants and
toddlers
Babies are able to communicate very effectively from birth. Every expectant
mother (and father) waits with bated breath to hear the music of that first gutsy
cry, signifying the beginning of a new relationship.
Infants are very interested in human voices. From the first days of life, many
babies respond to their mother’s voice by calming even before they are satisfied
with a feed or a cuddle. It’s always important to use language with babies right
from the beginning to describe the activities in which they are involved or to
accompany soothing gestures such as stroking or rocking.
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Great communication
We must also remember that communication does not begin and end with the
spoken word. Body language can sometimes be worth a thousand words—it can
also be more honest. Our posture and gestures are giving messages to others.
If you have ever seen the movie Three Men and a Baby, you would have seen that
the men in the movie discover that to an infant, the tone of the voice and the
accompanying actions and gestures outweigh the meaning of words. They
illustrate this by reading the infant a section from a financial magazine, using an
appropriate tone and intermittent high pitch voices as they cradle and rock the
baby. A memorable line crooned softly to the drowsy infant is, ‘It doesn’t matter
what you say; it’s the tone of the voice that counts’.
The following task focuses on language and communication with infants and
toddlers, but if you also consider how infants and toddlers are interested in
relating to other children it will help you come up with some more creative ideas
for the activity.
Activity 9
Cues of babies and toddlers
Infants and toddlers, just like the rest of the population, have a whole range of
feelings, emotions, needs and wants. Unlike those of us with the skills of
formalised communication, such as language skills, babies and toddlers use a
range of behaviours or non-verbal cues or signals to get their message across.
A non-verbal cue is a behaviour or action that gives the adult caring for the child
information about the baby’s needs. It is a way of communicating without words.
Activity 10
Activity 11
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Interpreting and responding to nonverbal cues
It is important to remember though that all children are individuals and even
though they have similar cues, it may not always mean the same thing.
If you were to ask yourself how babies, under six months of age, communicate
their physical needs, you would certainly have crying near the top of the list. You
would probably know that there are different types of cries that range in pitch
and urgency to give the carer a guide as to what it is the baby requires.
If you were to ask the parent of a three-month-old baby the difference between a
cry for hunger and the cry that indicates the infant needs to go to sleep, they
would most likely be able to give you a definite description of both. Perhaps the
hungry cry would start with squirming and move right through to an urgent
sounding, high-pitched cry, full of gusto. The tired cry may be more like a constant
sort of whimper, with intermittent eye rubbing and yawning. You may have had
the opportunity to get to know a baby well enough to interpret their non-verbal
signals.
When we are getting to know a baby or infant, one of the ways that the child will
build up trust with us and form an appropriate secondary attachment is if we
respond to their cues quickly and in a caring way. This requires us as child carers
to be observant and sensitive to the needs of the babies and toddlers in our care.
When we are working with infants it is important to remember their dependant
nature. It’s very difficult for them to be away from their parents or the people to
whom they are attached. We cannot expect all infants to be happy with substitute
caregivers straight away. It takes time and patience to build up appropriate
relationships with the children in our care.
Children sense when those who care for them are indifferent, tense or who don’t
really like them. A gentle touch, a quiet cuddle, or rocking to and fro rhythmically
can give more positive messages to a distressed infant than just words. Of course
we should use verbal comfort as well, but body language does not easily lie and
infants are experts at interpreting this form of communication.
Responding to babies and toddlers
Imagine you are starting a new job and your supervisor tells you that you should
ask your two co-workers the answers to any questions you have about your
responsibilities. Imagine one of your co-workers just gave you vague directions,
barely even giving you eye contact while she attends to some other task. The
other co-worker is friendly, smiles a lot, and not only makes sure you have the
information you need, but goes the extra mile and demonstrates use of
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equipment, takes you on a guided tour of the workplace and offers helpful tips
about your daily routine.
The second co-worker has gone to the extra trouble of being patient and taking
time, so you will probably build up a good working relationship with her. Adults
take time to ‘warm up’ to people, and yet sometimes carers make the mistake of
expecting babies and toddlers to take immediately to them or to other people
that they happen to think are OK
When a baby is crying, for any reason, it is easy to fall into the trap of frantically
doing anything to make them stop. Say, for example, that the infant has just
separated from their parent. The alternative caregiver may be found frantically
bobbing the infant up and down with urgent murmurs of ‘Don’t cry’ or ‘You know
mummy will be back’ because they want the baby to be happy, as soon as
possible. Often infants don’t get the chance to get over their separation because
carers too quickly try to distract them to make them forget.
Talking to the infant in a soothing voice, taking time just to sit and cuddle or
rocking the infant gently helps them have the time they need to adjust.
Remember that the person who they love most in the world, and feel most
comfortable with, has just left them. Even though the older, secure infant will
know that this is just temporary, it’s still very hard to be without their primary
attachment figure. Acknowledging their distress by telling them that you know
they are sad because their parent has just left is more appropriate when
beginning to settle an infant into the day. Of course, tell the infant their parent
will return. A quiet time of just sitting and rocking might be appropriate with
some infants; others will enjoy the unhurried distraction of a story. Let them
become interested in the equipment set out for the day—in their own time.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when responding to babies is
consistency. The infant must know that each time they cry in hunger they will be
fed and that each time they whimper and squirm in discomfort, someone will
change their wet or soiled nappy. Consistency does not just mean having their
physical needs met. If the infant is sad, or bored, or excited, or bursting with
happy energy someone should be available to share their joys and their woes, to
congratulate them with applause as they place one block on top of another, or to
comfort them when they need it. A consistent caring adult is better than a whole
centre full of the latest and greatest in equipment.
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From birth, the most satisfying thing for a baby to look at is the human face. This
doesn’t change much over the first few years of life. The caregiver’s face can be a
satisfying feely toy, an exciting cause-and-effect object with changing expressions
or even an interesting musical instrument. If you can be a positive and consistent
caregiver for infants, even when it has rained for two weeks and everyone has
been trapped inside, you will have achieved high quality caregiving.
Fostering secure and nurturing
relationships
To nurture infants’ emotional wellbeing, it is vital that we provide secure
relationships between infants, parents and caregivers. Part of providing quality
care is to begin to build and form attachments with infants as soon as they begin
care. Some childcare services even endeavour to start fostering this attachment
before an infant formally starts care through orientation sessions.
Attachment in child care
The attachment between infants and parents is usually measured against terms of
the research conducted on attachment in the past. As childcare services became
more widely used, there were concerns that infants in care were more likely to
develop insecure attachments than those infants who were cared for exclusively
by their mother at home. There were also concerns about the effect of nonparental care on children’s development.
However, a lot of research has since dismissed these concerns. Australian
research conducted by Dr Linda Harrison and Dr Judy Ungerer in 1997, suggest
that there are positive developmental outcomes when care is formal, stable and
regulated.
If you would like to find out more about children in care and the attachments they
develop, one of the books you might like to look up is:
Hutchins T and Simms M (1999) Program Planning for Infants and Toddlers: An
Ecological Approach, Prentice Hall, Australia.
The quality of the interactions between infants and caregivers plays a vital part in
creating secure attachments. Caregivers who spend time with infants and respond
positively to their needs create feelings of trust and security. There is a difference
between responding to an infant’s physical needs and providing responsive care.
Responsive care ensures the caregiver not only meets physical needs but also
provides for the infant’s emotional needs and anticipates the infant’s needs
before the infant becomes distressed.
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Activity 12
Accreditation and quality assurance
The National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) principles recognise that the
interactions between staff and children and staff and parents are important
indicators of quality. Make sure you have a copy of these publications so that you
can attempt the next activity.
You can find these online at www.ncac.gov.au
Activity 13
Primary caregivers
In order to develop secure and nurturing relationships, many childcare services
use primary caregivers for small groups of infants to focus on building strong and
responsive secondary attachments between infants and caregivers. The primary
caregiver is usually responsible for most of the routine interactions with a small
group of children. These primary care groups are established to provide
consistency of care and continuity of care so the infants can feel secure and begin
to build a sense of trust with the caregiver.
In most childcare services, the primary caregiver is assigned to a care group for
the length of time they are in a particular room. However some services choose to
have the primary caregivers move from room to room with the care group,
ensuring the children have the same caregivers for the duration of their time in
the service.
This may lead to greater depth of knowledge about each child, resulting in a
higher level of quality in individual planning and programming for the child.
A disadvantage may be that if personalities do not complement, the child may not
have an opportunity to experience other carers and develop other secondary
attachments. With the high staff turnover in children’s services, it is important for
children to be cared for by a variety of staff and to develop a range of secondary
attachments with them.
Activity 14
Parents’ anxiety
One of the major concerns or fears that many parents face when placing an infant
into child care is that the caregiver may become more important to the child than
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the parents. Responsible childcare workers are aware of this and implement
strategies to protect the infant’s primary attachment to his or her parents. This
primary attachment can be protected and strengthened by establishing positive
partnerships with parents and encouraging and supporting two-way
communication.
Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCN305A: Reader LO 9206
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Accommodate individual routines of
daily care, rest and play for
babies/infants whenever possible
It is important to learn about and plan for each infant’s individual routine. This
creates a smoother transition between home and care, and enhances the infant’s
sense of security. It also allows for more one-to-one interactions because while
some babies are sleeping, others will be awake and ready for adult interaction.
We should find out as much as we can about the child’s home routine upon
enrolment and maintain communication with family members so that the routine
can be modified as the child develops.
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