OFFICIAL

CHCECE033
CHCECE033
Develop Positive and Respectful
Develop Positive and Respectful
Relationships With
Relationships With Children
Children
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 Welcome

Housekeeping

 Topic 1 – Importance of
relationships and links to
National standards and
legislation
 Relationships are foundational to the work
of an Early Childhood Educator.
• This means everything an educator will do is based on building positive respectful
relationships with children.
• • Positive and respectful relationships in the early years assist children in learning
to develop relational skills with others, build upon peer friendships and self-
regulate personal emotions and behaviour (Australian Children's Education and
Care Quality Authority, 2016).
 Guided by legislation –National law and
regulations
• In Australia, all the Early Childhood Education and Care Services
must comply with the following legislations:

• Education and Care Services National Law Act (separate acts for WA
and QLD)

• Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011).

• Relationships with children are covered in Chapter 4.5

 Guided by legislation – National Quality
standards
• The regulations that support this law are set by the National Quality
Standard (NQS). The NQS includes seven quality areas, which are
important to child outcomes.

• Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children.

• Standard 5.1 – Relationships between educators and children
• Standard 5.2 – Relationships between children
Brainstorm Relationships with children
Down at
their level Eye contact
Be
Present
I’m here
I’m interest
I’m listening
4.5 Relationships Body Language
Language
With children Face Language

Tone of Voice

Talk / listen
 Learning frameworks

Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
(EYLF).
Elements: Principles, Practices and Learning Outcomes
• Many of the key components of the learning outcomes are relevant to
relationships with children in Early Childhood Education and Care Services
settings.
 OFFICIAL

Topic 2 – Supporting
Topic 2 – Supporting emotional
emotional
development development
Stage 1 of emotional development

• Emotional development begins early in a

child’s life. Even very young children
experience deep and intense feelings.
Although children can experience intense
emotions, newborns and infants are
unable to moderate the expression of
those emotions in Stage 1.
Stage 2 of emotional development

• A child’s emotional development is influenced by

individual experiences, the environments where
children live, learn and play. For newborns and
young infants, sensitive and responsive caregiving
provides the foundation for emotional
development. As a child gets older and enters
Stage 2, the brain forms interconnections that
support the development of more mature
emotional behaviour.
Stage 3 of emotional development

• During the toddler and preschool stages, children

develop the capacity to interpret experiences and
understand and interpret other people’s responses
to these experiences. A child’s brain builds upon the
foundations of emotional development established
during infancy. By the end of the preschool years,
that is, Stage 3, children with a strong emotional
foundation can talk about feelings. This ability, along
with an awareness of one’s own and other people’s
feelings, helps children manage social interactions.
Topic 3 - Supporting the emotional
needs of children
Supporting the emotional
needs of children
Children’sChildren’s
emotionalemotional
needs needs
• What are emotional needs? Emotional needs are feelings or conditions we need
to feel happy, fulfilled, or at peace.
• What emotional needs might children have? Your loving touch and words make
them feel loved, children need to know that you accept their feelings, their
mistakes and love them.
Four basic needs are:
1. The need for love and belonging
2. The need for power
3. The need for freedom
4. The need for fun
 Emotional Needs of Children
• To feel loved
• To be accepted
• Interaction with peers
• Interaction with adults
• Encouragement of positive self-esteem
• To feel valued and respected
• Acceptance of fears and anxieties
• Acceptance of emotions
• To feel competent and able
• Inclusive interactions and a sense of belonging
• Development of autonomy
What signs might children display when they
are experiencing big emotions? (Mind map)
Regular of
Squeal with
Fast Breathing
excitement
Heart rate

How do children
Sliming Tense
Express their emotions

Crying Facial expression

Tiredness
What signs do you as an adult demonstrate
when you are experiencing emotions?
• Do you clearly express them? Yes
• Do you express them in inappropriate ways? No
• Do you hide them and keep them to yourself? No
Four types of emotions in children:
1. Affection
2. Frustration
3. Fear
4. Sadness
Our role withOur role with emotions
emotions

Helping children recognise and identify the full range of emotions is critical for
emotional development. The ability to feel and recognise all emotions is important.
It is an educator’s role to encourage children to feel and recognise the full range of
emotions and assist children to share and regulate emotions in a positive way.
 Learning to label emotions

•Labelling one’s own emotions supports children in communicating feelings and

empathising with other people.
• A child’s ability to regulate and share emotions will have a significant impact upon
the child’s ability to develop and maintain respectful relationships with other
people.
• Educators can help children label emotions by having conversations with the
children about other people’s feelings and how those feelings are expressed.
For example, a person who feels sad might express those feelings by crying, and a
person who is angry might express those feelings by raising the tone of voice when
speaking. The younger a child is taught to understand own feelings and the feelings
of others, the more emotionally healthy the child will become. We call this
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Let’s build children’s emotional vocabulary
By supporting children to develop an emotional vocabulary it gives them more skills to talk about
their feelings.
Let’s brainstorm synonyms for:
Excited Sad Scared Angry Curious
Intense upset uncomfortable Fuming interest
Anticipation Gloomy Overwhelmed Irrigated Engaged
Energised Depress Petrified Livid inquisitive
Proud hopeless Shocked jealous peeping
 Other opportunities to support children’s
emotions
IN PLAY - Incorporate feelings during play or using objects during play. For example,
you could ask the child ‘Oh, tell me how is your baby doll feeling right now? Is the
doll feeling safe because you are taking good care?
OBSERVATION - Tell the child what you observe, for example, ‘I see you are smiling,
it looks like you are happy!’.
GROUP TIME - Sit in a circle with a group of children and share stories of when the
children were feeling happy, disappointed, sad etc. Ask the children what happened
and what could be done instead etc.
Topic 4 – Self – regulation
and Resilience
 Supporting self regulation

• Children’s ability to understand and deal with emotions and behaviour is the
foundation for social skills. The ability to understand and manage your emotions
and behaviour is known as ‘self-regulation’.
A person who can self-regulate is able to:
• calm down when something is upsetting
• manage frustrating situations
• adapt to changed expectations.
 (Ass 2 Part 2 Q1)

Babies – might suck own fingers or look away from caregiver if they need a break
from attention
Toddlers - can wait short periods but may still have the impulse to take toys from
others
Preschool - children are beginning to know how to play with others and more about
what is expected.
 Children learn self regulation…

• When adults support self-regulation skills though building strong relationships

with children and having adults hold and support their emotions (co-regulation)
• By having educators modelling positive interactions, respectful behaviour and
providing supportive language towards children.
Responsive relationships are essential to make children feel safe, support children’s
ability to self regulate and promote children’s self-esteem and wellbeing
 Comforting crying children

• Go to the crying child…ALWAYS

• They haven’t experienced life like us so they have no frame of reference for how
big their problem objectively is.
• You might not always get it right every time but we need to always try our best
 Resilience (Link to Ass 1 Part 1 Q1)
What is Resilience? Resilience is influenced by multiple factors, including
individual factors, such as a child’s temperament, and environmental factors,
such as family relationships and educational settings.
Emerald Green - Build, strengthen and promote supportive relationships
Orange – Focus on autonomy and responsibility
Coral – Focus on managing emotions
Blue – create opportunities for personal challenge
Session 2
Topic 1 – Models of
communication
 AE2 Case study 2 Q3,6

•Sensitive, and responsive

communication with children
is critically important for a
child’s development. When
educators listen and respond
to children in a sensitive way
through both verbal and non-
verbal communication – it helps
children feel safe,
 Effective communication

ATTENDING - Being present, having an open body posture and using a calm, relaxed voice, and being at the
child’s level when communicating.
DEMONSTRATING EMPATHY - Reflecting upon what a person has said, showing that you understand the
person's world, and clarifying your understanding of what a person has said.
SUMMARISING - Paraphrasing what a person has said, focusing on content and checking your understanding
of what the person has said.
MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONS - Taking time out from a conversation if you are feeling stressed, anxious or
upset, and using relaxation techniques to calm yourself down if you are experiencing heightened emotions.
LISTENING - Making a deliberate effort to hear what another person is saying
QUESTIONING - Clarifying issues by asking questions (who, what, where, when, how), using open-ended
questions when you need more information and using closed-ended questions when you need specific
information.
• There are two basic types of questions: open-ended and closed-ended. Closed-ended questions
can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, whereas open-ended questions cannot.

Closed-ended question Open-ended question

Are you going to draw something? Tell me about your drawing.
We'll need to take our jackets with us, Tell me what you think we might need to
won't we? take with us today.
Did you go swimming at the beach? Tell me about your time at the beach.
 Sustained shared thinking
• Shared sustained thinking is the result of two or more people working
together to solve a problem or explain a concept.
• When a caregiver supports shared sustained thinking, the child is
experiencing guided learning rather than feeling the need to
dominate it.
• Shared sustained thinking helps children develop the ability to think
and learn how to learn (Flottman, Stuart & Tayler, 2011).
• You can support shared sustained thinking by having conversations
with children that involve a genuine back-and-forth discussion or
collaborative problem-solving.
 Positive language
• It is important to be aware of how the words and phrases we use when we speak to children can
impact upon thoughts and behavior, as well as our relationships with the children.
• The way you speak to children should always be positive. Guide children towards the behavior
you would like to see. Rephrase negative statements as positive statements.
• For example, rather than saying ‘Do not run inside’, say ‘Let’s walk when we’re inside’.

Negative Language Positive Language

Don’t run inside. Let’s walk inside so we don’t hurt
ourselves.
Let’s find some paint you can use
No, you can’t use that paint.
for your picture
I’m worried you might get hurt.
Stop doing that.
How could we make this safer?
Come here. Did you want to see what I am
doing?
You’re not listening. Tell me how you feeling right now?
 Cultural differences in communication
Consider the following values and beliefs from families with regard to
how children communicate:
• A preference for verbal or non-verbal communication.
• The use of first names for parents or referring to their parents as ‘mum’ or ‘dad’.
• The ways in which individuals listen to and respond to one another.
• The ways in which instructions and requests are shared.
• The use of eye contact
 Topic 2 – Principles of
inclusiveness, diversity, equity
and access in children’s
education and care
 Introduction to diversity and inclusion

• Early Childhood Education and Care Services have a powerful impact

upon child outcomes. To ensure every child can benefit from early
childhood education, it is important that the learning environment is
inclusive, equitable, accessible and respectful of diversity – including
diversity of culture, ability, socioeconomic status, income, and religion.

• Educators can help to create a culture of diversity and inclusion by

reflecting upon self-values, beliefs and assumptions.
 Definitions of Principles AE2 Part 2 Q 8
Principle Definition

Providing people with equal access to resources and opportunities,

Inclusiveness
especially to those who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised

Respecting what makes people unique from each other.

This includes but is not limited to:
• race
• values
• culture
Diversity
• abilities
• language
• social class
• religion
•income.
 Treating people based on individual needs. The principle of equity
recognises that some people have unequal access to resources and
Equity
opportunities, and to address that, inequality steps need to be taken
to provide additional resources and opportunities.

Access Having the means or opportunity to use or benefit from something.

 Implementing the principles
Implementing the principles of inclusiveness, diversity, equity and
access in your everyday practice is a powerful way of supporting
positive and respectful relationships with children, families,
demonstrating genuine interest in, understanding of, and respect
for all families and children.

This will ensure that every child at your service has equal
opportunities to learn and thrive.
 Differences

• Gender
• Interests/likes/dislikes
• Culture
• Value/beliefs
• Ability
• Physical appearance
• It is important to acknowledge similarities but also to acknowledge differences.
• Family structures
 Recognising differences
• Talk openly and positively about differences
• Challenge stereotypes
• Identify children’s likes and dislikes
• Accept children’s play preferences
• Make the environment reflect the variety of backgrounds and
family structures children come from
• Model non-bias behaviour (listen to everyone, welcome all
families, accept all backgrounds, be helpful to everyone,
promote respect for all people, use words the person can
understand, challenge biased statements)
Encouraging respect for similarities and
differences
• It is extremely important for young children to see differences in a
positive way. We aim to help children appreciate that it’s OK to be
different

• Finding out about children in your service will help you

understand individual child, family and cultural
expectations.
• It is important to think about how you will gather this information
Families should be welcomed and included in
the program
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Elders to visit.

• An acknowledgment to country, flags, artefacts, music, books, art work

• Playing a musical instrument
• Sharing about what job they have
• Explaining a particular festival they celebrate such as Girl’s Day/Boy’s Day (Japanese)
• New Year (Chinese or Greek)
• NAIDOC week.
Session 3
Topic 1 – Responsiveness to
children
 Agency
UNCRC: United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Children have the right to actively participate in everything that affects
the child’s lives, including education and care.

As an educator you can support children’s agency and empower

children in a range of ways, depending upon age and stage of
development. By providing children with options, choice and agency,
children can experience the natural consequences of one’s own actions
and decisions.
 Agency for 0-2 years
• Use routines as an opportunity to help children learn and communicate.
• Instead of doing a task for a child, encourage the child to try independently where appropriate.
For example, a toddler may be able to pick up and eat bite-sized foods without help.
• Pay attention and be responsive to children’s attempts at communication (verbal and non-
verbal).
• Let a child choose which play resource to engage with. For example, which book shall we
read? By touching or pointing at a book the child decides which story the educator will
read.
• Be respectful during routines. For example, ask a toddler if now is ok for a nappy change or in 5 minutes.
Does the toddler want to be carried to the change table or walk independently? The child’s choice will
define how the educator will change the nappy within the parameters of the service’s policies and
procedures
 Agency for 3-5 Years
• Provide children with opportunities to set goals for learning. This motivate the child and allow the
child to decide on activities to work towards the learning goal.
• Create learning experiences which allow children to make decisions such as which food to cook.
• Give children the opportunity to vote on meaningful decisions.
• Encourage children to think about fairness and equity in the service, the broader community, and
the world.
• Provide children with choices for resources, experiences, and routines where appropriate.
• Give children age-appropriate responsibilities (for example, pre-schoolers setting the table).
Responding to children’s efforts and achievements AE2 Part 2 Q 10

Praise = value judgement, external validation, can create dependence on others and lack of faith in oneself,
can create competition .
Examples: “Good work” and “I really like how you did that”
Encouragement = focus on effort, builds internal validation, helps children focus on effort, progress, and
specifics of the job at hand.

Example: “You did it” and “tell me how you did it”
 Lets not forget about DELIGHT
• Delight is celebrating a child for who they are rather than what they have
achieved and is often shown by attuned body language, facial expressions and
interactions.

• This type of delight is the foundation of SELF ESTEEM

• “They come to know their value by seeing it reflected in the face of the important
figures. In moments of shared delight, caregivers are communicating about their
connection and importance to each other. The message is “you are so precious
and captivating to me, just as you are”. When we have these experiences
repeatedly, we develop a confidence that we are accepted and loved”.
Encouraging children – zone of proximal
development - Vygotsky
Diagram of zone of proximal development
Topic 2 – Supporting positive
through meeting needs of
children
Developing responsive learning environments
• High-quality early childhood education and care programs
support all areas of each child’s learning and development and
are responsive to a child’s culture, strengths, interests and
knowledge.

• Strong, trusting relationships with families are very important

when developing a responsive learning program.
• These types of relationships will help to ensure families share
information and knowledge with you about the child.
 Responding to each child’s unique strengths, knowledge, interests
and culture:AE2 Part 2 Q4

• Have daily conversations with parents and families about the child’s strengths, knowledge and
interests.

• Use a communication book so parents and educators can share information about the child’s
strengths, knowledge and interests.
• Work in partnership with other professionals involved in the child’s care (for example, speech
therapists, early childhood intervention specialists) to get a holistic picture of the child’s learning
and development.

• Consider each child’s physical and mobility needs to ensure the child can participate in the
program.

• Set individual goals for children that align with learning styles.
 Seven learning syle
Blue – Visual Learner
Emerald green – Auditory Learner
Orange – Kinaesthetic Learner
Coral – Verbal Learner
Green – Logical Learner
Pink – Social Learner
Purple – Solitary Learner
 Honouring children families and communities AE2 Part 1 Case study 1 Q 5

• One of the ways you can show respect for all the children you work
with is to support practices and routines that honor the child, the
families and the communities.
• Honoring children’s family and community contexts helps build the
foundation for positive partnerships.
 Group dynamics
Age Group How They Interact With Each Other

Babies who spend enough time together can recognise each other.
0–12 months Babies who are familiar with each other may stare at or reach out to one another.

Babies respond to the sounds of familiar children, such as their siblings.

Toddlers generally do not have ‘best friends’ – they play with the children around them.
1–2 years Some toddlers are more sociable than others – some can manage multiple playmates, whereas others prefer
fewer. Toddlers are in the process of learning the skills of friendship, such as sharing and taking turns.

Preschool-aged children are keen to make friends.

3–5 years Some preschool-aged children will know who their friends are and be able to name them. By the age of four,
most children will be able to distinguish between a proper friend and another child who they know.
Topic 3 – How do we encourage
positive relationship building
between children
 Indicators that additional support may be
needed with 0-2 years AE2 Part 2 Q 3
• Showing interest or responding when played with

• Responding to familiar faces

• Responding to care interactions

• Babbling and making sounds

• Eye contact (if culturally app)

• When you have any concerns discuss with your room leader
 Indicators that additional support may be
needed with 3-5 years AE2 Part 2 Q 3

• Having a lack of interest in other children

• Displaying low confidence
• Not initiating play
• Not engaging in play with others
• Not engaging in pretend play