A1

Working in partnership.

A1

Consistent approach

In addition to liasing with parents, you will also need to liase with other professionals regarding children with specific needs or disabilities.

As well as providing effective support in settings with colleagues, you may also be involved in coordinating a network of relationships between staff at the setting and other professionals from external agencies, such as:

• Local education authority,
• Health services,
• Social services department,
• Charities and voluntary organisations.

What are some benefits of working in partnership with others to meet additional needs?

Why?

It is important to maintain a consistent approach so that:

• trust can be built
• bias and discrimination is avoided
• communication is encouraged
• you are being objective rather than subjective.

If you are not consistent those you work with will lack confidence in your judgements and may think you are unreliable.

Expert knowledge

Support for child / families / practitioners.

Pg. 315-318

Why?

In order to engage fully in partnership working and make a full and accurate contribution to partnership working, it is important for the EYP to develop expertise about:

Child development,

Current framework,

Approaches to planning,

Legislation, policy and procedures.

If the EYP provides inaccurate or out-of-date information, other professionals or parents will not have a realistic view of the child's needs or progress.

Benefits to the child establising and maintaining partnerships with parents/carers.

It is important to know the various support structures that are available so that:

early intervention is arranged

appropriate advice can be given

relevant professionals and/or agencies can be involved

the practitioner team are able to work collaboratively and effectively.

If you are not aware of support structures, a child's needs may not be addressed in a timely way, parents may lose trust and other professionals may not respect your level of professionalism.

When parents are actively involved and interested in their children's learning and development, this enables children to progress despite any disadvantages.

Some benefits include:

Security

Early intervention

Increased motivation

Raised academic achievement

Improved behaviour

Positive attitude.

Why are these benefits? Explain! Evaluate!

Ways to establish and maintain partnerships with parents/carers include:

Trust and transparency.

Active participation.

Equal relationships.

Why are these important?

Assignment brief:

Evaluating the provision for children with additional needs.

Evaluate benefits of working in partnership with others to meet children’s additional needs.

Evaluation of the benefits of working in partnership with others must include more than one perspective in relation to:

• expert knowledge
• consistent approach
• support for child / families / practitioners

How can EYPs evaluate the provision for children with additional needs?

P. 315-318

P.317

Learning objective:

Evaluate benefits of working in partnership with others to meet children’s additional needs.