10 Child StudiesUnit 1: Careers working with

young children

Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with

children

What job roles are available when working with children?

• Nursery nurse• Playgroup leader• Childminder• Kindergarten teacher

Activity: Brainstorm and A-Z of jobs working with childrenNote – Think outside the square

Skills and Qualities

Know the difference!

• Skills: Things we learn throughout life and work experience

• Qualities: what we are good at, natural abilities, strengths

Skills required when working with children – some examples

• Similar to those of other job roles. • Approachable – be able top relate to children,

parents, carers and other professionals• Communication – involvement in activities such

as writing reports, notes to parents, information leaflets and posters

• Listening – hearing what is actually being said• Able to plan ahead – prepare activities• Practical skills – labelling pictures, organising

materials for creative activities

Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with children

• Look at the skills mind map on the next slide• Working in pairs:1. Copy the mind map onto a sheet of A3 paper2. Give one example why a child care worker

would need each skill – focus on ONE job role 3. Extend your mind map to include these

examples

• For example:• Social skills – the childminder needs to have

good social skills because they need to be able to help children mix with other children

• Note: If they are not good at mixing with others how can they help children to do the same?

Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with children

Skills required to work in Child Care

Child Care Worker

accept responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of the children in their

care

to work as part of a team good communication and social skills

relate well to children

patience keen eye for any potential behavioural

concerns

good level of physical fitness

TAFE certificate as required

A Novice performer An Advanced Beginner A Capable performer A Proficient performer An Expert performer

Has little or no practical experience of the Skill Area on which to base actions.

Is highly reliant on explicit ‘rules’ (e.g. instructions, processes, procedures, models), guidance and support and priorities determined by others, to guide activities.

Has some practical experience of the Skill Area and is beginning to recognise patterns (e.g. routines, regular responses, links and connections) that help understanding and influence action.

Is still reliant on explicit ‘rules’ and on assistance to identify priorities, but can apply these more autonomously in familiar, routine situations.

Has sufficient practical experience of the Skill Area to identify patterns and organising principles and establish priorities for action.

Can comfortably apply the explicit and implicit ‘rules’ associated with familiar situations.

Adopts a systematic, analytical approach to tasks, especially in unfamiliar situations.

Has considerable practical experience of the Skill Area in a range of contexts and is moving from reliance on externally prescribed rules to recognition of principles that guide actions.

Organises knowledge and practical experience as patterns, concepts and principles, which makes it possible to assess, and respond to situations in an increasingly intuitive and flexible way.

Reverts to analysis and seeks guidance when making important decisions.

Has extensive practical experience of the Skill Area, with both a big picture understanding and an eye for relevant fine detail.

Operates fluidly, intuitively and flexibly in highly complex situations, drawing on knowledge and practical experience organised into highly refined patterns, concepts and principles.

Uses a combination of informed intuition and analysis in different situations, recognising that ‘it all depends’.

Will often reconceptualise approaches and practices to produce more effective outcomes, while also recognising which rules and principles are always applicable.

Table 1. GENERIC DESCRIPTIONS OF STAGES OF PERFORMANCE

STAGES

Sourced from : http://www.innovation.gov.au/skills/CoreSkillsForWorkFramework/Documents/CSWF-Framework.pdf

Assessment task: Initial research• Research one of the career options brainstormed earlier in the

unit. (the one that interest you the most):

• What are the requirements for this job:• Strengths• Qualifications• Expectations• Skills • Use www.seek.com.au or www.careerone.com.au to search for

advertisements for jobs in your chosen career area.• Save and print out any job specifications or information relating to

the jobs.

Assessment task: Letter of applicationLearning Objectives

• To know how to identify your own skills and qualities

• To know how to write a professional letter of application

• To know and understand the skills and qualities required for working in an early years’ setting

Constructing your Letter

• Read through the job role description thoroughly• Then jot down the main skills and the main

qualities that you have identified• Try to match these up to your own skills and

qualities• You should try to give some examples of when

you have used these, for example work experience placements, part time jobs, at home helping to look after younger siblings or when babysitting for family/ friends

Things to take extra care with

• Spelling• Grammar• Hand-writing (if not using ICT)• Repetition of words• Use of vocabulary• Starting sentences