Understand_How_Duty_of_Care_Contributes_to_Safe_Practice_Shc_34

1. Understand how duty of care contributes to safe practice. 1.1 Explain what it means to have a duty of care in own work role. A duty of care is an obligation that any child or young person that is in your care is well looked after and not harmed during a particular task. Within my setting I carry out daily checks to ensure that my setting inside and outside is safe before the children arrive. I make sure that my setting is clean which therefore reduces the risk of spreading affections. I keep up to date my first aid and that I have a fully stocked first aid box. I make sure accident forms are completed in the event of an accident occurring and that all parents are fully informed, who then sign any forms that need to be filled out. “ Work with children brings significant duty of care, and younger and more vulnerable the child, the greater the duty of care” Tassoni page 43. 1.2 Explain how duty of care contributes to the safeguarding or protection of individuals. By ensuring risk assessments are being carried out within a setting, also to make sure all equipment and toys are safe, and cater for the appropriate age. By making sure there are no hazards like cleaning materials being left out and all electrical sockets being left uncovered, this is to prevent any harm to child and young people in my setting. Ensuring the setting is always clean to stop the spread of infection. That food is stored properly to stop cross-contamination and that the kitchen is clean to stop the spread of germs. The childcare provider must set out clear expectations and boundaries for children behaviour and to use ways of discouraging behaviour that might harm or distress others within the setting. Being aware and observing children and assessing their development, so that if they do not meet their development that appropriate action can be made with informed parents. Finally if you suspect harm or abuse that you are aware of the procedures to follow if you suspect a child is being harmed or abused. 2. Know how to address conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between an individual’s rights and the duty of care. 2.1 Describe potential conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between the duty of care and individual’s rights. “Children and young people are entitled to basic human rights such as food, health care, a safe home and protection of abuse” Meggitt page 41. Although in a child case it is not that simple and children cannot always stand up for themselves. Children need special rights to protect them. The U N Convention on the rights of the child applies to all children and young people under the age of 18 years old. This gives parents rights that their children are being looked after and that the carer has a duty of care. The Childrens NI order 1995 makes it clear that children’s rights are paramount. You as a carer play a small part in the life of a child but the parents have a very central role in their upbringing. “When you exercise a duty of care, you have to be sensitive to ways in which intervening in the lives of children and families could bring you into conflict with their rights and responsibilities.” Tassoni et al page 44. You must always try a find a balance that does not intrude in their lives but covers your desire to keep children safe. Risk Taking – Sometimes the duty of care can be in conflict with the child’s right to experience their development and learning. Sometimes a challenge of climbing to the top of a climbing frame is essential for the child to weigh up risk taking but the child and carer has to balance if the child is at risk or needs to experience a few risks to enhance development. Confidentiality – In some cases your duty of care must prevail over rights. If a child needs protected from abuse then the families right to have their private information kept confidential needs to be balance with your duty of care to protect the child. Support and advice Sometimes it is difficult to make judgements so therefore you will need to seek support and advice from professionals. 2.2 Describe how to manage risks associated with conflicts or dilemmas between an individual’s rights and duty of care. In my setting I had a child whose parents were not together for a long time and both of them had different ways of disciplining their son which lead to inconsistency and the child’s behaviour getting worse. The mother went to seek advice with a childs centre and they were working with her to come up with strategies that would help. The dad was not working with her and doing his own form of discipline. Because the parents continued not to work together the child’s behaviour was not improving. I took some advice from professionals and then approached Mum and Dad together to come up with what would work to help everyone but most importantly their son. So now everyone is working together and the boy’s behaviour has vastly improved. A lot of the time especially around Christmas I would suggest an activity to do with Christmas, but there was one child whose family did not believe in celebrating Christmas. When we were making gifts etc for Christmas I would involve her in that activity but allow her to use objects that didn’t symbolise Christmas so she still got to take her gifts home. When Chinese New Year was coming up I asked her parents if she was allowed to be involved, she was, but this was a way to ensure a conflict did not occur. These are a few examples from my setting, but always ensure that you take into consideration all risks, danger of a serious injury, anything that is against the law or morally wrong against the individual rights and your duty of care. 2.3 Explain where to get additional support and advice about conflicts and dilemmas. In my setting I sometimes would need the support and advice from other professionals. Other professionals in the childminding settings would be: Social Services- Social workers need to be contacted if there was a serious complaint mad against myself so further investigation can be made on behalf of whom ever made the complaint. Health Services – Doctors and nurses in case abuse is suspected, to safeguard the child. NICMA – The Childminding Association is enables all childminders to gain information and advice about all childminding issues. I would always follow the policies and procedures set out by my setting and the Childminding Network. 3. Know how to respond to complaints 3.1 Describe how to respond to complaints. “Customer service is about anticipating needs, using initative to solve problems, listening, doing the job properly in the first place and keeping your customers informed, as after all prevention is better than cure” Early Years Educator Volume 4 October 2002, 19th June 2012. Always remember that all families have the right to complain. It is important to always follow your settings policies and procedures for responding to complaints from parents. This may mean taking direct action or reporting your concerns to someone who has the authority to deal with these situations. There are 4 positive steps to help respond to a complaint. Be Calm Listen Apologise Attempt a positive outcome Sometimes it is easier to find your own solution with effective communications skills. Any issues need to be dealt with sensitively and respect to be shown to parents. Always listen and not to respond negatively and try to sort things out in a quick manner so children do not pick up on any tensions. The parents may be critical towards you and it is important not to react in a heated way. It is important to stay calm and to take criticism in a positive way to maintain a positive working relationship. Always apologise if you feel that you are partly to blame, apologising quickly can be very effective. Always carry the complaint through with a positive outcome and solution. 3.2 Explain the main points of agreed procedures for handling complaints. Within my childminding setting it is very important to safeguard and protect yourself from any complaints or accusations. Childminders may feel vulnerable to accusations of abuse because they look after children alone in their own homes for long periods of time. It is important to remember that all complaints of child abuse must be investigated. Social Services cannot automatically believe or disbelieve that abuse has not occurred. All families have the right to complain about any area of the service that you provide for their children and duty of care. Any professional that are involved including yourself will be trying to reach an objective decision about the facts of the case. As the complaint unfolds you should, keep careful records of any meetings you attend, including date, time, place and who was there. Keep notes of telephone conversations you have about the complaint. Keep copies of all letters. As childminders generally work alone, you will have no other adult to help with the stresses and strain of looking after young children and therefore no witness to what has happened in your home. By contacting NICMA you will have the support and advice that you need and by following your good practice and your policies and procedures you will be protecting yourself against any allegations, complaints or neglect. All compaints are taken very seriously and need to be sorted out as soon as possible. Depending on how serious the complaint is in how long this takes. Usually the complaint can be sorted out by good communication between the childminder and the parent. A meeting can be set up where the complaint can be discussed and resolved. If a complaint cannot be sorted out between the childminder and parent then it needs to be referred to a social worker or other professionals. BIBLIOGRAPHY Beith K, Bulman K, Griffin S, Tassoni P, (Children & Young People’s Workforce Early Learning & Childcare) LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA 2010, HEINEMANN Bruce T, Grenier J, Kamen T, Meggitt C, (Cache Children & Young People’s Workforce LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA 2011 Early Years Educator Volume 4 October 2002, Accessed 19th June 2012