Communication_and_Professional_Relationships_with_Children,_Young_People_and_Adults

| | | | | | || |Communication and professional relationships with Children, young people and adults. | | | |In order to contribute to positive relationships, we should look at how we would approach other people and| | | |how we would respond to them. If we have a positive relationship with others then we are more likely to | | | |communicate information to each another better. Parents and other adults are much more likely to give | | | |beneficial support if the communication is strong and effective then in the long run this will also | | | |benefit the pupils. | | | |If we show effective communication skills by checking what we are saying when we are feeling stressed or | | | |when we get excited, the pupils can also understand what our expectations are in school. This is very | | | |important for them | | | |We have to set examples to the pupils i.e.: if we ask them to behave in a certain way when communicating | | | |with others and then we do the totally opposite, this will send the pupils mixed messages. Pupils will | | | |find it hard then to understand what the boundaries are and what is acceptable. | | | |Positive relationships and effective communication does not always come naturally to us all. We need to | | | |think hard about how we relate to others and what kind of message this would send out. If any | | | |communication breaks down for whatever reason then this can then lead to a lot of bad feeling, which is | | | |not good. | | | |The principles of relationship building | | | |The principle of relationship building with children and adults in any situation is that if others are | | | |comfortable in our company, they are more likely to communicate effectively. But where people do not get | | | |along or are suspicious of one another, they are more likely to avoid each another... Positive | | | |relationships are not something which should be left to chance, it is important to consider the ways in | | | |which we can develop them. We are building relationships with others in school on a daily basis in a | | | |number of different ways. Do we do all of the following. | | | | | | | |Effective communication – Is the key area for developing relationships with others which covers many | | | |different forms of communication | | | |Showing respect – To develop positive relationships with others, it is very important to be considerate | | | |and polite, and be courteous when listening to their points of view. Adults and pupils with whom you work | | | |along side may be from different cultures and have different beliefs and values from your own. You should | | | |ensure that you recognise and value the views of others at all times and take the time to remember their | | | |names and their chosen forms of address. | | | |Being considerate – Take the time to think about the positions of others. You may be working with a child,| | | |young person or adult who is under certain pressures at any given time and you need to comprehend why they| | | |may have behaved or reacted in a certain manner which may be out of character. | | | |To Remember any issues which are personal to | | | |them – It always help to build encouraging relationships if you ask after certain aspects of another | | | |person’s life – for example, if you know that a co-worker is worried about their child getting into a | | | |particular secondary school, or if you are aware that it is a child’s birthday. | | | |Taking the time to listen to others – Making sure that you take the time to listen to other people, in | | | |particular if they are asking for guidance or assistance, or if they need to divulge something to you. You| | | |should always show that you are paying attention in what they have to say and react suitably. | | | |Be clear on key points – When you have a conversation with others in which you are giving them | | | |information, you should always make certain that they are clear on what you have said at the end of the | | | |conversation. This is because it can be easy to get distracted from the main point of the conversation. | | | |When talking to children, always ask them to repeat back to you what they need to do. | | | |To maintaining a sense of humour – Even though the nature of our work in school is essential, we should | | | |also from time to time take a moment to see the funny side of different situations. Laughter can be a good| | | |opener and is also a great way of calming and relieving pressure. | | | |Social, professional and cultural contexts | | | |When communicating with others, you will need to put into deliberation the context of which you working. | | | |Communicating in different situations need different types of communication i.e.: using formal language | | | |and behaviour in a meeting. More informal communication in other different situations. You will need to | | | |consider the context in which you are working. You will need to adjust the way you speak in different | | | |situations. It is likely that you will do this routinely – for example, you should use more formal | | | |language and behaviour in a meeting. Your school will have a range of types of planned communication with | | | |other adults – when dealing with other professionals, there will be meetings and discussions as well as | | | |more informal communication at different times. However, the oral word is not the only way in which we | | | |communicate – it happens through the way we react to others, for example, how quickly we take action to an| | | |email or phone message, how thoughtful we are when speaking to someone, or how we dress. You may find that| | | |the non-spoken forms of communication can be a concern if they are misinterpreted by others. You should | | | |also bear in mind that different cultures will have their own normal manners that will extend to gestures,| | | |body language and eye contact. In some cultures, for example, it is not respectful to look another person | | | |in the eye when speaking to them. | | | |Understand how to communicate with children, young people and adults | | | |Skills needed to communicate with children and young people | | | |You will need to display a number of skills in order to communicate successfully with children and young | | | |people. Although it is likely that you will do this every day without even thinking about it, It is worth | | | |reflecting on the ways in which you do this effectively; communication is a vital part of your role. | | | |Children are trained to communicate through the responses of others: if they do not feel that their | | | |contribution is valued, they are less likely to begin communicating themselves. You will need to do the | | | |following. | | | |Finding opportunities to speak. Make sure that pupils are given enough opportunities to talk. Some | | | |children have very little opportunity to put their own opinions forward and convey themselves with adults.| | | |They may lack self assurance and need to be given a chance to ‘warm up’ first so that they feel able to do| | | |so. term | | | |Give eye contact and actively listen. If you say that you are listening, but are looking away and are busy| | | |doing something else, this gives the child the message that you are not really paying attention in what | | | |they are saying. Make sure that if a pupil is talking, you are giving them your full attention | | | |Use of body language and facial expressions. Be open minded. Make sure that you show your attention by | | | |the way in which you act when speaking to pupils. For example, if a young person is sitting down, sit next| | | |to them so that you are at their level. It can be very daunting to have someone towering over them. Also | | | |make sure that you smile and answer in a helpful way to what they are saying | | | |React and comment on what they are saying. | | | |You may need to repeat back to pupils to check on your understanding, particularly if they have used | | | |inaccurate language: for example, ‘I ain’t gonna do that today.’ ‘You’re not going to do that today, why | | | |is that'’ | | | |Be interested, responding and questioning to maintain conversation. | | | |It is vital to model and invite the ‘normality’ of conversation with children so that they build up an | | | |understanding about how it works. They will do this through knowledge, so you should show that you are | | | |paying attention and responding to their questions. For children to be able to converse successfully, you | | | |should persuade them to ask questions and put their ideas forward. Pupils should feel at ease and positive| | | |enough in school to be able to do this, as it is by inquiring and finding out that they learn. They should| | | |also be able to offer their own suggestions and ideas so that there is a two-way conversation between | | | |adults and pupils rather than a one-way flow of instructions. This also encourages the structure of | | | |positive interactions | | | |How to adapt communication with children and young people | | | |To be able to build relationships with children, you will need to familiarise yourself about your own | | | |actions and communication accordingly. Children of all ages, cultures and abilities need to feel protected| | | |and appreciated, and your communications with them should show this. Through definitely communicating with| | | |and being involved with children, you will show them that they are part of the school society. However, | | | |this is not the same as giving all children interest whenever they demand it! | | | |The age of the child or young person – children of dissimilar ages will require varied levels of | | | |concentration. Children may need more comfort, particularly when they first move to secondary school. They| | | |may also need to have more physical contact as an effect. As children get older, and during their teenage | | | |years, they may need more help talking through problems and reflecting on their thoughts. You will need to| | | |alter your own language as older children are often embarrassed and may be more emotional... | | | |Context – you will be dealing with children in a range of different situations. You will always need to be| | | |aware of this and alter your oral communication to suit. If you are working on an educational activity, it| | | |is important that the children are paying attention and that you deal with any distractions before they | | | |disrupt what you are doing. But, if you are talking to pupils in a more social situation such as in the | | | |dining hall, you should use this as a chance to build up positive dealings with them, not forgetting, you | | | |should always talk to them still as a professional Some pupils may enquire about your private life. | | | |Sometimes it is best to answer those kinds of questions with a little humour, i.e.: You wouldn’t find it | | | |very interesting at all. ‘Some pupils may even ask for your contact details, such as a mobile phone number| | | |or if they could list your name on their social networking page. The pupil then is getting over familiar | | | |with you. You should never give pupils these kinds of details or get involved in personal communication | | | |Communication differences – you should always guarantee care and feeling with children who have | | | |communication differences, as they will need to take their time and feel at ease when they are speaking. | | | |Some children may not have many opportunities to speak, or may be worried/panicky. You should alter the | | | |way in which you speak according to their personal needs. If they have a speech problem, such as a | | | |stammer, | | | |or conditions which make it hard for them, they should be allowed to take their time. Try not to fill in | | | |words for them or guess what they are going to say, as this may add to their anguish. You may need further| | | |training – for example, in sign language – to be able to communicate successfully or you may know of the | | | |most helpful strategies to use. In some cases where pupils have special educational needs, you may need to| | | |have extra | | | |tools in order to talk with one another. | | | |Main differences between communicating with adults and with children and young people | | | |There are many similarities between communicating with adults and with children – always look them in the | | | |eye and be interested and respond to what they are saying, and treat them with politeness and admiration. | | | |This can be different when communicating with children, we also need to think about how we uphold the | | | |relationship of support worker to the child or young person and what this means in a school situation. | | | |However well you get on with children, always remember that they need to see you as a carer and that your | | | |relationships with them will always need to be proper when in school. When communicating with children, we| | | |also need to be very apparent and definite in what we say. They need us to communicate what is expected of| | | |them so that they can learn to communicate well themselves. Sometimes we forget the meaning of making sure| | | |that children recognise what we mean and might ask them, ‘What did I just ask you to do'’ when they cannot| | | |answer the question! Make sure that the words and spoken terms you use are at the right level for the | | | |children. You also need to be aware that bodily contact with children should not be encouraged when | | | |communicating with them. It can sometimes be hard to keep away from this, but you should not offer bodily | | | |contact with children or be excessively physical with them at any time. | | | | | | | |How to adapt communication to meet different communication needs of adults | | | |It is important that we are aware of the needs of other adults, mainly if they have communication worries.| | | |It is possible that you will alter the way you speak with them without knowing that you are doing it. We | | | |often alter the way we respond to others, depending on the way in which they respond to us. For example, | | | |if you are speaking to a parent or carer who is unable to hear, you might make sure that you are facing | | | |them and giving them eye contact so that they could lip-read. If you are in contact with adults who have | | | |other communication problems, you may need to reflect and make sure you alter your own way of | | | |communication. | | | |If you need to speak with other adults who speak English as an additional language, you may need to have a| | | |translator and meet together if the information you are communicating is intricate or not easy to convey. | | | |How to manage disagreements | | | |It will be likely that at some point in your work you will have disagreements with others. In many cases, | | | |disagreements are down to lack of communication or miscommunication with others. They should be managed | | | |very cautiously so that bad feeling does not carry on afterwards. As adults we can sometimes get the wrong| | | |idea or see information wrongly and may think that someone has communicated something to us when they have| | | |not. We will now and then blame others for saying things that could be unclear or for having a different | | | |point of view from ourselves. Where there are areas of disagreement with other adults, you will need to | | | |show understanding and try to sort out the situation as soon as possible. The longer a problem is to go | | | |on, the trickier it will be to sort out. You should not be drawn into a disagreement with a child or young| | | |person. and you | | | |will need to deal with this sort of circumstance carefully and seek advice if necessary. | | | |Poor communication | | | |Often areas of disagreement occur when communication has not been successful. This may be because: | | | |● letters have not been passed on by parents or children | | | |● there is a lack of time | | | |● there has been a misunderstanding. | | | |The best way to resolve areas of poor communication is to discuss them to find a cause, and then find a | | | |way forward as one. The important thing is not to pay attention to the problem or talk to everyone else | | | |about it except the individual involved | | | |Opposing expectations | | | |Sometimes adults may not have the same ideas about the intention of an activity or meeting, or come with a| | | |dissimilar idea in mind. You should always make clear exactly the aims of what you are there to do and | | | |why. | | | |Different values and ideas | | | |Parents and schools may sometimes have dissimilar methods of dealing with situations. Whereas the school | | | |may ask for that child do things in a certain way, parental views may be very dissimilar. You may need to | | | |work alongside others to give details or explain why things need to happen in a different way in school. | | | |External factors | | | |You may be working with a person who has extensive home pressures or other issues, which are upsetting how| | | |they communicate. Outside professionals or parents are likely to have time pressures and other pressures | | | |of which you are not aware. As we get to know people, we will be able to recognise if they are behaving in| | | |an unexpected way and be able to ask if there is anything wrong or if we can help. | | | |Lack of confidence | | | |Every now and then adults can act in a hostile way if they are not sure about what they are doing or if | | | |they lack self-assurance. This may come across in a personal way to others, but is more to do with how | | | |they see themselves and their own abilities. You may need to be aware of this and offer them encouragement| | | |and support. | | | |Understand legislation, policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information, including | | | |data protection | | | |Legislation and procedures covering confidentiality, data protection and the disclosure of information | | | |Adults who work with children in any location need to have some idea about present legislation, as this | | | |will influence their practice. There is an increased awareness of how important it is to know the | | | |uniqueness of each child and have respect for their human rights. Legislation is an area which is | | | |continually under review and you will need to keep up to date through reading relevant publications. | | | |Every Child Matters (England 2005) based on the Children Act 2004 | | | |This Green Paper stresses the importance of more incorporated services and sharing of information between | | | |professionals. It came into being after the tragic case of Victoria Climbié, when there was no | | | |communication between health and social workers | | | |Data Protection Act 1998 | | | |In schools we ask parents and carers for a range of information so that we are able to care for children | | | |as efficiently as we can while they are with us. However, we can only ask for information which is | | | |directly applicable – for example: | | | |● health or medical information | | | |● records from previous schools | | | |● records for children who have special educational needs. | | | |This is confidential information and must be used only for the purpose for which it was gathered. If the | | | |information needs to be passed on to others for any reason, parental permission will need to be given. | | | |This usually involves parents signing a consent form. | | | |Confidential information – This is information that should only be shared with people with a right to have| | | |it, for instance, your teacher, your line manager or an outside agency Under the Data Protection Act 1998,| | | |any establishment which holds information on individuals needs to be registered with the Data Protection | | | |Commission. This is planned to ensure that classified information cannot be passed on to others without | | | |the individual’s consent. There are eight main beliefs of practice which rule the use of personal | | | |information. Information must be: | | | |● processed fairly and legally | | | |● used only for the reason for which it was gathered | | | |● satisfactory, applicable and not excessive | | | |● correct and kept up to date where necessary | | | |● kept for no longer than necessary | | | |● processed in line with the individual’s rights | | | |● kept secure | | | |● not transferred outside the European Union without sufficient security. | | | |You will need to be conscious of the variety of information in your role as a teaching assistant, from | | | |issues around the school to the individual needs of the children with whom you work. You should know how | | | |and when to share any information you have access to. If you are at all worried or uncertain about whom | | | |you can speak to, your first point of contact should be your line manager, or in the case of children with| | | |special educational needs (SEN), the SENCO. Many teaching assistants working in schools are also parents | | | |of children at the same school, and other parents may sometimes put force on them to reveal information. | | | |You should not pass on any information about the school or the children before being sure that this is the| | | |correct thing to do. If you pass on information without following the correct channels, you will be | | | |abusing your position of professional trust and this can be very destructive. You should also be very | | | |cautious if taking photographs for displays or if filming children for any purpose; again, parental | | | |permission will need to be given for this. You should not take pictures of children for your portfolio! | | | |You should not pass on information to: | | | |● other children in the school | | | |● other parents | | | |● other professionals unless parents have been consulted | | | |● visitors. | | | |Reassuring children, young people and adults of the confidentiality of shared information | | | |When you are involved with gathering information, whatever this is, you may sometimes be in a situation | | | |where you need to support others about the fact that it is not to be disclosed. If you attend meetings or | | | |need to be told about confidential items, you should make sure that you let others know your obligations. | | | |In most cases, parental consent would need to be given before any information about children can be shared| | | |with other professionals. However, if there are any issues to point to that the child is at risk from harm| | | |or mistreatment, or if there is a lawful obligation placed on the school to reveal information, this can | | | |be done There may also be cases where information on pupils needs to be available to all staff, for | | | |example, where pupils have detailed medial conditions such as asthma or epilepsy. In this case there | | | |should be an agreed system within the school for making sure that all staff are aware of these pupils. | | | |There may also be cases where information on pupils needs to be available to staff who need to know – for | | | |example, where pupils have specific medial conditions such as asthma or epilepsy. In this case there | | | |should be an agreed system within the school for making sure that staff who are in contact with the pupils| | | |are aware of their situation. | | | |Situations when confidentiality protocols must be breached | | | |If you find yourself in a place where another person confides in you, it is important to remember that | | | |there are some situations in which you will need to tell others. This is particularly true in cases of | | | |assumed child abuse or when a child or young person is at risk. You should at all times tell the | | | |individual that you will not be able to keep confidentiality if they disclose something to you which you | | | |cannot keep to yourself for these reasons | | | |Learner Signature | | | |Date | | |Assessor Signature | | | |Date | | Internal quality assurance (as appropriate) |Name | | |Signature | |Date |