Methods
We expect all members of the group – children, parents, staff, volunteers and students – to abide by our policies and golden rules, requiring them to be applied consistently within the group.
Methods
Management has an overall responsibility for issues concerning behaviour, they are required to:
- Keep up-to-date with legislation, research and thinking on handling children’s behaviour.
- Access relevant sources of expertise on handling children’s behaviour; and
- Check that all staff, have relevant in-service training on handling children’s behaviour. We keep a record of staff attendance at this training.
- We require all staff, volunteers and students to provide a positive model of behaviour by treating children, parents and one another with friendliness, care and courtesy.
- We require all staff, volunteers and students to use positive strategies for handling any conflict by helping children find solutions in ways that are appropriate for the children’s ages and stages of development – for example distraction, praise and reward.
- We familiarise new staff members and volunteers with this Behaviour management policy during their induction period.
We recognise that some children may be the victims of neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Caring Hands Nursery staff will often, by virtue of their day-to-day contact and knowledge of the children, be well placed to identify such abuse and offer support to children in need.
We use “Six Steps in Resolving Conflict” to help them solve their problems
Approach calmly, stopping any hurtful actions
Acknowledge children’s feelings
Gather information
Restate the problem
Ask for ideas for solutions and choose one together
Be prepared to give follow-up support
- • We praise and endorse desirable behaviour such as kindness and willingness to share.
- • We avoid creating situations in which children receive adult attention only in return for undesirable behaviour.
- • We recognise that codes for interacting with other people vary between cultures and require all staff to be aware of, and respect, those used by all members of the group.
- • We intervene as calm adults to stop children hurting each other or behaving in an unsafe way.
- • After a necessary ‘No’ or ‘I don’t want you doing that’, we offer a simple explanation or offer an alternative to the child.
- • When children behave in unacceptable ways, we help them to see what was wrong, how to cope more appropriately and we work to help children to negotiate or solve problems.
- • We never send children out of the room by themselves if they have done wrong
- • We work in partnership with children's parents. Parents are regularly informed about their children's behaviour by their Keyperson or the Nursery Manager. We work with parents to address recurring unacceptable behaviour, using objective observation records to help us to understand the cause and to decide jointly how to respond appropriately.
- • Directed Discussion - This is a useful strategy to help children learn how to follow rules. We use it when a child occasionally forgets or breaks a rule. It involves a quick reminder of the rules and then practising the right way to behave.
- • All children receiving Easter/Birthday/Christmas gifts are from the group and not staff individually.
- • We never use physical punishment, such as smacking or shaking. Children are never threatened with these.
- • We do not use techniques intended to single out and humiliate individual children.
- • We only use physical restraint, such as holding, to prevent physical injury to children or adults and/or serious damage to property. Details of such an event (what happened, what action was taken and by whom, and the names of witnesses) are brought to the attention of our Nursery Manager and are recorded on our Incident forms. A parent/carer is informed on the same day and is asked to sign this Incident form to indicate that they have been informed of the situation.
- • In cases of serious misbehaviour, such as racial or other abuse, we make clear immediately the unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes, by means of explanations rather than personal blame.
- • We do not shout or raise our voices in a threatening way to respond to children's behaviour.
- • We handle children's unacceptable behaviour in ways which are appropriate to their ages and stages of development - for example by distraction, discussion or by withdrawing the child from the situation.
- • It is important to give the children instructions that are clear and direct, and to make sure the instruction is followed. When we want the child to do something, we try to let them finish what they are doing (finish drawing) or wait for a break in their activity before giving an instruction. When giving a child an instruction, we allow the children time to process the information. Then we repeat the instruction. (a count of 6 can be used if easier).