Warwickshire Children and Young People's Workforce

www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/projects/earlyyears.htm

www.childcarecareers.gov.uk

www.ndna.org.uk               National Day Nurseries Association

www.pre-school.org.uk/      Pre-school Learning Alliance

www.ncma.org.uk              National Childminding Association

Ofsted have published a guide to best practice in early years provision.

It deals with meeting the Every Child Matters outcomes of enjoying, achieving and contributing.

The whole guide can be downoaded as a portable data file (.pdf) or viewed online at www.ofsted.gov.uk/gettingonwell

Language Development 0 - 5

Progress should be steady
Children learn at different rates. Some are fast language learners and some are slow, so it is best not to compare one child's language development with another's. The important thing to watch is that language development proceeds steadily, not whether it is fast or slow.

A framework to support children in their earliest years

Primarily aimed at practitioners, Birth to three provides information on child development, effective practice, examples of play activities to promote play and learning, guidance on planning and resourcing and meeting diverse needs. The framework also reflects the diversity of types of organised provision for children in this age group and recognises the importance of wider issues including equal opportunities and relationships with parents.

Elizabeth Jarman looks at the impact of the physical learning environment on young children’s speaking and listening skills

Nursery Assistant

Qualifications are not always required.  Many nurseries will offer training and some will expect a commitment to gaining NVQ level 2.

You would usually work as part of a team meeting the daily needs of children. You would usually be supervised by a nursery nurse or an early years practitioner.

This portable data file (.pdf) contains a session plan, worksheets and background reading for a two hour session.

This pack has been trialled as part of the Warwickshire Common Induction Standards Training.

The following definition is taken from the HSE web site.

Lone workers

Occupational group is the factor which is most strongly associated with the risk of assaults at work (Budd, 1999). However, exposure to violence at work not only depends on a person’s occupation but also upon the circumstances and situations under which a person performs their job. Working alone, for example, increases the vulnerability of workers (Chappell & Di Martino, 2000.)

HSE defines a lone worker as:

Three new studies on early years practice have been published by the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children's and Young People's Services (C4EO).

The three studies are Improving Development outcomes for Children, Improving attainment and Narrowing the Gap.

The three studies are attached as portable document files (.pdf)